As much as I love the ending of the summer heat and the beginning of fall, this time of year always seems to feel a little crazy. I don’t know why, but from now until around February the tension and chaos gets progressively stronger.
Maybe it is because I want to be outside more but I have other things that need to be done, too. Maybe it’s the fact that it gets dark earlier in the evening, along with the change from daylight savings back to standard time making it even more pronounced.
Perhaps it is the anticipation of time spent preparing for holiday gatherings. Money always seems tight this time of year, too. Figuring out how much time to take off of work, and whether we are travelling for the holidays also can cause a little angst.
Sometimes, I get so overwhelmed by all the things on my mind and on my plate that I just turn from it all and do absolutely nothing. I get stuck in place by my unwillingness to prioritize and just do what I can do.
It’s different than making a decision to relax and just do something fun, even if it is just watching a movie with my husband. It’s different because when I run from my to-do list, I cannot escape the realization that I am shirking my responsibilities. All that usually happens in the end is that I feel more unsettled and anxious.
Well, at the end of last week I was feeling overwhelmed by life. I goofed off on Saturday, and felt really guilty about it; it was not a restorative break—I was hiding. So, on Sunday, I made the decision to do something that I hadn’t done in a few years.
I decorated the house for fall. I really enjoy the beauty of each season and I like to have the inside of my house reflect that beauty of nature. In years past, just before Halloween I would welcome fall by decorating the house with pumpkins, and garlands of fall leaves. I don’t appreciate all the ghosts and goblins of Halloween so I skip all that.
Sunflowers and fall leaves are the backdrop for pumpkins, cornucopias, scarecrows, and turkeys. To me, fall is special because it feels like nature is smiling about a job well done. A bountiful harvest leads the way to unwinding from a busy spring and summer, makes us think about snuggling under a blanket on cool evenings, and sitting around a fire with friends and family after a hearty meal.
My fall decorations will stay up until the beginning of December. In December I will decorate for Christmas. This little act of putting up decorations reminds me that seasons continually change and it actually has a big impact on my mood and motivation. Not only does it bring me joy to see the beautiful colors of fall, but it is a silent reminder that life has seasons, too.
No matter what is happening in my life, it is not going to last forever. The tough times will give way to better days; just as hard work brings a good harvest. The trick is to sow good things into the soil of your life; even when the soil is hard and rocky, thoughtful attention to that which you have the means to do will produce good results.
And so it goes with the good times. They will not last forever, so appreciate them. Continuing to sow good things into the soil of your life will help to keep the tough times at bay.
Winter is the season of rest, so use it to your advantage. When winter comes, rest, restore, and make plans for the spring of your life. It is an important part of the cycle of life.
You can even see the seasons in each 24 hours, with winter being the hours we sleep at night. Spring is the morning-time, summer is in the middle of the day, and fall is the evening hours. Being present for each of these seasons makes the day more fulfilling.
My fall decorations are enough to brighten my spirit which gives me encouragement to just do what I can do. Whatever or wherever you find motivation, allow yourself to embrace them. Life is too short to waste time being stuck somewhere that won’t benefit the harvest or bear fruit.
Have a great week!
Galations 6:9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
