REMEMBER WHEN:

SPRING IS COMING

THE RAINY SEASON

It is the end of March and the rainy season has begun. I know April showers bring May flowers, but here in the hills and valleys of Southern Missouri, the rains start in the last part of March. It has been raining for 3 days and the low-water crossings are flooding. The creeks are getting close to overflowing and sometimes you have to find a different route to get to your destination. A favorite saying around here is “Turn around don’t drown” you hear it on every weather forecast and news programs. We have had many tragedies around here when people, mostly tourists, didn’t heed the warning and lost their lives. We are a vacation destination and people from all over come here to enjoy our many lakes and streams.

Those of us who live and work here aren’t that thrilled with the constant wet and dripping landscape. But we take solace in knowing the wet will soon bring on the warmth and planting season. We are big gardeners around here, we look forward to the garden stores overflowing with colorful plants and flower starts. To a lot of us, a walk through the garden center is like an afternoon stroll in the park. The spring home show at the convention center is one of the most significant events of the year. The festival at the heirloom seed farm is a 3-day event and draws thousands of people.

This entertainment town is filled with theaters and amusement venues. We have world-renowned names in the music industry as well as local groups’ content to have the audience come to them. The waterways and country landscape, their own draw those looking to get away from the city. With all the entertainment and hospitality venues here we are a great place for employment. All though seasonal jobs are not a big draw to a lot of people we still have the opportunities. It is a great place for young people just getting started in the workplace or those in between college semesters.

This didn’t start out to be an advertisement for the place I live. But the beautiful foothills of Southern Missouri don’t need a build-up; just coming here once is enough. It is called God’s country for a reason; you don’t have to go very far out your front door to see His handy work. Even living in an apartment complex; all that I have to do is sit on my patio and see some of the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises.

We are told in the creation story that after the sixth day God looked over all that He had made and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came. (Genesis 1:31 New Living Translation)

TAKE PLEASURE IN HIS HANDIWORK WHEREVER YOU LIVE IN HIS COUNTRY