Autumn Came, Autumn Went

“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.” – Lauren DeStefano

This season has passed in a blur and I know I’ve said that a lot this year. 

But it had also passed in a blaze of glorious colour. We’ve really seen the crisp cool mornings leading to warm bright days and it’s this ‘magic’ of Gods design that is the recipe for the beautiful colours. The reds, the auburns, the burgundys, the oranges, the yellows… I love them all. I even cried this year; not at the nature but at the creator of all this splendor. Just for me! And also for everyone else. Sigh. It was just SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

Nature has always been my love language, and also through music and stories. This is how God speaks to me and how I see meaning and beauty. These are the quiet ways that really resonate with me. I never really thought I was artsy - I am too logical and rational for that - but actually the older I get the more I discover these ways that unlock God and help me understand Him more.These ways dont 'make sense' and cant be 'rationalised' and yet give so much deapth to my theology and present deeper ways to think about Him. 

Of course pondering any goodness, truth and beauty can never fail to reveal God. 

Anyway, I decorated early this year despite originally intending to wait until the equinox. I think it is time to accept that it just isn't my way to wait.  

These beautiful ways are so wonderful to help earmark the seasons and draw attantion to the qualities God created in each. To others it may seem like needless, pointless decor, but for me it tells the time; sets the atmosphere; ushers in the mood of that season. It tells me a story of Gods plans for us: A time for everything. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 

a time to be born, and a time to die; 

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 

a time to kill, and a time to heal; 

a time to break down, and a time to build up; 

a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

 a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 

a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; 

a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 

a time to seek, and a time to lose; 

a time to keep, and a time to cast away;  

a time to tear, and a time to sew; 

a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 

a time to love, and a time to hate; 

a time for war, and a time for peace.

What gain has the worker from his toil? I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man. 

I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.

And as we moved through this season our days were filled with many things. The last of our harvest- including the cutest mama and baby carrot.

A pewter workshop in Devon complete with a sleepover camp out in the van. 

A moving and poignant trip to see The Lost Words exhibition in bath. I actually cried. 

Our old driveway was finally replaced thanks to some gifted bricks and DH time.

October loomed with cool clear days, the aformentioned georgous colors and pumpkin picking time with both friends and family. 

And of course this beautiful, wonderful, kind, happy, musical girl turned 12!

In November there was a trip to Southampton to watch The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe at the Theatre in Southampton. This was also the season of the sick auntie - I dont know how long this season will continue.

Homemade 'Hokey Pokey'- or honeycomb- was made as per our tradition. Its been a while though. It turned out well. 

And we finished with the making of the Christmas Cake and Christmas Pudding. 

It has been quite a season!