welcome to the beginning of fall

So after reading a friend’s blog recently, I started to take note of the changes going on all around. Fall is fast on its way coming to Knoxville, TN as well as all over the northern hemisphere. As much as I LOVE the summer (with all the heat and lake time, etc) and as much as I love the spring time (with new life and a fresh start) I really truly enjoy fall.

I love the cool evenings and the warm days. I love the finishing out the last of the harvest from the garden. I love enjoying fires in the fireplace (with ice cream! it’s the perfect balance).

But mostly I love the time of change and reflection. Recently there was an article in our local newspaper about how the experts determine each year how good the autumn display of colors will be. This year they are expecting an above average show of colors due to the above-average temperatures and slightly less than average rainfall. These two facts directly tie into the formation of lots of yellows, oranges and reds in the trees because it put them under stress and stress makes for the most beautiful colors.

(most of you know that I’m not one for literary analysis and imagery) but I love how true that is in life. If life presents us with an insanely hot summer temperature and no rainfall… the colors are not as pretty. When we face troubles that are far beyond anything we could ever seem to bear and there seems to be no end in sight… while God does produce beautiful colors at the “end” of the journey, we take a while to recover. If life presents us with just normal temperatures and lots of rainfall… the colors aren’t are pretty.  When we are faced with no troubles, no times of desire for more “water” and seem to have all we need… we also do not present with great colors. We become lazy in knowing that we have all we need and we don’t crave more.

But when we have just the right amount of stress… tough situations, long journeys, above-average times of trials… that’s when we produce the most color in our lives. That’s when the Lord shows us the beautiful display of what he is doing in our lives. Without his continuing to nurture us through the hard times of less than average rain and hot weather, we would not grow deeper in our relationship with him. It takes times of trials to truly understand our need for God and his guidance and tenderlovingcare along our journey. (Just one reason why we need all the seasons: spring-new life; summer-times of trial; fall-times of reflection; winter-times of waiting)

I pray that in our lives, as we walk through times of trial, that we lean on the one and only God that has walked with us through the droughts before (this isn’t his first rodeo!) and as we face times of intense heat, we trust that in the long run we will see a beautiful display of colors, and that others will see the change and growth too.