Signs of Hope, Signs of Spring Friday Five

From Sally at the RevGalBlogPals:

It has been a difficult week here in Dowham Market, and yet in the sadness there have been signs of real hope, young people, often criticised have shown us how caring and amazing they are. It has also been a strange week; it snowed for almost the first time this winter, and yet many of the spring bulbs are blooming, and the trees are blossoming!

I believe that if we look carefully we can see signs of hope all around us.... as for signs of spring... well you tell me....

Bluebells in my garden, before the snow!

What have you seen/ heard this week that was a :

1. Sign of hope?

I won't lie; it's been a very long week, and the first sign of hope that jumps to mind is that it's Friday, and I made it through the muck of the week. Muck, muck, muck... a satisfying word, that.

2. An unexpected word of light in a dark place?

From WH: "Good morning honey. It's Friday!"

3. A sign of spring?

In the last week or so, we've heard birds around our neighbourhood for the first time in months. (We do get winter birds, but when a person is all bundled up in toques and scarves and heavy coats, that person tends not to hear them.) WH has also started to talk about his hopes for the yard this year, which is a sure sign that spring is just around the corner.

4. Challenging/ surprising?

What has been most challenging this week is to maintain the motivation needed to wade through a significant to-do list after having heard the news that my position here at Colourful U. will not be made permanent within the next month, necessitating another contract renewal. This will make it almost a full year since I was promised a permanent job.

5. Share a hope for the coming week/month/year....

In about a month's time, I will begin taking singing lessons with a woman that I respect very much. It is one of my hopes this year to put some real work into improving my singing technique and learning some new music!

Bonus play... a piece of music/ poem guaranteed to cheer you?

Last night at Church Choir Practice, I was cheered by the thought of the beautiful big hymns upcoming for Palm Sunday next week. Palm Sunday is, without question, my favourite service of the year.