My Heart Yearns For Spring

I know I’m not alone.  But it’s more than the cold and snow that won’t seem to go away.  This winter has seemed like a winter to my soul as well. 

With Dad’s cancer diagnosis, I’ve been clinging to God and the hope He offers that Spring always comes.  No matter how hard the winter, or how many tears, the flowers will bloom, and hearts will be healed. This picture was taken one summer years ago while the boys and I were fishing at Mom and Dad’s place. 

This is standing by that pond, looking back at the old farm house where I grew up, and they still live.

We are heading home to Pennsylvania tomorrow to visit my parents.  Dad doesn’t know we’re coming.  But we plan to get there just in time to help him celebrate his 73rd birthday.

This trip promises to be an emotional one.  There’s no way to know if this will be the last time I see Dad this side of Heaven.  I’m hopeful that he will regain strength and be able to have another chemo treatment.

Either way, we serve an awesome God who holds our futures, hearts and hands through every step we take. And I have determined to trust Him.  And when I my faith doesn’t seem like it’s enough, I ask Him to remind me.  And He always does.

For example…Just recently, doctors told Mom to stop burning their woodstove because of how the dry heat was making it hard for Dad to breathe. 

With their oil supply dwindling and little funds to buy more, Dad called the lady at the oil company to inquire about the price and see if they could afford to have some delivered. 

The lady on the phone asked him if he was ok, then cut through the red tape and had 100 gallons delivered within the hour--free of charge through a program in their county.  She also told him he was eligible to have $4500 dollars worth of repairs done to their house through another program she gave him information about. 

The man who delivered the oil was an assistant pastor in a nearby church.  He prayed with Dad, and told him his church was praying as well.

God’s tender mercies never fail to bring tears to my eyes.

And as hard as it is to watch my parents go through this winter, I know that Spring will come, and God will cause the flowers to bloom again.

We would appreciate your prayers, especially this next week.  Prayers for safety as well as blessings for our visit.

Thank you friends for being such a wonderful encouragement!  I love you all!