SPRING HAS SPRING

Matthew 6:34 (CSB) - “Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

About this time of year, somebody inevitably says, “Spring has sprung; the grass has ris’. I wonder where the flowers is.” When I checked, I learned that the author of that quote is unknown and I also discovered that the common saying questions “where the birdies is,” rather than flowers. Anyway, that little poem keeps coming to mind, because the winter this year has been so warm.

The flowers have ris’. Daffodils and crocus began blooming in the middle of February. Flowering bushes are now showing color, tree buds are ready to burst open, and the grass is greening up. The Yellow cloud of pollen will soon be spreading.

I love Spring. For many, it is their favorite season of the year. I love the green grass, the splashes of color from flowers, birds returning, and farmers plowing their fields. But this year, it’s hard to be sure Spring has truly sprung.

A long cold spell and big snow could still come tomorrow. How do you know when Spring has sprung when the warm days outnumbered the cold days all winter long?

One year, I saw the first fully-opened daffodils in early February. When I saw that cluster of bright yellow shining on a dreary winter day, I grieved. I wanted to tell them, “It’s too early! Go back to sleep before a cold snap comes, wilts your sunny heads, and cuts short your brief time of glory.”

But the cold snap never came and more and more flowers bloomed. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy many of them. I was too anxious about a hard freeze killing them. As weeks passed, I realized Spring arrived early that year.

But I missed it. Rather than enjoying the season, I was anxious all the way through it. I felt robbed. I purposed then to never let that happen again. I can’t stop an early Spring, but I can choose to enjoy it.

It’s made me realize that there are other things in life that we might not fully enjoy in the moment. Instead, we worry about the future. How many times have we moaned our loss as we thought of our children going to school for the first time, departing to college, or for married life? Our grief over anticipated separation steals the enjoyment of the day.

Some people are hampered at work because they fear losing their job. Likewise, a diagnosis of a debilitating illness can rob today’s pleasure, because we’re anxious about what tomorrow might bring. We seem oblivious to the fact that fretting steals our energy, life, and joy. Nor do we realize that it doesn’t alleviate the pain and struggles of tomorrow. Anxiety about what might happen is not only pointless, it’s counterproductive.

In Matthew 6:34, Jesus tells us, “Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Indeed. When we’re anxious, we add tomorrow’s trouble to today. Truly, each day already has enough trouble of its own.

Consequently, let’s enjoy this Spring. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I’m relishing in the life and beauty of today— fluffy clouds against a deep blue sky, greening lawns, waving daffodils, singing birds, colorful bushes, and treetops tinged red from opening leaf buds. All of nature is proclaiming the season.

Spring became official today. New life is breaking forth, and we need to enjoy every minute.