I’ve just seen my first Autumn…

I realize that may seem really strange to some, but I grew up in Hawaii and then moved to Southern California.  No trees change color in Hawaii and in So Cal, while one can see an occasional tree with colorful leaves, nothing prepared me for what I saw last week while visiting Washington DC and the Shenandoah Valley…

Sure, I’ve seen all the photos and they are beautiful, but actually seeing the trees in all of their glorious colors pretty much left me speechless.  No photograph can capture the vibrancy of the breathtaking colors I experienced.

Then, today, at work, we were priveleged to have a concert by a Christian band called Spasenie, who come from Belarus and they sang a beautiful song about autumn, and suddenly, it hit me…

That’s where I am in my life…entering into autumn.  

I have to tell you, for some reason, I’ve really been having a hard time in the last year or so dealing with where I am in my life.  I don’t enjoy looking in the mirror much these days, although I’m told I look pretty good for 62–I don’t see it myself. I’ve also been struggling with where I find myself in life–there are so many things I want to do and I feel like there’s not enough time…

Then, God brought me up short (as He has a way of doing).  What’s so bad about being in autumn?  After seeing firsthand how glorious it is, I realize that it is a season to be celebrated, not dreaded.

The fact that God allows nature to go out in a blaze of glory should be a source of encouragement.  I get a chance to be spectacular before winter arrives.  Barring the arrival of a freak snowstorm, I can look forward to some time of reflecting my life into the lives of my loved ones and even spreading God’s glory around in the world a little more each day.

Here is a very literal translation of part of the song that Spansenie sang today:

Бог так одевает лилию,
God dresses a lily 
Цветущую несколько дней
that blossoms several days
Что Соломон великий
so that great Solomon
Меркнет при славе своей.
fades in his glory

Но верных одел Бог лучше
but God dressed faithful ones better
В праведной жизни своей
in their righteous lives
Чтоб просветлели души
so that souls of people who walk near them
Рядом идущих людей.
will brighten up

So, armed with this new realization…I’m off to design a Christmas card for this year, which means I get to DRAW!!!