What a beautiful fall we have had thus far! I usually wish for a little more sunshine and fewer overcast days, but really, this September and October have been remarkably warm and sunny. At this point in the year, I have usually been taking our twice-daily dog walks all bundled up in my winter coat and wool hat for weeks and weeks – I’ve only done that a couple times in the past two weeks. The weather has been so mild that the end of October, Halloween, and this past weekend’s time change snuck up on me!
I have always lived in places where the seasons change. There is something good in the changes. I like each season for its own reasons and have different complaints about each one, too. Since no one season lasts the whole year, I can tolerate the things I don’t like alongside the things I enjoy. In the fall, I enjoy the changing of the colors, the cooler temperatures, and the drier days. The end of growing season and the coming of winter’s dormant months is always a bit sad, but it is a helpful reminder that there are life cycles built into our world. Beginning, middle, and end are simply the rhythm of life.
Change is a constant in our lives. There are much-anticipated changes and dreaded ones, too. At times change is abrupt or unexpected. Sometimes change is something we’ve worked hard to create and sometimes it just happens. There are even changes that happen so gradually, we hardly notice until we look back and realize the difference.
In the midst of all this change, God is also constant in our lives. Through the changes we are pleased about and the changes we struggle with, God is with us. Caring for us. Loving us. Filling our lives with people and possibilities and opportunities. Bringing comfort and hope and new beginnings.
As we adjust to changes in our lives, may we notice the loving presence of God that sustains us through the joyful transitions and the difficult ones, too.
Peace,