Northern or Southern--When You're Sick of Winter

I know my friends in the North have it bad. They’ve had snowstorm after snowstorm, freezing temperatures, endless grey days, and weeks without sunshine. 

This is why, by God’s good grace, I live in the South. 

And even though our temperature has stayed considerably above zero, and it’s only snowed once—for 20 minutes, by South Carolina standards, it’s been a long, cold, dreary winter. For this transplanted Yankee who whimpers and whines every time the temperature dips below 50, spring is a welcome guest I’d like to invite to stay forever. 

I don’t live in a neighborhood with beautifully manicured lawns, artfully crafted landscapes, or six-figure homes, but as I walked its streets today, it was beautiful. Dressed in its Easter finery, I saw God’s gardening skills everywhere I looked. 

Your neighborhood—your life—may not be beautiful at first glance either, but I’d like to encourage you to look a little closer. I suspect if you peer beyond the surface and look intentionally, you’ll find something to make you smile. When you do, accept it for what it is—a gift from God. 

After you’ve acknowledge your gift, thank him, for we know “every good and perfect gift comes from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). When someone gives us a gift, even a small one, thanksgiving is the only appropriate response. 

And after gratitude comes the greater gift—joy. 

“...the secret to joy is to keep seeking God where we doubt He is,” Ann Voskamp says in her book, One Thousand Gifts. If gratitude always precedes joy, I wonder how much joy we miss by not being thankful? 

Come walk with me today and let me show you my little corner of joy. 

This is southern snow -- Bradford Pear petals after a rain.

What are the good gifts for which you're thankful this spring? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.

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