Autumn is Peeking in my Window

Autumn is peeking in my window and while the air is crisp and cool, my heart is warmed at the sight. The beautiful trees that have been slow to cooperate with the calendar show vibrant colors that contradict the loss of life within. It is the rhythm of the seasons and it reminds us that our sovereign God controls the universe. 

There is a rest in Autumn unlike the other seasons. It is as if the activity of summer stops to regroup and shift gears, carving out a time of quiet that is full of expectation. The stores declare that Christmas is nudging its way in, but we refuse to listen. We need the sabbath of Autumn.

The change in season doesn't last long but if we want it, Autumn offers a time of relative calm, and renewed perspective. The season itself prompts us to look outward, beyond ourselves, and forward to all that is coming. The sights and smells stir up the heart's memory and bend us toward thankfulness. One of the constants in our life, no matter how we have celebrated it in the past, is Thanksgiving Day and the heart of that day drives this season.

On the first Thanksgiving, the centerpiece of the day was a shared meal. It still is. It is a meal for which someone lovingly planned and prepared, with familiar smells and tastes that define the day. But Thanksgiving is so much more than a meal, it is about relationships. The request to share a meal with someone expresses a desire for a relationship or to nurture and grow an already established relationship. So as we gathering around the Thanksgiving table with those precious to us, may we always feel the impact of the invitation and the privilege of who is there. It is humbling indeed, to be invited to share the Thanksgiving meal with those who are not family. Equally as powerful is the participation in serving a Thanksgiving meal to those who are without family. 

The Thanksgiving setting is the perfect environment for conscious thoughts and recognitions of what and whom we are thankful. At our house, each person's plate holds a few kernels of dried corn. Before the meal, we pass around a small terra cotta bowl holding corn from years past. Each person in turn adds their kernels to the bowl while offering words of thanksgiving. We then bow before the One we are most thankful for and acknowledge that every good and perfect gift comes from Him. 

My heart is full of anticipation even now. I can miss a lot of annual events in my life, but please don't let me miss Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving anchors my perspective for all that will follow. 

Immediately after the meal, a lazy transition to the rest of the day settles in, accompanied by the sweet recognition that Christmas is on the way. Now starts the anticipation of the coming of the Christ child. Our sabbath is obviously over as the planning and decorating begin and our rested senses are heightened with excitement!

Jesus Himself invites you to the table. He desires a relationship with you.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. (Revelation 3:20 NKJV)