It’s official, Spring is here! For many of us it has never been more welcome. The last few days have seen trees blossom, more flowers showing, birds singing noisily and greedily feeding from feeders. I have enjoyed venturing a little further up on to the nearest moors and been delighted by the curlews, lapwings and some of the smaller ground nesting birds. It has also been warmer and there are many lambs around enjoying the fact that they can gambol around the fields, giving so much pleasure to the onlooker. Radio and TV, as well as social media have given more time to providing delightful scenes and sounds.
Therefore it seems we can begin to look forward to a better future. It seems that progress will be slow, but we trust that it will be steady. Maybe we take full of advantage of each day and enjoy the simple pleasures around us. Seeing more people to chat to, and even cups of tea and coffee together.
The churches are looking forward to welcoming people back, with limitations, masked and socially distanced of course. Soon it will be Good Friday, when we solemnly reflect on the death of Jesus, followed by Holy Saturday, and other time for reflections and questions. Then we can celebrate the greatest festival in the Christian calendar, Easter Day. Jesus risen from the tomb, having conquered death and opened the way to heaven. His first followers and disciples found it very hard to believe, they certainly were not going to believe the women, who were the first to know the truth and see Jesus. However when he appeared to them, several times, and showed them his wounds, eating food with them, their doubt turned to trust. They could say with real conviction Jesus is Alive.
There will be flowers in the churches, Hallelujahs will be sung. Each church yard will have an Easter trail, with eggs in the porch, chocolate ones of course!
I end on a positive note. A happy and joyful Easter to you all. May we take time to thank God, who showed the world the extent of his love by sending Jesus. He is Risen.
Ruth Abbey