By Dr. John E. Morgan

Pastor–Collinsville Baptist Church

Spring arrived Sunday.  You can tell by the signs of spring.  Some good, some bad.

1. Life is returning to my yard.  The grass is growing.  Boo.   If you like cutting the grass, contact me for my address.

2. My heating bills go down.  So what?  My cooling bills are going up.  I will be paying Sand Mountain Electric my life savings.

3. Flowers.  My wife loves to see the world and our yard come alive with flowers and blooms.  I like Redbuds and Dogwoods.  And some of the flowers.  The problem – they make my grass cutting harder.  I have to be sure I do not cut down any of the flowers.  So this is, at best, an okay sign. After all, April showers bring May flowers, and DeKalb County definitely does not need any more showers.  And what about the pollen?

4. Baseball.  Opening day is next week. Spring training is almost over.  Right now every team has life, a chance to play in October (except maybe the Braves who have only Little League players left.)

Baseball and spring.  I remember my wife and me watching an early game here in Collinsville.  The sun was shining.  It was warm enough to wear shorts with a light jacket. We sat down in the bleachers to watch the teams warm up.  The wood of the bleacher behind me cut into my back as I leaned on it.  The smell of someone nearby burning branches that had fallen in their yard during the winter.  A bit of dust being stirred up by the players.  The distant sound of a lawn mower, but not mine.

It was like watching a perfectly timed ballet.  One coach hit flies to the outfielders.  The ball would arch up against the sky then gracefully come back down in the glove of a player.  Throw the ball back in.  Repeat.  Next player.  Coach and players knowing their part.  In the infield, another coach hitting grounders.  “Play’s at first.”  “Turn two this time.  Who’s got second?”  Players moving with the ball.  The Baseball Ballet continuing.  The opposing team pitching to each other out in foul territory with continual plops of balls hitting leather.

Nobody yet on.Nobody yet out.  Spring had sprung with all its promise.  How can you beat that?  Maybe with

5. March Madness.  Now you are talking.  The absolute best weekend in sports – the opening weekend of the NCAA tournament.  Did you not love last Thursday – Sunday gorging on TV games? Pulling for my teams and against your teams.  Brackets.  Lots of upsets and buzzer beaters.  Life is good. No way to beat this.  Is there?

6.  You beat it with Easter Sunday morning.  Sunrise Service outside.  Usually cool enough to wear a fleece.  Gathering together with a feeling of adventure to be up and out so early.  Children rubbing their eyes uncertain as to why they are already up.  Sun peeping over Lookout Mountain – this year at 6:30.

And then, as the pastor, I get to say the magic words, “Jesus Christ is alive”.  And the people will all shout back to me, “Jesus Christ is alive indeed.”  Repeat. “Jesus Christ is alive.  Jesus Christ is alive indeed.”  I am always so excited that my voice breaks.  You can feel the presence of the risen Jesus.  Right here on the hill in front of the church.  We will sing some songs.  Read the Easter story.  Pray.  Go inside and eat breakfast.  Love the Lord.  And each other.  And know that all is truly right with the world.  Because He is alive.

Spring is a sign of the rebirth of life after winter.  Easter is the proof of new life that will never end.  Jesus Christ is alive.  Jesus Christ is alive indeed.