Weather forecast

From Christine Valter Paintner's beautiful new book, "water, wind, earth and fire - The Christian Practice of Praying with the Elements" - a quote from St. Francis of Assisi, as well as a quote from Theophilus of Antioch below*........

All praise be Yours, my God, through Brothers Wind and Air, 

And fair and stormy, all the weather's moods,

By which You cherish all that you have made.

-St. Francis

I've just begun reading "water, wind, earth & fire" and it fills me with refreshing, and spiritually fulfilling notions about how the world around us is created and full of the God's presence.  I trust that by reading on I will appreciate the chilly wind and rain that is briskly denuding some of the tree blossoms that arrived early in anticipation of what?..... the Resurrection - must have - why else would those trees have given up their bounty so early? I digress - or do I?

I do yearn for blue skies, spring's warm breezes, and the end of a snowfall possibility anywhere in the forecast.  Often, it seems, my yearnings are fulfilled and the actual progress of spring proceeds as usual - it's too early, the bulbs begin to pop too soon, the trees give forth their most magnificent blooming way too generously and then it turns chilly again.  Is the forecast too good, too soon and why do I allow myself to skeptically predict this won't last, this won't last!  When will I learn to just enjoy what is, keep my winter jacket in the coat closet and rejoice without skepticism with the good fortune and blessing of spring's too early gifting to us all.  

Enjoy your day, no matter what the weather - it's spring!!

*Author Eloi Leclerc's book "The Canticle of Creatures: Symbols of Union" writing of the freedom and detachment of St. Francis's words of praise for Brother Wind:  All its moods!  In fact, for Francis there is no such thing as bad weather any longer......the context of the wind is a world open and exposed and swept by a force that will not let you rest and carries you further and further, a force voice.  It is the breath of God that you breathe- and you are unaware of it. - Theophilus of Antioch"