SPRING – When new life bursts into loveliness.

“Spring is a happiness,

so beautiful, so unique,

so unexpected,

that I don’t know

what to do with

my heart”

Emily Dickinson

If you live in the southern hemisphere as I do, you will be breathing in the beauty of new blooms, lush bright green foliage on the trees, babies from the wildlife who poke their heads out from underneath the warmth of their Mumma’s feathers and fur to see if it is a safe world out there and hopefully new beginnings of all types and sizes to put a spring in your step. Spring is a time to clear away the winter cobwebs, tidy up your cupboards and clean those smeary windows so you can have a better view of the beautiful garden that’s just waiting to brighten your day. We have noticed tiny visitors on many of our spring blooms this year - Hoverflies. They are such a beneficial visitor to any garden, as they spread pollen and lay their larvae that becomes a great pest controller.

Even though the cooler weather seasons are my favourite, I do love the newness of spring and all the colourful beauty it brings. For me, it softens the blow of the harsh summer that is to come and readies my soul to get prepared for what is ahead. It is also an opportunity to remember the faithful old verses in Ecclesiastes, which teaches us; there is a time for everything – a time for every purpose under heaven. Life’s cycles are so intriguing don’t you think? I’ve often written about the fact that if we have life, then there has to be death; if we sow, there has to be a harvest; when we laugh then we need to know what weeping is… I could go on and on, but to understand the completeness of this life we live, it brings peace to know that there is a beautiful promise at the end of this passage that says:-

“He will make everything

beautiful, in its time.”

Ecclesiastes3:11

 I have loved this passage over the years as it really does bring into light the full meaning of life and what we can expect. It is with a grateful heart that I remember my early childhood years in Sunday School. It was in a beautiful little blue stone church in a country town where two rivers met in a lush green valley in spring and was protected around its perimeter by a magnificent mountain range. It was a town that certainly did have four seasons where the bitterly cold and frosty winters were just what the spring blooms needed. It would prepare them for their wonderous entry into the world, once the warmer sun had kissed the soil with a gentle whisper that said ‘it’s safe to come up now.’

So dear friends, what are the new and exciting plans you are preparing for this spring. I do understand that some of you reading this blog are battening down the hatches for your chilly winter months. I hope your autumn colours are bringing a peace to your heart as you see the floating leaves fall to the ground reminding you to let go of all the sadness that may have snuck into your life. Also remember though, that after the blizzards and snow, spring is coming.

You may have been reading about my new book Gentle Whispers that I released earlier in the year. There is a lot of information about it on this webpage, so if you go to the information bar you will see where you can click to read all about it and also order it… I hope you do, as I know there are many stories there that will warm your heart and hopefully help you through each day. The reason I have brought this up though isn’t for a hard sell hehe! It is to explain what my ‘new’ spring thought is, that I have been pondering about for some weeks now.

When I wrote my first book Beauty All Around, my publisher back then was very persistent and helpful I guess, even though I wasn’t very impressed with some of his ideas, on how to ‘get my book out there.’ With Gentle Whispers I decided to take a less formal approach. The book world has shifted from a literary industry to a cut-throat entertainment business driven by algorithms, hyper-competition and a shrinking margin leaving many authors disillusioned and basically disheartened. Of course you can guess the main retail corporation who is responsible for this huge brutal shift. There is no need for me to ‘name names!’ With its online selling, undercutting retail prices and control of where an author has to publish first, to be able to reach other distributors, it really has become a sad and sorry state of affairs. BUT, there is always hope – spring is coming and has literally come to my little world!

