Seasons and Fall Leaves

The concept of seasons has been on my mind recently and how God speaks to us through the created seasons to spiritual seasons and truths in our lives.

I have swept up the floor in my kitchen three days in a row this week. They were really cleaned and washed Thursday and had leaf bits and pine needles due to fall all over the following three days. It's kind of annoying in this season. 

But just last season I was so so grateful for the very same trees now dirtying my floor that gave me cooler temperatures and shade in the heat of summer.  The leaves brought beautiful shade. They're also really pretty with the fall color. 

I know when summer comes around again I would much rather have them there than not deal with a few weeks of extra cleanup. 

I was thinking spiritually how that is so true- something we love and enjoyed in one season becomes an annoyance in the now. I think it's just part of the cycle, it will come around again and be back as something we are grateful for, can celebrate and learn from if creation teaches me anything.

It's a reminder not to make huge decisions regarding a temporary annoyance and Rob ourselves of future blessings from that same thing. 

Coin Collector

I love collecting things. I have a problem. I saw a post on Pinterest about coins that are really valuable online the other day, and this thought has been taking over ...

What makes the coins shown so valuable is that they are different. They don't look like all the other ones. That sets them apart. Unique... Different... It gives them more value.

I'm so guilty of wanting to blend in- to mute or soften or cover up the things that make me different and unique in order to be the same as everyone else. 

The coin post has become a reminder to me to love how God has made each of us differently to stand out. Even when it seems like what people would call a "flaw", it brings value and glory to him. 

Instead of muting my enthusiasm or joy, let me use them. They are of value. 

Sabbath Compost

My word for 2023 is (drum rollllllll)...

garden! I am here for it. I love it. Usually I am excited about my word except when the word is patience, then I was less enthused. Regardless, garden is on my mind for the year. God is the ultimate gardener. There is SOOO much that goes into having a good garden. Planting, weeding, pruning, watering, weeding some more, the weather, dealing with pests, nutrient levels, seed saving, and even more weeds that always need to be dealt with. 

I've also been really trying to incorporate sabbath and rest into my life. God set up a plan for us to have weekly sabbath, and for us and the land to have a yearly sabbath every seven years. There's something to be said about the fact that we are not machines nor are the rest of God's creation. We and it were not made to keep going and going and going without a break. Thank you Lord!

When we do try to keep going, we deplete ourselves. We, like the plants, are sucking and using up the available nutrients until they run out and can no longer support the life we are trying to maintain.  

Sabbath is like compost. It is like mixing in fresh new life and nutrients to the areas that have been depleted. It isn't an instant fix, but as compost continues to be mixed in and continues breaking down more nutrients become available. It's about balancing the mix of work and rest because both are necessary to keeping going and thriving. You can't have too much compost either or that will cause problems as well. 

Part of being stewards of our bodies and creation is taking care of them for the long run. We want the land to continue to produce and be healthy long after we are gone; not to use it and move on when we have gotten our fill. 

The cool thing is that I've seen the small sabbath Compost investments in my life add up over time to make bigger and healthier changes. I see myself becoming more patient. More compassionate and empathetic. Less selfish. I'm still very selfish mind you, just some baby steps happening. 

Give it a try! Mix those nutrients back into your spirit. 

The Perfection Monster

Efficiency and perfection is an idol, a lesser god, of our time. And I am unfortunately a pretty big worshipper I have realized... 

The other day I was doing a paint job for my parents. I get a little obsessive about having the crisp lines and even coverage. ...And then my dad wanted to help. 

I love my dad. He is witty, funny, and delightful, and he loves to help others. But he is not a handyman. He is the best gopher! The one you send out to 'go for' things. Pick up lunch... Get the paint shaken... Etc. A good gopher can be a great help during projects. Once he was so sweet and tried to help paint at my house. He immediately spilled the gallon of paint all over the floor accidentally. Naturally my first reaction to his volunteering to help included some inward cringing. 

My desire for perfection was tortured with the slow waterboarding of drips and splatters on the floor and wall as he did the cutting in. As the perfection monster in me wanted to cry out and scare the mess away, I realized that wasn't what to really wanted. What I wanted was instead for that monster die! 

