As I was folding clean clothes, the urge to write overcame me like heavy labor pain, the kind that tells you to PUSH. Push through into your creative place where God has blessed you with gifts and abilities beyond your comprehension. So I poured another cup of hot pumpkin spice coffee into my shiny orange mug and walked into my sanctuary, grabbed my favorite pen, this journal and began to let my thoughts flow freely. My absolute favorite writings are those where I do not place my thoughts on paper-but rather they appear like melodies of my mind.  Word after melodious word comes forth from this spiritual creative place deep inside me and even I am amazed.

Fall is like that-summer gives birth to this amazing display of color and mesmerizing cool breezes which move the leaves into soft songs. There is no sound that I have found that equals the rustling of the leaves on a windy, fall day.  It’s a sound I would recognize blindfolded, but then I would miss the glistening sun piercing the woods and the dances of the branches.

“Therefore, if any person is in Christ he is a new creation; the old has passed away.”  2 Corinthians 5:17  

If fall were in a jar with a lid, it would not be contained long for its smells and juices would burst forth and the colors would blow the lid off and BAM- out it would come, loud and sure of itself.  Yeah, that’s my fall.  When we are asleep God comes down to the mountains with His angels and huge boxes of special crayons and says: color my children, be joyful, have fun and color my trees. That’s how it happens…I’m sure.  He must love fall too.  Part of our package with God, so many amenities we enjoy- every single day.  

Fall is a time of renewal, loosing the old and then waiting through a season for the new buds of life to break forth.  I am definitely in a season of loosing the old, and I gotta admit I don’t really understand how the trees do it with such colorful glory, because I feel like a wreck!  It hurts, shedding this old self-the same one I want to get rid of-is painful and my trunk hurts.  It feels like my season of shedding got stuck here in fall in a revolving door, round and round I go with my old self.  

Living for Jesus is hard work, it’s a 24/7 daily walk with His word, spirit, and truth-and it’s not easy!  The old enemy gets me with fog in my brain, and stress in my life-telling me, don’t let go of the old you it’s comfy and familiar!  NO, it’s not, it’s miserable to live life just for yourself, and who is there when I fall to the ground?  

“And He who is seated on the throne said; See! I make all things new.”  Revelation 21:5

“Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, my help and my God.”  Psalm 42:5

He gives us the seasons of nature and of our own lives, so we can shed the old layers and grow and mature THROUGH the hardships and then sprout forth a new faith and a renewed spirit!  It is purposeful on God’s part, He knows what we need in order to grow closer to Him, our Father.  I am only strong when my roots run deep into the heart of Jesus.