I love Fall

I just love the Fall, don’t you? I don’t know why I love this season so much. Today as I walked the cooler air hit my face and I felt like an old friend had returned to visit me. I felt invigorated and alert with anticipation.

There’s a smell to Autumn like no other time of year. I immediately think of apples, pumpkins, a panorama of colored leaves, candy corn and apple cider. Warm memories flood my mind and I feel surrounded by a welcoming friend.

I think another thing that I like is the returning to a more scheduled life – not that my life is not scheduled enough. But when the children were home and going to school our summer was flexible and fun; yet I welcomed the return of the Fall schedule. There’s something comforting and secure about the schedule in life that centers one. Even with my empty nest I feel that same comfort and security as Autumn unfolds.

Autumn also signals the end of vacationing friends and co-workers – a settling into the routine of life and a re-gathering together. I miss my co-workers while they are gone. I miss you when you’re not in your usual seat or ministry in church. While I can get bored with routine, there are enough breaks during the year that I welcome its return.

During the flexibility of vacations, children home and family visiting many of us get out of the habit of spending regular time with God. This is a good time to get back into the habit or routine of spending time on our relationship with God. Hopefully we didn’t take a vacation this past summer but we may need a tune up.

Too many of us get distracted or defeated and just give up on regular times of devotions. We’ve heard the teachings and seen the systematic routines of rules and regulations and known we couldn’t keep them.

Some of us are very disciplined and we wonder what’s wrong with everybody else – just get with it. Some of us have trouble with the rules and regulations – it’s too restricting and demanding. Some just muddle through feeling like a failure, thinking you will never measure up.

But it doesn’t have to be about that. Forget the rules and regulations and concentrate on the relationship. Just enjoy your relationship with God. By faith He lives in your heart so you can talk to him anywhere and any time.

I begin the moment my eyes pop open. While I’m in the shower I’m singing praise or giving thanks for Who He is and what he has done for all of us. While drying and styling my hair I’m praying for people and about situations. As I put on my make-up I pray for myself and hum along with worship music.

Yes, I take time to read the Word and journal but all day long I’m talking with my friend, Jesus. I rejoice in the bright sunshine, in hearing from an old friend, in an answered prayer. I pray for wisdom for my work and dealing with people. I have a continual conversation all day long. As I come home from work I marvel in the gorgeous, orange sunset. As I lay my head on the pillow at night, once again I talk with my friend.

Sometimes we complicate the relationship and think it can only be developed at a specific time, place and way. Yes, I spend some extended times in prayer and on my knees. But if something happens that I can’t do that on a day, I keep the conversation and worship happening all day long.

God is like our welcoming friend, Autumn, who wraps His arms around us and makes us feel accepted, warm and at home with the familiar smells of his presence. Let Autumn signal a time for returning to the safe, secure arms of a loving, welcoming friend as we take time to enjoy the relationship.

Doing Life Together With Jesus

“Doing life together with Jesus.” What in the world does that mean? You may be thinking, “I’m having a hard enough time doing life with Jesus, don’t complicate it with others.” But if we had lived 2000 years ago and followed Jesus around we would have found him doing life with others.

“Doing” because he was intentional in sharing his life with others. He didn’t wait for them to come to him, he went out of his way to the Samaritan woman. He left one city and went to another and another talking with crowds of people. He ate in the homes of publicans and sinners. He went to the home of Mary and Martha and taught women who before his time had never been included in a teaching setting. He intentionally went off by himself to minister to His father in prayer and prepare to share his life again with theirs.

“Life Together” speaks of sharing everyday life with others. Jesus went fishing and boating with the disciples. He walked to Emmaus with two other men and shared a meal with them. He fed the hungry, cared for the sick, He celebrated the Jewish holidays with his disciples and went to the Temple regularly to minister. How does that translate into our twenty first century? It means including others in our life – shopping, recreating, eating, traveling, conversations and activities. Intentionally going out of our way to take advantage of the opportunities to include others in what we enjoy doing.

“With Jesus” at the center or our lives it’s not difficult to include him in this equation. He influences everything about our lives and it comes out while working and playing. The things we’ve learned and experienced we share with others as we intentionally include them in our lives.

I’d love to hear what you are doing or how you are sharing your life with others. You and your husband may be having couples over for fellowship or games. You may go golfing together. You may invite friends over to play Wii. You may scrapbook with neighbors. You may visit the nursing home on regular basis. You may be making friends with others while your children play in sports. There’s a myriad of ways to share the life of Christ within us. What are you doing?