Sales for my book have been encouraging and with a few independent book shops also coming on board who order through a kinder distributor, all is coming up roses. These brave retailers have found ways to beat the huge giant and I’m ever so grateful they have been willing to take on my little book. With spring vibes in the air though I have been having some gentle whispers myself about what else I could be doing to get the fruitful and enlightening message out into the hearts, eyes and ears of those people God has been preparing, to read it. With my first book I was asked to do a talk for a seniors group at a church. The lovely lady, who I painted with, thought it would be a good idea to introduce the book at their spring fair, then follow up with me speaking at their seniors morning tea the next week. I ummed and arred, thinking it really wasn’t me to be doing any public speaking at all! I much prefer being a back seat person cheering on those I see as being more confident and proficient at such tasks. Well of course I said yes as the offer was so kind and much to my surprise from that first talk the word got around and I was speaking at other church, craft, charity and women’s groups.  When Gentle Whispers was published, I did have the request though for no public speaking this time please. My request was quite serious with me reminding God that He is sooo gracious, kind and does know me better than anyone. I thought it would be so much easier for Him to just bring the people who He knows could benefit from the book, to somehow see it in a book shop, online or through word of mouth. Yes that is the best idea, of course it is!

Then came spring… you know that time of year when we are supposed to be thinking of birthing new ideas, making everything sparkling and clean, rebirthing personal growth and bringing a fresh start to your life. Well what was I thinking? In my prayer times and to my ever supporting manager (who happens to be my hubby,) I did ask for ideas to further promote my book. One idea that was so lovely and did bring excitement to my heart was to place a book into the book nooks, or street libraries I think they are called, around our area. It was a way of giving back, which I firmly believe in and a way to show my gratefulness for all the wonderful experiences I have had with Gentle Whispers. It was also a way to go for some pretty drives and stop and get a coffee along the way – a favourite thing for my man and I to do. I must admit, I was very content and happy with this idea and was quite content to leave it at that… then…

Just this last week I received a message on my iPhone asking if I would be willing to bring my book and speak at a women’s meeting at a local church. I can’t really complain can I, after all I did ask for ideas? I have struggled with this and was hoping to avoid doing guest speaking again, but when a door opens and you know full well it is Heaven that has opened it, I really must accept such a lovely offer. I did say yes to the kind request and then with my daily devotional in hand I took myself off to my ‘quiet place’ not far from my home. I have been coming to this beautiful waterfront place for many years now, being the first drive, I took myself on when we moved from the country to the coast. To my surprise, there was a bevy of swans waiting to entertain me with their graceful moves as they swan along the water’s edge. I watched them for such a long time and a cute little mallard duck came to join me too. He seemed to be as engrossed in their loveliness as I was.

I walked a little further along to a tinny boat turned upside down, beckoning me to come and have a seat, which I did. Deep in thought about my book and had I done the right thing in accepting the offer of speaking, it wasn’t long until my questions were answered. A total stranger approached me and asked was I OK. How kind was that? He only looked to be in his twenties and was walking his sister’s Schnoodle which I took great delight in as we have a grand dog of the same breed. After a short chat, this thoughtful young man handed me a note and said he hoped it spoke to me.  I was quite surprised and didn’t really know how to react but accepted the gesture and thanked him. It did puzzle me why he was handing notes to a total stranger and his simple reply was ‘there needs to be more kindness in the world!’ Wow, he must go prepared with these little notes in his pocket, to distribute at just the right time. Being a little apprehensive to open the note while he was still there, I thanked him again and mentioned the swans further down the path. After he left, I opened the note and read the confirming words “You’re here for a reason”… five words that said sooo much. Tears flowed, God had spoken and it seems I am a public speaking old girl again haha!

Photos following will show you the dear little note, but what I really want you to know is that you too are ‘here for a reason!’ I do hope that during this spring season you will lift your thoughts above and ask the One who knows it all, what is the new thing He wants you to do. Your gifts, talents, personality… everything about you is unique. There is no one else who can be and do what you can do to make this world a better place, even if it is just in your little corner of the world, just like the obedient young man who felt to take a note to a lady sitting at the water’s edge.  Isn’t that just beautiful?

My heart is full, of spring, of Him who make it all and of the season ahead. I will say this again and again… if He can do it for me, He WILL do it for you.  Just believe

Blessing,

Cathy x