Fall

Been a while since I had time to sit and write or something to write about. It is a cool fall morning here in Vermont. I love it.. Fall is one of my favorite times of the year here. Jeans and a Tshirt will do most days. Yet I can still wear my favorite shoes my crocs ok with socks..

A few weeks ago on one of the first cool nights we had, I was noting how much I Love fall in Vermont. As I stood in my mother in laws yard looking at the first few leafs starting to show signs of color change. My mother in law told me she hates fall. I stood in shock how any one could hate fall in Vermont. People come from all over the world to see fall in New England.

I questioned her as to why she hated fall? She replied because I know what comes after.. Winter in Vermont.. I laughed, I understand but I just try and enjoy a good season while we have it. Stock up the joy of cool fall mornings wrapped in a blanket, a mug in hand filled with hot tea and a bowel of apple pie for breakfast. Who does not like Pie for breakfast?

Seasons do change and I too like my mother in law understand what comes after fall in Vermont. Shorter days, longer nights, snow that covers the ground like a down filled blanket. Ice sake rinks where driveways once stood. Temps so cold your nose freezes together when you breath in the frozen air.

Life is full of seasons that change and not just the one that change the colors of the trees, but seasons of life.

Seasons are just a frame of time in life. The time passes and then season change. Like now, Fall is just starting but before I know it Jeans and a T shirt will be just one of the many lairs I put on before I walk out the door to face the cold dark winter days.

There Is a Time for Everything
Ecclesiastes 3:1-5

1 There is a time for everything, and everything on earth has its special season. 2 There is a time to be born and a time to die. There is a time to plant and a time to pull up plants. 3 There is a time to kill and a time to heal. There is a time to destroy and a time to build. 4 There is a time to cry and a time to laugh. There is a time to be sad and a time to dance. 5 There is a time to throw away stones and a time to gather them.

I love verse 5, that is a wonderful picture of fall in vermont. A time to throw out stuff that will not be helpful and a time to gather before winter sets in.

We can apply this truth to own spiritual life too. We have season too of plenty and times of want. During the fall seasons of our spiritual life we need to throw out the waste in our life. The things in our life that take up space because when comes in winter our spiritual life. A time then nothing new is growing. A time when there is nothing in our lifes that is giving us warmth or life. Sometimes in the dead os Winter here we will have two or three days where it is not safe to go outof the house. You have to use what you have in the house. Snow is up to the doorways. Most good vermonters will have a stockpile to take from during those days. A wood pile outside their doorways to fed the woodstove. Can goods they have put way during the fall haverst. Winter may be having its way outside but inside the true vermonters home it has not place. Rather they sit with mug and hand and mouth full of mothers sweet apple pie made from the apple stockpile that was picked during the fall season. We as believer need to stockpile the Word of God at the door way of our heart so that during the long dark spirital season on winter we have a resouce to pull from. It is a common things for people to freeze to death here in New England because they did not have enough fuel to burn. They did not plan ahead for wintesr dark days. Such a good truth for us believers to hear that we all have to plan ahead for the hard times. As the writter of Ecclesiastes knew life has seasons. We just need to be prepared for the seasons change.
I love fall because I too know what comes after Winter.. I am just thankful God has given us a chance to prepare for winter.
Are you prepare?