Is the Coming of Spring Bringing Spring to Your Steps?

Just 7 days until it's officially Spring (March 20th). The pink tulips, the bright yellow jonquils and the bright yellow forsythia are out. The red bud trees are red budding. The creeping phlox are creeping out. And, Sunday, I came out -- outside, that is. I've been hibernating for most of this winter. What happened to Texas heat, anyway?

My walking/jogging routine came to a halt when I injured my ankle and it's been so cold outside and I've been so busy and I've been traveling here, there and everywhere. Excuses. Excuses. Excuses. I was speaking all of that to myself when I took to the streets and sidewalks on Sunday. That's when I saw the new life in the plants, trees and flowers (photos here). I realized it's time to get Spring into my steps!

My word of the day is obviously, SPRING: to move or jump suddenly or rapidly upward or forward; leap; arise, evolve, AND the season between winter and summer.

I was a greeter and held the door open at church on Sunday in spite of the 30 mph winds. I'd use cliches like "Look what the wind blew in!" "So glad you didn't blow away!" "We've got that 'wind-blown-look today, don't we?" Then a jolly fellow that had a bounce to his steps, beat me to the punch and said, "Could you turn down the wind, please?"

Did you ever hear that phrase -- a SPRING in your steps? It means we're walking with a bit of a bounce in our steps, implying that we're in a good mood or something good has just happened to us. Ever been weighed down with a heavy situation, and suddenly good news came, and you felt light as a feather? You were pressed down and weighed down, then suddenly you had SPRING IN YOUR STEPS!

This time of year helps with adding Spring to our steps and we get a fresh new perspective on life. Spring marks a new beginning. I love that it brings Easter -- the celebration that Christ lives. All of nature is renewed and it reminds me all the more of God's great love for us. Everything starts to come alive. Our world gets filled with color. Isn't all that reason enough to have SPRING in our steps?

Spring in our steps brings a breath of fresh air to those we meet and come in contact with. We have the reasons for joy and life and it should exude from us. We should be like a ray of sunshine because we have good news of a great and mighty God to share. We have some wonderful things in our lives that make us different and because of it, we should have that extra bounce to our walk. Like the birds that come singing in the Spring, we should be singing songs of praise and thanksgiving with a "Spring in our Step" everyday! With each step, we should have a smile on our face and love in our hearts! After all, WE KNOW the CREATOR of Springtime. He is our Maker and He made us with "built-in" springs that can cause us to always rebound with God’s peace, joy and love each and every day!

God's Creation is Even More Spectacular in Holland

Day 117 of Photo Inspirations -- God's Creation is even more spectacular in Holland!

It was another glorious day as we made our way to the largest port in the world, Rotterdam, Netherlands -- the gateway to Amsterdam, Holland.  We travelled leisurely down the canal, passing by the secret annex of Anne Frank who wrote her famous diary during the holocaust.  I loved hearing Michael Buble' singing as we slowly passed by the contemporary architecture of the bridges and buildings -- certainly not the Holland we imagined.

And, what fun it was to dance with one of the ship's cooks on the upper deck as we made our way to docking.

But, being the adventureous "Fearless 4" that we are -- we decided to once again, set out on our own for a great day of exploration and adventure.  The ship's excursion packages are pricier and safer since if you're not back to the ship in time for it to leave port, they'd wait for you, but in our case -- we're up for the thrill of the hunt and excitement of living on the edge!  We took the shuttle to city center, then we got on a train to Liedem, Holland, then took a taxi ride through what we remembered about Holland -- the quaint homes, green pastures, bicycles ridden by young and old alike, the cable cars, etc., but we were in for the greatest thrill when, since it's the Tulip Festival Season, we went to Keukenhof, Holland.

Keukenhof is the most beautiful spring garden in the world with more than 7 million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths that fill over 77 acres with color, beauty and fragrance.

You'll see what I describe in the photos attached -- my, oh, my -- our Creator continues to inspire and amaze us with his creative genius.  I know I am so blessed to be able to "stop and smell the....tulips" -- and I'm thanking God everyday for His greatness.

I continue to be amazed as I sing "Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder -- consider all the worlds thy hands have made.  I see the stars.  I hear the rolling thunder.  Thy power throughout -- the universe displayed.  Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee -- How Great Thou Art!  How Great Thou Art!