I like to enjoy each season while I am in it. That is is why it is disturbing when I see Christmas decorations in July. I don’t want to taste pumpkin flavored anything until September. Those fluffy little marshmallow treats belong at Easter. I purpose to be in the season I am in.
That being said, I enjoy Fall immensely. I love the vivid colors of the leaves, the taste of a cup of the most amazing cider from my hometown, and yes, the flavor of anything pumpkin.
There is one part of Fall that is a little more challenging when you live in the Northeast, Fall weather. It turns into a predicament every day as I stand in front of my closet. I know by late afternoon it may be summer-like, but the mornings are still chilly. Do I risk wearing sandals and having my toes freeze off? Do I wear a long sleeve and then end up overheated?
Through this season in our lives, I have felt as if my emotions have mimicked the variations in weather. There are moments when, just like my drive to work, the fog is thick and I can’t see very far in front of me. There are days when the chilliness of sorrow makes my soul ache. Other times, I feel warmed and comforted by the thoughts and prayers of others.
I want more of those warm times, but this is fall, and they are not always guaranteed. Just as I am accepting it’s time to put away my sandals, I am coming to accept the cold times as they come, and not fear them. The fog may seem to overwhelm me, but I know this road and so I keep my eyes on what is right before me.
Most importantly, I have one constant that does not change, and that is the fact that I know without a doubt that God is walking through this season with me. I sense his presence. I feel his peace that surpasses anything that I can understand. He is that cool fall air that refreshes my heart. He is the warm comfort of a soft blanket when I feel overwhelmed. He is the nourishment and joy of a delicious fall dessert. He is what gives me life.
So next week, as Dad is arriving home and Kevin is arriving to have his surgery, I will rest in what I know. “My flesh and my heart may fail but You are the strength of my heart”. Psalm 73:26 NIV
