Spring is here in the South, and as I was walking the dog in the neighborhood tonight it became very obvious – the smell of meat on the grill, kids still outside playing at 8p because it isn’t fully dark, short sleeves and flip flops to walk the dog, and blogging from the front porch with a cold one.

Spring is a time for renewal of so much of our lives and that should be embraced. Not only are the 4 months from March 1 to July 1 some of the best weather all over the country, but it is also a time many of us get serious about exercising, start planning and getting excited about upcoming vacations, look forward to the end of another school year, and clean out the garage, yard, car, etc from all of the winter build up. 

In business, this four month stretch is one of the strongest of the year in car sales, home sales, travel related industries, and business to business transactions. I’m not an economist, so I can’t explain everything behind that, but it makes sense to me that people are more energized, feel more productive, and have a greater sense of optimism in the spring, which leads them to spend more of their money. As someone who makes his living on sales, I, for one, am happy for that!

So what is going to be renewed for Spring 2014? I’m committed to my running lifestyle, but it gets a jolt with better weather for longer runs; I try to make more of our family time about being outside together where the whining and complaining seems reduced and my tolerance and patience seemed increased; I have several really fun trips and visits planned with family and friends the next four months and just thinking about and planning those gives me energy; and the beauty of nature coming back to life is a strong reminder not only of God’s love for us, but his promise to always bring life and good out of times that seem tough and dark.

I’m going to embrace and savor this time of renewal so I can watch and see what other areas of my life can experience some new growth.