To send someone away because 'I could do it better' just left me doing the task alone and for a longer period of time. It was much more enjoyable with company, and  relationship is God's goal of our life- not striving for perfection.

If God wanted everything perfect, he would bypass us. To use us for his plan, to let us partake in the gift of his creation is to choose messy relationship over calculated perfection.  And that isn't hard for him, he delights in us enjoying that adventure with him. 

I want to be more like God. I hope I choose messy relationship over the gods of efficiency, perfection, and appearances. I was able to go over some of the messy areas afterwards and now we are both proud of that room. I can look on it with fond memories instead of selfish pride or picking apart mistakes. 

I'm glad God lets me be messy but get better alongside him with patience and love.  

Lessons from a Pup- toy vs toy giver

Sweet Ellie pup is such a good teacher about my own shortcomings. The other day I let her out and instead of running to me, she ran right to a toy she wanted to play with. 

It was a reminder of how I do the same thing with God. I often run to the created thing for the momentary happiness instead of the creator. Instead of to the giver of the gift, the one who can make more, I pick the limited created thing.

I am grateful that the Holy Spirit teaches us lessons in all things and how Ellie shows me a picture of myself sometimes. 

Loving Father

I enjoy people watching... most of the time. It is fascinating what you can learn from even just the observed interactions of those around you. 

I was seated outside eating breakfast the other day. The tables were along a somewhat busy road and there were lots of customers coming and going. There were some cringe moments, some joyful moments, some sweet moments... the full Gambit.

One of the sweet moments was seeing a father with his two little kids picking up breakfast. As they were leaving to cross the street, he did the classic 'everyone holds hands' move. The little girl clearly was still learning this move as she was not fully cooperating. 

This incredibly normal moment struck me as so beautiful. It revealed the way God loves me, like that father and daughter. The father wanted to hold her hand and wait for the best time to lead her to cross because He knew the danger. She had  no idea danger even existed. That sweet girl had no idea how hurt she could be nor could she get herself where she needed to go without his help.

We can sometimes see the dangers more clearly now given time, maturity, and experience but we still don't see it all. Why then is it still so hard to put my hand in God's and trust him to be my loving father? To let him lead me? To believe he is leading me the best way to my best? Why do I still want to choose my own path? Goodness sometimes I am that same little girl. I need his help and guidance. Oh that I would trust him more to be the loving father that wants to give me and lead me to good things. 

those that go before

Thank you to all those who have gone before and helped make the way a little clearer, safer, and supported for us. 

I was running on a trail I have run hundreds of times. Lots of people walk, bike, and jog here year-round. But fall is such a fun time to be on the trail because the colors are lovely, the leaves are falling, and the distinct autumn smell is in the air. I like to use my time on this trail surrounded by nature to pray and help refocus myself on God. I had just prayed for God's spirit to be present here- for people on this trail to experience him whether they know him or not. 

Ahead of myself I saw two ladies who had stopped their walk and were looking at something on the trail. As I approached from one direction, a father and son who had been fishing approached from the other. The women stopped us with the palm up stopping hand motion. They had retreived a stick . What the women were trying to do was protect either us from the snake or the snake from us. Probably both. 

It was all coiled up and aggressive. It wasn't very big but it blended in well with the leaves and was irritated (possibly had been passed too closely by a biker?). I looked at the dark snake and markings and am thinking it was a copperhead which is venomous. 

The man volunteered to move it with the stick but it lunged at him and it was clear a longer stick was going to be needed. We found one and he was able to safely get the snake off the trail. 

The presence of this snake on the trail right after that prayer, and right in my running path really struck me. I was so grateful for those ladies who went before me and saw this potential threat. I was very grateful that they didn't just go around and leave the problem for someone else. That someone would have been me, running in prime striking distance to this well blended angry snake. 

Without those that go ahead of us and help clear the way, those who come behind could get very hurt. The importance of people who go before us and help guide and protect us is critical to our journeys. 

So I reflected on how grateful I am for mentors, parents, entrepreneurs, teachers, coworkers, and my family through the ages. These people prepared a way ahead of me, making a path, clearing it of danger (or at least pointing it out), and encouraging me to keep going hopefully even further than they did. Not for my own glory, but so I can keep the process going and help prepare the way for those who come after me.