Strange Bedfellows

I have a new family member. A 7 lb King Charles English Spaniel mix that is the cutest thing you will ever meet. While she might be tiny, this little girl known to me as Pookey can really wiggle the waggle. She so often comes to me as I sit at my home computer working one of my many jobs and clearly lets me know that her wiggle needs to waggle... if you know what I mean. So, with an interrupted sigh I smile at her and say the magic words she's longing to hear "want to go outside?" Without exception, every single time she makes it to the door before I do ready for her outdoor adventure.

This has become our routine over the past few weeks. Several times a day I stop what I'm doing to enjoy a walk with my hairy friend. It's amazing what goes on in the world outside of our four walls every day. I confess that before Pookey came into our life I barely noticed anything that went out in my yard or even in my neighborhood for that matter. Typically, I would drive up to my house, open the garage, drive into my garage, close the garage door and go about my daily routine. Who knew what I was missing?

Now, as I walk the yard, both front and back, I can't help but notice the weeds that need to be pulled or the butterflies that frolic about. On Monday, I even saw two beautiful red cardinals singing in the tree. Every day God has been capturing my attention with something new; a reminder of His creative handiwork.

Yesterday, we had a good rain in our parts followed by a cool front that created a fair amount of wind. It was so windy in fact that every brown dead leaf that had been in my trees all winter is now safely on my driveway, yard and sidewalk. There are so many brown leaves that I actually slipped this morning like I was walking on ice. Every where I look are brown leaves; dead things communicating the end of a season. Yet, in spite of the recent cool front, spring has already begun to arrive here in the south. My azaleas are in full bloom as are every other flower in my yard. New life budding, blossoming and showing off for all to admire. It's truly my favorite time of the year.

As I waited patiently for Pookey to finish chasing lizards this morning I had this odd sensation that the Lord was trying to get my attention. I looked around my yard sensing so strongly the presence of God and without warning there it was; that scripture in my heart that opened my eyes to what He was trying to show me. Very quietly I heard, "See I am doing a new thing". There among the lizards, bees, dog, leaves and flowers I saw in my spirit the strangest of bedfellows. Everywhere around my feet was something dead - dead leaves several inches thick yet just above it the new life of blossoming flowers. How like God to point out that before anything new can blossom something has to die. A seed must die. A leaf must fall. A Savior must go to the grave.

I want so badly to work my yard and rake away all that is dead, just like I often want to in my life. I want to admire the beauty without remembering what had to die to acheieve it. In time I'm sure that I will rake away the old yet I will chose to rememember the cost. However, until that day comes, I will praise God for reminding me that good and bad fall often from the same rain, from the same hand. The hand of God that looks down on strange bedfellows, and smiles.

No matter what season your in today, allow me to encourage you, sometimes it takes the rain to help you see the new thing God is doing in your life. Let the tears fall, rake them away, then take a moment to smell the sweetness of a God who is good, unchanging and loves you unconditionally!