Falling into Fall, with Grace

I am not gonna lie...I Love Fall. The cool, crisp mornings. The lack of excessive outside heat. Not needing sunglasses to see outside. Rain. Clouds. Storms. Long sleeves and jeans, boots, sweatshirts. This is my season, the one when I'm at my happiest. Can you tell I'm an Oregonian, tried and true?!! Born and raised here, used to the cooler weather and the rain, okay with not having lots of 100 degree days during the summer and not having lots of snowy days during the winter. Yes, I love Oregon, and I especially love Fall!

 

Fall brings with it so many beautiful colors, as the leaves change from green to gorgeous shades of orange, red, and yellow. Apples are harvested, pumpkins are ready to pick and carve for Halloween. Children are into their school routines, excited about Halloween costumes, starting to think about Christmas and Santa. Thanksgiving is on the horizon, my most favorite holiday, a time to stop, gather with family, and truly feel your blessings surround you. A time to be thankful, give thanks, and pause before the hectic Christmas season takes over.

 

Fall is my season of new beginnings this year. I am remembering to focus on all the blessings, and let go of all the bitterness. No matter how positive I work on being in my daily life, the negativity seems to find ways to seep in. And that leads to bitterness and resentments, and "stuff" that can be hard to let go of. I have to make the choice, for myself, to not let the "stuff" control me, and that is emotional stuff, mental stuff, work stuff, family stuff, financial stuff, material stuff...there can be a lot of stuff that clutters up the mind and soul. With the changing of seasons, the sights and scents of Autumn, the incredibly beauty of Fall in Oregon, I am making that choice, for myself, to let the stuff go. I am focusing on the beauty, on true Thanksgiving, on "Giving Thanks" being more than just decor that I decorate my home with at this time of the year.

 

I won't always succeed, but God will continue to give me grace, and He will continue to offer gentle, sometimes subtle and sometimes not, reminders of my blessings. Thank goodness for His grace, and for the grace of those around me who allow me to stumble, even to occasionally fall (gracefully, of course!), knowing that I'll get up and do better the next time.

 

Happy Fall y'all! Hope you are embracing the changing of seasons with me!