Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you’ve likely noticed how unusually warm the past few weeks have been. Even though winter officially began on December 21 and we are still very much in the heart of the cold season, the mild temperatures are already stirring signs of what’s to come. With this warmth, crocuses—like the one pictured—begin to emerge from their winter dormancy. Soon, their bright colors will start dotting open fields, parks, and flowerbeds.
For anyone familiar with gardening, or flowers in general, spring‑blooming crocuses (members of the iris family) are among the earliest bloomers of the year. They’re remarkably resilient, sometimes pushing up through snow if winter makes a brief return in late February or early March.
Of course, the timing of their arrival depends on location, climate, and the weather. Still, in general, you can count on these flowers to appear year after year. Their emergence is expected.
They remind me of something deeper—our faith, and the only expected arrival that truly matters: the return of Jesus. Do we know the exact day or hour He will return?
Matthew 24:42 answers that question for us, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come”
We don’t know the when or the where, yet we still believe in the arrival. We live with expectation—and that is a good thing.
John records the very words when Jesus addresses the promise.
John 13:3, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”
Now that is the true meaning of an “expected arrival.” Just as we can count on the spring‑blooming crocus to appear, we can also trust in the coming of our Heavenly Father. Amen!