A bittersweet spring

With the changing of the seasons, I'm reminded that sorrow and joy can exist alongside each other, and they often do.

As the past few weeks have brought warm, sunny days, and shorts weather, they've also brought snowflakes and jacket weather, sometimes with a stark difference from one day to the next. The promise of spring arrives in tandem with anniversaries of grief for us, as well as grieving alongside friends walking through sorrow.

April snowflakes falling on fresh tulips and magnolia blossoms. Joys of new babies, and mourning the loss of babies. Sweet quality time with my family, and later this week, gathering as a family on Nicholas' side to grieve his grandfather, and celebrate that he is in his eternal home.

The weight and the beauty of it surprise me sometimes, when I quiet my heart enough to actually see it all in one frame.

Sorrow and joy. Clouds and sun. Mourning and rejoicing.

A time for it all, this side of heaven. And as we walk through the days given to us, I want to live in faithfulness and obedience, and hope in Christ, and the anticipation of the day when the dichotomy of sorrow and gladness is no more, for Christ's glory will eclipse it. Hallelujah!