Every Beautiful Year

During the thirty-something years we spent in Africa, we enjoyed different beauties each year—in Nigeria, the overwhelming majesty of mountains formed from the rock formations left from ancient volcanoes, and the flowering trees flaunting such lovely colors as the rains approached—and in Niger, the mighty Niger River daring to make her way through the desert so that fishermen and farmers could eke out a living; and also the hippos, the crocodiles, the brightly colored birds, and in sheltered places, the mighty, yet somehow dainty elephants. Oh, God surely displayed His glory in new and amazing ways throughout those years . . . and yet, we always missed our springtimes when such a variety of blossoms appear, eventually overpowering the frost and the cold and making March and then, April, like some annual Easter parade, displaying God’s triumphant resurrection glory, so that every beautiful year becomes one more amazing testimony to the loveliness He so joyfully and so naturally displays.

Every beautiful year
when the daffodils
dare to appear
in their glory
all yellow and yet
so fragile, our Father
sets out to reveal
His beautiful
revel with blossoms
in trees while His
tulips grow bright
in the breeze,
His wildflowers spreading
before grass begins
greening, His
rioting of
rainbowing colors and
the poignant dogwoods
so elegant
in gardens and
forests, and then bright
green leaves on the
elms and the oaks,
deep red on maples
with royal colors on
azaleas before
daisies, gladioli
all join in their praises.

M.S.
April 2, 2022

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy . . .

Psalm 96:11-12