Mark 8:37 – What could you give to get back your soul?
For those who LOVE spring, we have been waiting for May, like, for a very long time. For those of us who live in the upper Midwest in the U.S., it feels like spring just cannot quite get here. We have a little tickle of spring, followed by snow. Yep. That’s right. Snow.
I’ve lost count of how many times I have seen itty bitty flowers shivering in the cold and windy days of April we have had this year.
I know there is nothing really magic about turning the calendar page to May, but my heart is SO LOOKING forward to it. I want sun, warmth and the ability to wear sandals outside once again without my toes greezing the entire time. For real.
I want Hubby Rick to fire up the lawnmower and turn the grass into this beautiful criss-cross pattern with our yard that looks like a professional baseball outfield. This is followed by our neighbors mowing their lawns to have the same look as the Vielhuber yard. It’s quite canny how this happens.
I look forward to going to our grandson’s baseball games and not wearing a winter coat. And afterwards, stopping at Culver’s and getting the flavor-of-the-day custard.
I yearn to go to the Amish greenhouses and pick out flowers for pots and two stunning hanging baskets that will grace our front porch and bloom continuously all summer long.
Most importantly, I want my soul to do some spring cleaning: to leave behind the grey of winter and find the sun and green of optimism of new life. I look forward to the hope and plans for another stunning season. My soul desperately yearns to feel lighter and fresher and ready to burst into a happy place filled with spring smells of tiny flowers opening up, clean water as we glide through a pond in our kayaks and freshly baked scones and muffins while visiting an area farmer’s market.
So, how might we do some of this spring cleaning? How might our souls find a lighter and fresher step this May? Today, I’m sharing five ways for you to help your soul feel lighter this May. Five little blessings that you can add to these days of longer sunshine and glorious sunsets.
Let’s go:
- Eat something that truly tastes like spring. Maybe it’s a tart lemon bar or a very early radish. For me, nothing quite says spring like a rhubarb crisp. Here’s a recipe very similar to one that I use. FYI –I freeze rhubarb in the spring so we can enjoy it’s tart flavor throughout the year.
- Hop on your bike with a family member or friend and go for a gentle, easy cruise. No rushing, just a meandering ride. Stop when you see something interesting. Breathe deep and take in every single spring smell that wafts your way. If biking isn’t your thing, a walk or a hike will work just as well. Oh – for a spectacular way to end your ride, stop at a little ice cream shop and reward yourself!
- Go to a quiet little spot at the very beginning or end of the day and watch the sun come up or close out it’s day as it sets. Notice all the different colors across the horizon. Thank God for the amazing creation orchestrated by the very same God. Be amazed at how peaceful and serene this sunset or sunrise was. Celebrate that YOU watched it.
- Find a little place with some live outdoor music. Listen to the music and daydream of a place where you have heard this music before. Close your eyes and imagine you are in that spot right now.
- Cup some soil in your hands and deeply breathe in the aroma that emulates from it. Or pick some early spring flowers, put them in a tiny vase and allow their scent to fill the favorite room in your house. Thank God for the wide variety of smells that tickle your nostrils.
Sometimes, we just need to slow down the constant treadmill of our lives and appreciate all the little things around us: the tastes, the smells, the sights, the sounds and the action that too often, we take for granted. Our bodies need this. Our hearts need lightness. And our souls desperately need the hope of a new tomorrow to fill our very beings.
The days of every month can get filled with too much: work, commitments, cleaning, distractions, unexpected blunders. Personally, these are the things that can suck the life and soul right out of my very being. This is why we need little things, regularly, to fill our souls back up. Daily. Weekly. Monthly.
A good goal? Do one of these soul-fillers each week during May. A great goal? Do them several times this next 31 days. An exceptional month? Do each one (or a variation of it) every week.
When your soul is tired, dry and overspent, what will give it life once again? Only you can answer this question. I’m just offering five little suggestions to help you get started.
For opportunities to fill my soul this next month, I am grateful.
Blessings –
Dianne
Holy God – as spring comes into full bloom and grants us the promise of new life, create a bit of space within my soul to fully embrace this new life as well. May I find great things to fill my soul these next 31 days. Amen.
For more reflections on the number FIVE, please check out these other blog posts:
5 Messages of Hope in a Topsy Turvy World by Sharla Hallett
https://sharlahallett.com/5-messages-of-hope-in-a-topsy-turvy-world/
Five Steps to Becoming a More Technically Savvy Boomer by Regina Marcazzo-Skarka
Five Things I Have Learned During a Crisis by Jessica Weaver
www.rootedunrooted.com/blog/five-things-i-have-learned-during-a-crisis
Five Favorite Foods to Grow in Small Spaces by Jessica Haberman
https://storytellerfarm.com/five-favorite-foods-to-grow-in-small-spaces/
5 Parenting Tips for Hard Times by Ashley Olivine
https://ashleyolivine.com/parenting-tips-for-hard-times
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