Spring came to Ithaca with a glorious, sunny emergence this weekend. We took full advantage of the warmer temperatures and the sunshine and spent as much time as possible outside.
Saturday, we took a family hike (with Anna riding in the baby backpack on Justin's back), followed by some time outside to work on some projects and try to eat grass (you can imagine which members of the family fell into each of those two categories). Sunday afternoon, we just sat together on a blanket in the backyard, experiencing the simple joys of a warm day, being together, eating popcorn, blowing bubbles. We capped off the weekend with our first al fresco meal of the season. I'm of the opinion that everything tastes better outside (and we also learned clean-up for dropped bananas is also easier outside!)
On Monday, as I was switching our flannel sheets to regular sheets and enjoying the breeze that was blowing in the open window, I was thinking about the amazing happiness that comes on that first warm day. It's like an unspoken holiday, as everyone collectively tosses open windows, dons garden gloves, and ties running shoes. This year, the timing of Easter and the warm weather lined up extremely well (the first day I was comfortably without a coat was Holy Saturday), and that made me think all the more about the springtime that comes to our soul. With Easter, we break out of the dark and intentionally dull period of Lent, and rejoice in the beauty of flowers, water - new life! Like that first warm day, Jesus' resurrection breaks us free - from being cold and alone, from being sinful and sorrowful. What joy we can find in this "Son-shine!" (and in this spring sunshine, too!)
No longer shall your sun go down, or your moon withdraw,
For the LORD will be your light forever,
and the days of your mourning shall be at an end.
Isaiah 60:20
Check back later this week for the projects completed by those of us who weren't eating grass on Saturday!
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