A Golden Autumn

I am always energized by a golden autumn. I love the red, burgundy and orange foliage that emerges when the weather cools. But this year the leaves look more golden than I ever remember. And the shining of the sun takes on a particular golden hue that warms the heart.

Autumn brings opportunities to enjoy nature in very special ways . . . to watch the golden trees swaying in the breeze against bright blue skies . . . to feel the coolness in the fall air, to smell the burning of campfires and back yard fire pits . . . to hear the sound of silence, broken only by the sound of leaves blowing in the wind and crunching beneath your feet.

There is a need in all of us to rest and re-create in the arms of nature, contemplating all that is good in our lives and what lies ahead for us. Alan P. Trey writes that, “There is a contemplative in all of us, almost strangled but still alive, who craves quiet enjoyment of the Now and longs to touch the seamless garment of silence which makes us whole.”

The Bible says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” What a delight it is to be in the midst of a golden autumn while being still and silent before God. It is in this stillness that we find God’s presence. And it is in this stillness that we embrace the magnificent golden autumn, all the work of God’s hand.

Thanks be to God for the beauty that surrounds us.