A prayer for the spring melt

God of springtime,

We thank you for the strength of the sun
warming the soil and our souls.
We rejoice at the drip, drip, drip
of ice melting off branches.
We celebrate the sweet sap rising
from a winter underground. 
We listen for the songs of feathered
travelers returning from the South. 
We even smile at snow turning 
to slush turning to mud.

Bless the world rising from its winter rest.
Bless this in between, messy time.
Bless our anticipation and our longing.
Bless the melting snow as it 
seeps deep down to roots,
bulbs and seeds, all 
ready and waiting.

As spring moves in
and winter lets go,
awaken us to new life
and melt away the 
crusty, frozen places within us.
Plant in us hope,
deep and resilient hope, 
that will rise up strong
and rooted.

Amen