Elfin Magic? or the Lord at work!

G. K. Chesterton wrote in "The Innocence of Father Brown" "The most incredible thing about miracles is that they do happen. A few clouds in heaven do come together into the staring shape of one human eye. A tree does stand up in the landscape of a doubtful journey in the exact and elaborate shape of a note of interrogation .... In short, there is in life an element of elfin coincidence which people reckoning on the prosaic may perpetually miss. As it has been well expressed it he paradox of Poe, wisdom should reckon on the unforeseen."

 

I was lamenting recently that I had missed our early spring wildflowers. The trout lilies have gone to seed. There was only one fresh daffodill left when I got home, and we planted hundreds over the last few years. I was told the tulips I planted would act as bait for the white-tailed deer. And before we left two of the tulips were bitten off to the ground. But wait, I did not miss early spring. I spent it on vacation in New Mexico!!

 

Oh, how quickly I forget my blessings and murmur about my current circumstances or anything else that does not suit me.

 

The miracle of spring is unfolding about me even as I lament parts of it.

 

There is an elfin magic in sun shining through tulip petals! There is a mystery regarding things buried in the ground and rising from what seems like death.

The forecast about "deer bait" has become the glory of the garden and the deer do not seem to mind at all.

Whoever bit off the first two just created a surprise for me by not coming back to finish the crop!

 

And these little violas are from last year!

The slugs in the spring rains last year ate them to the ground, but they obviously did not eat the roots! Here they are with blossoms galore and oh, the fragrance!

 

So while I thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the southwest, spring is perhaps my favorite season at home. And the Lord has been determined to show me that I did not "miss" but a part of the spring.

Lord, forgive my grumbling. Thank You for the grace to live in the present moment. Thank You for rising from the dead and making a relationship with You and the Father possible through Your Holy Spirit. May I yield to Your longing to grow in me. Bloom on, My Savior!