Thoughts on a Fall Morning

It is very much a crisp Fall morning here in the windy city of Chicago. A cool 57 degrees is enough to throw on an extra layer and venture out into the bright morning sunshine for a jaunt through the outdoor farmers’ market, perusing the harvest of heirloom apples and winter squashes. The advent of Fall is, by far, one of my favorite times of year. Favorite memories of this time of year include the beginning of a new school year (although by now, that is well underway); sunny Saturday afternoon Hillsdale College football games; the annual Fall Festival hosted by my elementary school; the changing colors of leaves around my northern-Georgia-foothills-of-the-Appalachians childhood home. Though fall is technically the beginning of the end–the twilight of summer and the early onset of Father Winter–it is also a time of new beginnings for so many things (and not just because it means a new wardrobe!).

The autumnal season also holds similarities to its cousin Spring — the weather is cooler, the foliage is transforming, and there is a sense of change in the air.  Memories of that sense of change and hope for renewal are imperative, even in the depths of winter: both literally and metaphorically. When we find ourselves lost in the cold gray of the winter season–or frozen in heart and mind–it is key to remember and fix our eyes upon the light, warmth and renewal of our hope in Christ, as symbolized by the rebirth we witness in Spring. Let the transformations and changes of the Fall remind us to continually pursue maturity in faith, looking forward with faith and relying upon renewal, rebirth and resurrection in Christ.