Valentine's Day Blessings

This has been a crazy winter.  On a day when the average high temperature should have been around 60, we had a record breaking foot of snow.  It still boggles my mind with the amount of it, and how beautiful it all was.  Even now, four days later, there is still snow melting and dripping everywhere.  Just amazing.

But, it's COLD!  And I'm honestly just tired of being cold.  That picture up there is my backyard!  This is Texas for goodness sake, not upstate New York!  I'm tired of the wet, and the mud, and all of it.  I usually love winter, but I've had enough.  This last round of it has made my asthma act up, my lungs hurt, and I keep hearing myself ask, "Lord, is it EVER going to be warm again?".   I even promised my husband that I will not complain this summer when it's 110 out.  I promise!! 

But, I'm trying to be patient, and I'm trying to find a better balance in life, so I'm trying to not complain too much, but I don't think it's working.  I mean, this whole post is a complaint, right?  Well, so far, at least.  

Then, yesterday morning,  on the way to church, I pulled out to the end of my driveway, and had to sit for a minute or two to wait for my finicky car to warm up.  I looked around, and....I got a flower for Valentine's day.  No, not from my husband, because we really don't do up the whole Valentine's thing usually.  Most times we agree that it's silly to waste money for a greeting card holiday when we should be letting each other know how much we love one another every day of the year.  Now, he does offer to buy me flowers, and I always tell him to just let me buy some flowers for the yard, so at least we can enjoy them all summer.  It works for us, and we're both happy with that.   So, if not from the hubby, then what am I talking about?  Check it out:

A crocus!!  A beautiful tiny purple crocus, peeking up  from under the leaves and snow.  Best Valentine's present ever, because I can't help but think that God put it there just for me to see.  

He heard my prayers, 

and He answered with a tiny blessing and sign of hope, that yes, it will be warm again.  

Now, of course, I know that I'm the one who planted that little crocus bulb last fall (a rather neat memory for me... trying to get them all planted just before a cold front and rain storm came through... I didn't quite make it and I was soaked to the skin when I came in, but gosh was that fun!  Ooooh...I had forgotten all about that!).  So, yes, I planted it, but God made it grow, and it was His timing that put that little bloom out just to answer a prayer and bring me joy.  I can't help but think that He also knew what a precious childhood memory that would recall for me also, those little flowers blooming in what seemed like impossible weather.  

A flower, a gift, an answered prayer, & precious memories all in one...what a blessing!  

Thank you, Lord!

May you all be as blessed, and feel God's love around you every day.