This time of year fills us all with hope, especially here in the Dakotas, for a global warming phenomena we call “spring”. After the long winter we have experienced, we all look forward to the decreased possibility of snow storms and the increased probability of sunny days and warm showers. Yet as I write this, a new, light blanket of snow has covered the woods outside of my house.
This time of year also begins to fill us with thoughts of new life. It is time for many crops to be planted. Grass and trees begin to spring to green life. At the Love household, we have two new puppies, a beagle and terrier-schnauzer mix, for my younger two kids. We also have eight baby chicks. I am quite partial to farm fresh eggs in the morning. Spring also marks my kids counting down the days until they are out of school and another important beginning, the start of baseball season. It gives me hope that my beloved St. Louis Cardinals will fare better than in the previous year.
On the work front, those of us in agriculture realize this is the renewal season for ag lines of credit. It is planning time for the farmer and rancher. On the commercial side, it is also time for many annual reviews as we begin to get tax returns in on some of our clients. We also are experiencing new loan demand as new projects and developments are beginning. This time is exciting as entrepreneurs have awakened from their winter hibernation, which has seemed especially long this year.
Spring is also the time for Easter. Now some will think of this as only a time of new beginnings, bunnies, and eggs. But the true meaning of this holiday is the celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Whether one believes it happened or not, indisputably the first Holy Week fundamentally transformed civilization and helped establish many of the basic values that our country was founded upon. Since that time, countless people believe that Jesus died for them, rose again from the dead, ascended into heaven and will return again some day. It is my hope that the resurrection will not just be a historical event or just another holiday, but will actually produce hope for you as it has in my life.