This blog post originally appeared on September 25, 2011.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…” (Ecc 3:1)

Each year, I dread the impending cold days of winter, but I always cherish the beauty found in the season just before – autumn. Now that the hottest Oklahoma summer on record is behind us, we can enjoy the crisp, cool days of fall. The air just feels different as the seasons transition from one to the next. Colors are brighter as the leaves begin to turn from green to yellow to orange to gold to red, and the skyline is arrayed in a canopy of majestic beauty that only God could have created. The approaching holidays fill us with joy as we gather with family and friends and thank God for his blessings.

One of the ways we worship and praise God is through the miracle of his creation. This includes the beauty of the changing seasons, the grandeur of the many natural wonders he formed, and the awesomeness of the universe. This fall, we should take some time to enjoy the benefits of the season with our friends and family: take a walk and delight in the myriad of colors found in nature this time of year; sit outside and feel the cool breeze as it ruffles your hair; and remember to “[p]raise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.” (Psalm 103:1).

Dear Jesus, thank you for cooler days and the gorgeous colors of fall. Help me take time to enjoy the beauty of the season and all you’ve created. Amen.