The birds were noisy this morning. And I don’t mean just a little bit. They were loud and raucous and excitable and continuous in the dawn of a new day. From the excited little twitters of the tiny birds to the staccato notes of the bigger ones to longer two-toned cries, the whole sky was filled with a symphony of praise—and I reveled in it as I walked my little dog around the block.
As I write, it’s late April here in New Hampshire, and the trees still have no leaves. The word that best describes our current landscape is drab with splashes of yellow. Yes, the trees are bare, but the forsythia is out in full force, and the daffodils are bobbing in the morning breeze. The bright yellows stand out vividly against the somber trees and remind me that spring always follows winter. Year after year. Century after century. It’s predictable and steady and reliable in a world that feels very unstable.
Last May, I lost my hearing when sudden sensorineural hearing loss robbed me of sound. The key word is “sudden”! I went to bed hearing just fine and woke up practically deaf. No hearing in one ear, and I already had very little hearing in the other. No bird songs brightened my mornings. My world was silent and isolating. I was immediately given prednisone treatments both orally and injected into my inner ear. To put it mildly, this was unpleasant. And yet, the desire to hear surpassed the pain of the procedures, and so I endured a painful, silent summer. Eventually, my hearing in that ear returned to seventy percent word recognition, and I was fitted with a hearing aid in the ear with enough hearing ability to amplify sound.
Now, here I am, a year later, savoring birdsong symphonies. When something you take for granted is suddenly lost—and then returned to you—your appreciation is so much greater! Each winter here in New England, we lose the green of the trees and, often, the blue of the sky as the clouds roll in and our world becomes brown. As unpleasant as that may sound (and I much prefer snow-covered whiteness blanketing the land with a pristine sheen that didn’t happen this winter), it greatly heightens the joy of spring. Everything seems fresh and new and beautiful again because we missed it for a while.
So this spring, as my new hearing aid allows me to enjoy those glorious trills and twitters from the birds, I am savoring it all in a new and deeper way, tuned in to the noises and enthralled by the splashes of yellow. Sometimes, you have to lose something to appreciate it more fully. Today, I rejoice, “for behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove [sparrows, chickadees, blue jays, cardinals, bluebirds, titmouse, finches, and so many more!] is heard in our land.”
Father, thank You for the rhythms of the seasons and Your steady reminder each year that no matter the instability of the world, You never change. Your faithfulness endures forever, and spring always follows winter. I am grateful, Lord, for the sounds and sights of spring and the reminder that You renew and restore, and I can trust in You. Hallelujah! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
You are loved,
Sharon
Sweet Selah Ministries Share it. Pin it.
Vision
To inspire a movement away from the belief that “busy is better”
and toward the truth of God’s Word that stillness and knowing
Him matter most—and will be reflected in more effective work and service
Mission
To offer biblical resources and retreats that help women pause (Selah)
and love God more deeply as they know Him more intimately (Sweet)
Donate
If you’ve been blessed, keep the blessing going!
Click over to our Donation page … and thanks.
What a lovely picture! And you shared from the heart re hearing or suddenly not hearing. How precious it is to hear. Today when we walked to a pond, the sights and sounds of Spring were so beautiful. We gazed at a big patch of bluets, with a red butterfly exploring them for the nectar. The colors as well as the sounds of Spring are everywhere. What a beautiful world God has given us. And the message of renewal every Spring. Thank you.
I am so glad you also share my enthusiasm for spring! And, especially, for the reminder that God renews and restores all in the proper season.