Today’s crazy cold, blustery, drizzly {please no flurries!} weather is tempting my heart to sink into that dreary winter place. But the tulips, daffodils and dogwoods have spoken: spring and new life is here! Yes to life…even on a dreary day, right?!?!
Sun kissed tulips at Cheekwood on Saturday.
I’ve never known life in all of it’s fullness, both beauty and brokenness, the way I know it now. It’s a gift for sure, but there are days when I struggle to see it that way. Today could have been one of those days. But then there was this: girls and a husband who had just left for school, running back into the house with squeals and shouts, telling me to grab my camera and boots because there was new life in the pond! {So much for being on time to school; we live on a farm, and there’s life to enjoy!}
Off we go…to behold new life!
There’s so much I haven’t told you! The babies who hatched here in October stayed on the farm through our insanely cold winter {the rest flew away and haven’t returned}. In the last month, we’ve had up to six ducks nesting all around our house. This is the first one to hatch. She nested beneath the bushes right outside our family room window:
PINIT
PINITOn Sunday, we saw eggshells everywhere with no sign of baby ducklings, so we thought the nest had been attacked by a predator. {Sadly, that’s happened here in the fall…just days before the eggs were due to hatch.} We’ve had our fair share of heartaches on the farm and have learned that loss is a part of life here.
But in a glorious Easter resurrection kind of moment, we went from assuming death on Sunday to new life today! I have no idea where the mama hid her babies on Sunday and Monday, because I can assure you they weren’t in the pond! In fact, Buddy and Bella were patrolling the pond all day on Sunday because a river otter was splashing around in there, and they didn’t like it one bit.
I don’t know if river otters and ducklings go together, but Buddy and Bella are super protective of the ducks, so they don’t like anything else in our pond. The river otter is gone {and left a bite on Buddy’s nose}, but the snapping turtles remain a threat. {Praying I don’t witness an attack while admiring these babies.} All we can do is let the mama do her thing. Her instincts are incredible!
God must have known my heart needed reassurance this Easter week. {As if the cross weren’t enough!} He knows my wavering heart…my struggle to feel abundantly alive when the sky is gray, when my heart is hurting, when my marriage is strained, when my house is a wreck, when I’m lonely…He knows. And He doesn’t shame me or condemn me for feeling this way. Instead, He lifts my head and shows me beauty in the midst of brokenness.
And then He sends His Son.
Did you know the Dogwood blossom symbolizes the crucifixion of Christ?
Beauty from brokenness.
Life from death.
YES!
Cindy - Ahhh, Linsey…this really touched my heart. Thank you for sharing yourself in such a genuinely guided way…and thank you for sharing the new ducklings. The sun will shine again and spring will reveal even more splendor. Praying for you, your family and the ducks. Happy Easter!
Jennifer - Linsey, these promises, this glory, this hope and beauty is making me cry. I love how you choose to *see* and how you share it here. Oh, your words, your heart, these photos! Wow! So thankful. He is here, yes, wrapping you up, sister. Love to you.
Dianne - Lindsey I love this post! You seem to suffer internally and emotionally a lot… BUT… you seem to always rise above it with your faith. I admire that!
Gracia @ Gracious Offering - Linsey, How I value your openness and authenticity…in this crazy world we live in where most want to just present the “got it together” image. And, Yes, God knows our struggles and “remembers that we are dust” (Ps 103). Rejoicing with you that He chooses to show us compassion! Beautiful photos once again. Happy Easter to you and yours. Warmly, GG
Clara - What a treat, indeed! Have you read any of Elisabeth Elliot’s books? I think you might really enjoy them. I’m almost finished with A Path Through Suffering. It has given me a new perspective on suffering, and seems to be a perfect read during the Easter season.
Kathryn - please don’t let your marriage be strained. Nothing compares to the need to safeguard our marriages. God gave you a wonderful partner. So be his partner and trust in God. Carry on sweet sister. All is well…all is well.
Sherry - Linsey, your photos are glorious! They make me feel so good. Gods glory is awesome! Try not to dwell on all the bad and just look up to him. He will see you through. Life on this earth will never be perfect, there will always be heartache. We must rise above it and we can through him. I look forward to all your posts too!
Niki - Dear Linsey… Sweet Linsey… It was hard, and it was all grace, His grace. His grace is.on.you!