Signs of Spring

April has been a VERY busy month (blog neglect is primary evidence!). However, in the midst of all the busyness it is so important, even critical, for me to slow down and reconnect with the goodness of God's creation. When I take time to open my eyes to the small, intricate details of creation it brings worship to the surface...something swells up inside of me and causes my heart to overflow with gratitude for a God that is so good. Children always seem to have their eyes wide open. They don't need to remind themselves to be observant- they are naturally curious about everything. How is it that we are born with such awareness and desire for details but then somehow as we get older we allow our adult eyes to get blurred by the distractions of this world? That is why I am so thankful for my children who are teaching me every day how to look at the world through their eyes.
In our family we have a little tradition as each new season approaches. We go on nature walks or simply go exploring in our own backyard searching for "signs" of the season. We walk slowly, bend down close to the ground, look high up into the trees, peel back branches from bushes, turn over rocks and logs and we search for clues. These are a few pictures of the "signs of spring" that we discovered along the way.