The arrival of the birds.

I was laying in bed the other day waiting for my alarm to go off. I do this often, as I am about the furthest thing from a morning person possible. I typically try to stay asleep as long as I possibly can. This morning I noticed something different however. Outside my window I could hear the chirping of all kinds of birds. As I lay there, I could hear the hammer-like noise of the woodpecker and the soft chirping of song birds. It struck me as odd for a moment. I didn't remember waking up to birds any other time that week. In fact in the last several months I could not for the life of me remember waking up to the chirping of birds. At first I thought that I had overslept but soon realized that my alarm was set to go off in another 40 min.

The birds signified the first sign of spring. Their arrival warranted the attention of warm weather and a beautiful shining sun. With the warmer air and the added light provided by the sun the snow began to melt away revealing a greenish brown on the ground. The first colors aside from white that we've seen in at least a month. Everyone's energy level increased and seemed to cheer everyone up from their wintery complacency.

Looking back over my life I can't remember ever noticing the day that birds would make their spring appearance so suddenly. I've certainly never been aware of the sharp contrast between a day without birds chirping to a day with birds chirping. It was kind of beautiful and at the same time a great moment for reflection. Those birds know inside them it was time to awake. They knew, not because of the weatherman or because of the calendar that told them when to start singing. They knew because something inherit in their nature told them it was time to start busying themselves with their purpose.

With the start of this new season we will see all sorts of life. Animals will shake off winter's chill and go in search of food. Plants will begin to bring forth new beauties and every leaf formed will be unique and have a certain purpose. Again all these things know to do this because of something inside them that compels them, that this is what they were made for. With spring coming we must begin to realize that it is the same with us. From deep within, there is something that calls to us, telling us that we were made for something more. It is time for us to leave the slumber of our apathy and the inadequacy of our perceived abilities. it is time for us to come awake in His power. As the David Crowder Band puts it:

Come Awake from sleep. Arise.
You were dead
You've come alive
Wake up wake up
Open your eyes
Climb from your grave
Into the light

Bring us back to life