The Promise of Things to Come

Yesterday I went outside to shake the water out of my just washed paint brush (I've been doing A LOT of painting) and I glanced over at my messy flower beds and noticed daffodils starting to push up through the tangle of weeds. I gave an involuntary sigh and thought, "Oh! The promise of Spring." Now, I love fall and winter and the chill and heck, I even love the rain but I'm finding, as a mother, that I really enjoy a little less rain now and again because I do not love housebound children. Yesterday was not raining so the older three went out and wallowed in the mud in the backyard and Miss Moddy was stuck watching at the back door...that's not what this post is about though, I digress.
The promise of Spring. The promise of beautiful things to come, of new life. I went back to my painting with these thoughts circling around my brain:

Ephesians 1:13-14
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory. (emphasis mine)

Oh how I love this! Not only is the Holy Spirit given to us as the comforter, the counselor to remind us and teach us of the Father (John 14:15-27) but it is also the guarantee of the future inheritance of the kingdom of God; the promise of glory and of heaven!
I look forward to that day, praising God that while I wait I have the promise living in me to guide and comfort.
The promise of spring, the promise of new life!