My son Ian turns 11 on March 24. He has been telling me since March 1, when we had a small blizzard here in New York, that March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb. Looking out my window at the sun glistening off of the puddles left by yesterday’s rain, I’m sure that his hope for spring renewal on the heels of a snowy winter is warranted. And yet, this morning I find myself acutely aware of the fact that it is March 12, midway between the lion and the lamb. With the beauty of the snow (and the guilty pleasure of snow days) behind and the promise of spring ahead, I find myself in that middle ground between winter coats and short sleeves that frequently means being a little too hot or a little two cold no matter what I choose to wear.

I am March today. The past several years have been a miraculous and challenging winter with all of the beauty and isolation that a northeast winter can muster. But I know that spring is coming. Its evidence is all around me as new doors open and I begin to walk through them in the direction of a new life. 
But it is not spring yet. Neither lion nor lamb, the days are marked by weather that shifts from cold to warm, from rain to sun forcing us to be patient and wait for the promise of renewal. I was inspired in my waiting by some of the people who shared about their experiences in a previous post titled Can Seemingly Bad Things Work Out for the Good?
Like Christy, who shared…

The worst thing that happened to me was when the man I planned to marry broke up with me, and the plans I had been making for my life for several years, which revolved around us being together, were flattened. I was devastated, but now, a couple of years later, I see that it was a “severe mercy.” So many of the blessings in my life today are a result of that loss. I am grateful. 

Or Judy, who said…

“The worst thing that turned into the best thing for me was when I was demoted on my job to a lesser position. I thought I was doing a good job. My reviews were good. No one had said anything to the contrary. But I was moved to a lesser position. That turned out to be the best thing. In the 5 years since then, in the new department, I have been promoted twice!  I can’t tell you how I cried when the demotion happened. The anger and anxiety I felt. After a while I trusted that God had a reason for what happened. And, he did. there was somehting so much better waiting for me once I let those feelings go.


Or Larrama (who is also my husband Martin)…

I’m not sure but maybe dropping out of school at an early age and having to go to work full time to support my family. Because now back in school after many years, I’m loving it and doing realy good. Perhaps I would not have done so well back then.

So, with these and the stories in the other comments to inspire me, I will wait with quiet confidence. Spring will, indeed come. 
Would love to hear your stories. Anybody out there stuck between the lion and lamb?
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