A Breath of Fresh Air”

These last few days have been a breath of fresh air after all the rain early March brought us. Michael and I have been busy with yard work that somehow gives us a new perspective on the landscape around our house and brings ideas for far too many projects. Yet being in the fresh air energizes us; it isn’t until we stop that our muscles begin to protest the arduous activities of tilling, shoveling, weeding, and planting. The tired is a good tired, though, and we can look forward to the enjoyment of vegetables and flowers this spring and summer.

We are also refreshed by a visit to my son and family in North Carolina to celebrate Grace’s seventh birthday. How surprised we were when she served us the Black Forest cake she made for her birthday. I was assured by her mom that one of the women at their church supervised the baking but that the work was all Grace’s—cherry filling, piped frosting, chocolate garnish and all. Grace’s baking initiative gave me fresh inspiration to try my hand at decorative piping again.

Fresh inspiration can be as welcomed as fresh air. The old expression “brushing away the cobwebs” reminds us all that, without movement, our brains can get dusty and unclear. With the onset of Spring, the fresh air, both inside and out, revitalizes plants and plans that lay dormant all winter, possibly redecorating a room, trying out a new sport, or taking an online class. Maybe we simply want to get together more with friends and family. The idea is to be active, to strengthen ourselves so that we grow not only physically but mentally and spiritually also.

The same applies to our lives in the church. What would happen if we used time this Spring not only for physical but also for spiritual rejuvenation, taking in a deep breath of fresh air. Ask Jesse Barbour how many projects the facilities committee is currently undertaking, from kitchen inspections, parking lot repairs, and leaking roofs. Physical “rejuvenation” abounds! The grounds are being spruced up for upcoming events like Easter egg hunts and yard sales. Plans are being made for VBS and having more events with our Navajo partners. A breath of fresh air for the soul.

Paul suggests that fellowship with other believers has “refreshed my spirit and yours” (1 Cor. 16: 18 NET). Encouraging one another in our endeavors boosts our motivation; we clean, prune, and fertilize plans put off over the winter and anticipate seeing these ideas germinate this Spring. Just as Jeremiah records the promise God gave to the people of Judah to restore them to their land, so we can believe God will “fully satisfy the needs of those who are weary and fully refresh the souls of those who are faint (Jer. 31: 25 NET). As we undertake work that is familiar like sprucing up the building and yard, we may also be inspired to try something different by taking on a new role in the life of the church, inviting a new neighbor to a service, or challenging ourselves by taking one of the many classes offered for lay servants. All these things translate to bringing fresh minds and bodies to the work of our church. Who knows, we may have so many volunteer leaders that God enables us to produce abundant fruit for His kingdom right here in our own back yard.