By Reina Free
In looking back, the first months of this year weather-wise were full of surprises. In January we had a few warm sunny days, very soon followed by very heavy downpours. Then followed the most violent storms of hurricane force; although they also hit the Chilterns, fortunately we escaped the worst. And then surprise, surprise, on Easter Day the snow came down, quite forcefully, followed a few days later by frost. And yet…and yet. Spring is in spite of it all now all around us. Hedge sparrows are singing and chasing each other. Robins, chaffinches, wrens, thrushes and blackbirds are all singing their own special spring-time love song. The buds of the maythorn are in blossom, some almost bursting with impatience to show off their own.
In spite of climate change, holes in the ozone layer, air pollution etc., the things of nature still follow their course. Soon our farmers will again sow the wheat, oats and barley. They snatched the opportunity of a very few dry days to plough the soil. Now they badly need more dry days – so much work still has to be done.
Yet beyond our countryside, ordinary common sense is very often lacking. The rain forest is cut down to produce cheap teak garden furniture. I have seen in Malaysia large parts of the jungle cut down and palm trees planted – the nut oil to become a substitute for petrol. You could not make it up. Politicians often pass laws that are ill-conceived and lacking in insight and common sense. And yet in some parts of the world people die of lack of water and food.
The Creator of the universe is almost completely ignored in the rush of life. But when things go wrong He often gets the blame.
Nevertheless I do sympathise with the many people who live their daily lives under great stress, such as uncertainty in their job and financial worries, as prices are rising day by day.
For a moment the sun is breaking through the grey wide sky like a small bright window.
After all is said and done God is in residence… still the boss… still in charge. In spite of everything, and no matter what!