How did you know God?
That if allowed, we would sit in eternal spring
and listen to the birds
and watch the world green up
Because we prefer birth and color and song
to change and pain and death

How did you know God?
That We would need to learn over and over
That everything in our lives is for a season
Including our life, including all life
That the new growth of spring
Is part of the cycle of Your creation plan

How did You know God?
That to live we would need warmth
Light pouring down to lead us
Rain pouring down to grow us
Growth that produces seeds
For another season, for a greater garden

How did You know God?
That like the trees, there would be things
We would need to let go of
like so many golden leaves
learning to trust in the changes
As Your wind blows cooler

How did You know God?
That planted seeds would need time
of silence and quiet, a preparation pause
blanketed and still, letting You move
as You slowly warm frozen soil
and crack hard shells

How did You know God?
That we would need these lessons
From Your creation to see
the cycles and seasons of our lives
That to be alive is to change
That to grow to You IS life

We thank you Father, for Your creation and especially for each other. We thank You for a faith that helps us lean in to the changes You would have us walk through and for a community that helps us hold each other by the hand as we do this walk together. Most of all, we thank You for the promise and the hope that we have because of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen