As we approach Easter...

This photograph was on Facebook this morning and I had to share it.  We are always looking for craft ideas and here's one I particularly like. It's easy to make and has a deep meaning for those of us who live for Christ.

You and your kids can make this in no time.  It's a saucer from a plant pot, dirt, gravel, a small pot for the cave (along with a stone to place in front of it) and twigs for the crosses.  Plant the dirt mound over the small pot, place the gravel around the front and you have a wonderful and meaningful centerpiece for the family.  Spread the "hill" with grass seed - which should come up in less than 10 days (don't forget to water it, too).  And finally, place the crosses on top.  Anyone can make this.  What a great project to share God's message of Resurrection, Faith and Hope.

As all of you know, I adore kittens and this photo caught my eye.  Of course, it looks like my darling Tyler Jalen, but it also reminds me of Spring with all the flowers popping up, the trees blooming (it would be nicer without all the pollen though) and the promise of a new season of growth.    How can you not love that little face?

Hyacinths are such a beautiful flower and smell so sweet.  They will soon pop out of neighbours' gardens along with other flowers and trees which add their growth in the Spring.  If we had a garden here, I'd certainly plant some of these, along with my daffodils and roses for the summer.  It may sound silly, but when you do take the time to 'smell the roses/flowers' you see just how wonderous these simple things are in your life.  As we grow older and all the glitz and glamour of "things" dims, the most natural treasures are in the mundane - the every day.  We grasp each with new vigor and enjoyment.  Life's joys are so simple - just like flowers.

When I sit on the hillside looking out over a lake in the Lake District in England, I am always astonished at how tranquil it is.  Little has changed over the years and I reflect on how much I have changed.  At least I hope I have.  I have new interests as I get older.  Retirement is a good sorter and you find new things to make you happy.  A view such as this one, makes you take stock of those new interests and perhaps gives one a new sense of peace - I'd say, a renewed peace.  No wonder Beatrix Potter got so much enjoyment from the Lakes - her inspiration.  It's mine, too.

But here, looking out from Grandad's Bluff in La Crosse, Wisconsin, I am also reminded of where I live now.  This is a beautiful city with enormous vistas for the enjoyment of everyone who visits.  The Mississippi River - or just the "River" to those of us who grew up along its banks - can be seen in the distance, along with the bluffs and the Coulee - the land between the bluffs.  It's where Minnesota and Wisconsin seem to be one state - not divided.  The eagles and hawks soar as if taking off from an unseen runway, gliding on the air currents as they provide sentry duty to those of us below.  (Of course, they could be looking for lunch, too!)  And just like the Lakes in England, La Crosse has its own beauty to share.

Spring is here across the globe.  Just like these plants, we have a chance to change - to grow more fully into the life we have been given.  We have the opportunity to stop for a moment and look at everything around us. We have the chance to say thank you or I love you, rather than simply texting it or tweeting it. Seasons are short and they get shorter as we grow older, so never forget to say the things we need to say and so often forget to do.  Never take these simple things for granted for they can be gone in an instant.  Enjoy your Spring!