IT'S HERE AGAIN

             It’s here.  The cool, crisp air has finally arrived. I stepped out in a short-sleeved t-shirt and shorts, went across to the Crestwood track, walked one round and headed back. I wanted something a bit warmer on my arms and legs. Wonderful isn’t it?

            After the siege of hot weather through July and August, cool breezes and lower temperatures are a welcome break. I grabbed a light jacket and started again with a little quicker step than last week when the heat had seemed to push me into the blacktop with every step (even in early morning.)

            The weight of the hot summer has lifted. I can breathe deep again. Rejuvenated and refreshed. I anticipate walking even longer and farther in the next few mornings. I am still walking the same route, but the coolness of the morning, the rustling of the dry leaves and the geese honking across the lake encourage me that Fall is on its way.

            I had known it would happen because God’s world continues to work in the way He created it, but for a while, during those hot summer days, I had almost forgotten the caress of cool breeze, the whisper of dry leaves and the harsh honk of the geese that suggests a new season.  I welcome the day with a prayer of thanksgiving for all the seasons and the joy each one brings, but today I thank God for my favorite season-Fall.

            Life has it seasons, too. Seasons that weigh us down much like the physical heat of this past summer.  Days of grief or physical pain or worry and concern for loved ones. Long periods of days when putting one foot in front of another seems an effort. Seasons when we are so burdened we forget the caress of children, the whisper of love and the sound of laughter.

            But, if we trust Him, God takes us through that long hard season and brings us back to those times of joy. I am reminded this morning that He is still in control of His Creation, whether it is the seasons of the physical world or the seasons of our life. And I am thankful.