On Fall

There is just something about Fall......are there any other people out there who just get all warm and cozy inside when fall comes around? It just seems like fall ushers in the time of year where hearts turn back to home, where nostalgia reigns supreme, and where the soul receives some much-needed nurturing, connection and solace. I love summer, but my soul yearns for fall......What specifically do I love about fall? Well, the list is long.....but for starters, I love seeing my kids enjoy the same fall activities that I loved as a child and still love.....raking up a big pile of leaves only to jump into them and scatter them all over the yard, only to rake them back into a big pile and run and jump......trips to the pumpkin patch to meander through the fields in search of just the perfect orange pumpkin......sorting through big wooden crates of gourds and marveling at the unique shapes, color patterns, and textures.......going to the apple orchard to pick apples and enjoy a harvest lunch complete with a hot mug of cider, while inhaling the smell of freshly made doughnuts.......bright red apples draped generously in ooey, gooey sticky milky brown caramel.....the crisp air with just "that smell of fall"......trees bursting forth with hues that only could come from God's palette........cool Friday nights at high school football games.....getting out my favorite sweaters, sweatshirts, and colorful scarves.......thinking about the upcoming holiday seasons and all the preparations I love.......meandering through the aisles of Target, Hobby Lobby, Michael's or other favorite stores as they begin displaying the sights and sounds of the season.......concocting new soups and stews in my big soup kettle and serving it up with fresh-baked bread or muffins......Ahhhh, Fall. Change is good for all of us, even though most of us resist it initially. Fall reminds me of that. It reminds me that change, though painful, is most times beautiful and, even, sacred. That change is necessary, that rest is necessary for the promise that comes in the spring when all things are made new. There is no doubt about it.....fall is my very favorite time of year, and I am savoring every morsel. For all you scrapbookers out there, fall is a great time not only to scrap those adorable photos of leaf piles and cute costumes and apple pie; it is also a great time to reflect on changes and transformations in your own life. For me, I am facing a big challenge ahead as I recommit myself to living more healthfully in terms of exercise and nutrition. I have some habits to reestablish, some weight to lose, and some lifestyle changes to make. And so I have been doing a lot of thinking about transformation. Fall is a reminder that not only is the outcome of change hopeful and inspiring, but the process of transformation can be beautiful in itself. Go out and enjoy the simple miracles of fall.....I know I will be this weekend!