Tag: fall

Giving Thanks for Fall

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess 5:18)

Fall has long been my favorite season. As a child, I looked forward to the first day of school when I would see my friends again. The sport I enjoyed most—basketball—started in the fall.

When I was diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder as an adult, I dreaded fall because it meant I was that much closer to winter, when the worst of my symptoms would hit. Continue reading “Giving Thanks for Fall” →

What I’ve Learned from Autumn

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“He made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down.” (Ps 104:19)

Although the calendar says it’s autumn, it has yet to feel like it here in Oklahoma. We often don’t see much of autumn at all―the weather stays in the 80s and 90s as it is now before dropping sharply into the 40s and 50s. The leaves simply die and fall from the trees. Last year, we had a banner year with record amounts of rain and riotous colors on the trees.

In spite of the warm (hot!) temperatures, my heart feels that autumn is upon us. As the seasons change, I’m reminded that although change is hard, it can also be beautiful. Here are a few lessons I’ve learned from autumn. Continue reading “What I’ve Learned from Autumn” →

Thankful for the Lessons of Autumn

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” (Jn 12:24)

Autumn is one of my favorite seasons, and it rarely lasts long here in Oklahoma. Sometimes, we don’t see much of autumn at all – the weather stays in the 80s and 90s before dropping into the 40s and 50s, and the leaves simply die and fall from the trees.

This year, the leaves have turned glorious colors. We’ve received a lot of rain and had many below-average temperature days in the 50s and 60s. It’s actually felt like fall. While I’m not ready for winter, I’m thankful for the glimpse these cool fall days give us of the beauty of God’s creation through nature.

We can learn many lessons from the autumn season. As the seasons change, I’m reminded that although change is hard, it can also be beautiful. The falling leaves show us how important it is to embrace change in order to move forward. Without autumn, we would have nothing to look forward to in the spring. While it looks as if everything is dead, fall is a time for dormancy – a temporary death, if you will – that results in rebirth in the spring. Fall is a beautiful metaphor for Jesus’ death and resurrection. Just as his death wasn’t permanent, neither is the death we see during the fall. Continue reading “Thankful for the Lessons of Autumn” →