As the lighter air and blue skies accompany the hint of changing foliage, our hearts and minds begin to prepare for a new season.
I truly love fall. I do enjoy the pumpkin treats, inviting decorations, and cozy clothes. Most of all, I enjoy the crisp air when the mornings morph from a heavy dew to a light breeze. Fall has also become a season when I try to take a deep breath and reflect on what the year has brought, as well as ponder what is ahead as the holidays seem to be arriving more quickly with each passing year.
Annually, the calendar brings four official seasons. Depending on where we live, we have a decent idea of what to expect related to temperatures, humidity, and how to dress for the occasion.
Sometimes, the seasons in our life are a little less clear. Sometimes, we move from one season to another without even realizing what we’ve left in the rearview mirror. I’ve found myself marveling that while we weren’t taking our children into the store in pandemic times, the window for our youngest to ride in the shopping cart – an interaction I always loved – closed. Just. Like. That.
Sometimes, we find ourselves in a season of grief, or waiting. Or both.
Sometimes, we begin a new life season with such unabridged joy, we simply cannot wait to see what’s ahead. New jobs, relationships, family members, and volunteer opportunities all open the door to new possibilities and excitement.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV) states, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”
I believe it is important to regularly pause and acknowledge what season we are in. Mindfulness calls us to be present in the moment. And we should be. And, we can take the time to evaluate where we’ve been, and where we are headed. Because, I feel God is calling us each to learn, grow, and even thrive in each season, as we strive to meet not only our own potential, but to help others do the same.
What is God calling you to in this season of life? In what ways can we ask God to make our lives a little less about us, and a lot more about others?
Perhaps this week is the perfect time to spend a little quiet time outside, listening to the birds, rustling leaves displaced by chipmunks, and searching for what God has for us in this time.
Right now, for each and every one of us, this is the season God has given us. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Rooted in Grace and Grit 