I was never a big fan of tulips. When I was younger, I always thought they looked odd and did not have the charm of many other flowers. Imagine my surprise when we moved to Michigan, and our yard had pink tulips. It’s interesting when you live somewhere as cold and ever changing as Michigan to watch for signs of a permanent spring. I have spent the past two months observing these pink tulips, weather frost, rain, snow, and a very persistent toddler who enjoyed trying to pull petals off and sniff them. I’ve noticed our tulips are resilient and have strong roots, God made them withstand the storms with delicate petals. God designed us the same way. We are made to withstand the storms of life and to have strong roots in our faith in God. Like tulips, we experience seasons of growth and seasons of pruning that are meant to prepare us. When you look at it this way, tulips are not half bad flowers. In fact, I think these beautiful bulbs are starting to grow on me. Today, my daughter and I spent our afternoon picking some of the tulips (the ones that fully bloomed and would soon lose its petals) in order to enjoy the beauty of these flowers inside our home. As the tulips grow, so will my children, and I look forward to watching them both.