Fall Reflections

Bonnie Gray, The Faith Barista, asked us to discuss our reflections on fall.

Childhood memories:

Sounds of a chainsaw running in a distance on a cool, crisp morning.

The smell of damp leaves.

The scent of ripe persimmons smashed on the ground.

Move the clock up a few years to the age of 17.  My future husband and I started dating in the fall.    Five years later we married in the fall.

Move the clock forward … Fall consisted of me decorating our farm with yard decorations: bales of hay, mums, and pumpkins.  I made plenty of arrangements for myself and others.  I could hardly wait for our Muscadine grapes to ripen each year!

Move forward again … Three years ago we opened our farm for a corn maze.  Now fall is a very busy time of year!   So far I have answered close to 600 emails this season and who knows how many phone calls.  Our entire month of October is booked with school groups so my “busyness” is about to bump up another notch.

Spiritual Fall:

God in His wisdom knew that we needed each season.

I have always heard that trees should be planted in the fall when they are dormant.

Do you ever feel like you are in that dormant season?

I have been there.  I was in a cave for years.  Dormant.  Not stagnant, but dormant.  My roots were being nourished.  I LOOKED bare.  I APPEARED neglected and forgotten, but ahhhh — not by my Father.  He saw me.  He knew me.  He started doing a deep work in my soul.  He trimmed off all of the branches and left over growth that wasn’t for that season.   All of the pieces that were once in full bloom for others to enjoy were removed.  I sat in the hidden place.  I felt my ministry was gone.  My vision was shaken.  But oh, how fall was needed.  Fall served its purpose in my life.

In those fall places when it looks like all hope is lost and when it appears on the outside that death has come, God does what only HE can do.

Ecclesiastes 3:11a
He has made everything beautiful in its time.

If you’re in a place of dormancy, be encouraged.  Continue to seek God and He will complete the work He began in you!  When “spring” comes, you will be thankful that you had a fall season to strengthen your inmost parts.  Your roots will be strong and secure!

For more fall reflections, please click on the button below and join Bonnie’s Faith Jam.  And thank you for visiting me even though I have no extra time to return the favor.  One more month of this and I’ll be back …

(Photos taken on our farm. Our first pumpkins picked this year.)