Another glorious September morning after a bright night with a full moon. Now the sun strokes the cool land, sending shafts of light and long shadows across it while drawing mist from the swamp and sending wisps of fog over the pond.

The landscape is settling, drooping, going from green to earth tones as the growing season is over and all is preparing for the coming of winter. The petunias are still blooming, but are a bit bedraggled from the cool night temperatures. Trees are beginning to show some color, more from dryness than cold. Change is coming, but clothed the sameness of seasons.

I have never liked the coming of Fall, for it signals the end of easier living, the beginning of shorter days, more darkness, more clothes and more expense. However, the Lord is teaching me to embrace whatever comes, to praise Him for it and to let go of what I cannot keep.

This is also true of my life, for I am in the Autumn of my years; I cannot remain perpetually in the Summer of my life. Old age is the process of losing things; maturity is letting them go. Certain things naturally fall away (strength, hair, sharpness of memory, quickness of reaction and drive). The leaves of life go from green to a blaze of color as we move from active, productivity to mentoring and coaching. Then the leaves will fall as we shed our areas of influence and we’ll be left with the bare branches of life, caring for our basic needs until the axe of God cuts into the trunk and we fall into the arms of eternity.

None of this can be thwarted, all of it is allowed by God as part of life in a fallen world. So why not embrace it with the sacrifice of thanksgiving, joining God in His great plan for ending evil and beginning perfection?

We praise you, Lord God, for your marvelous, majestic and mighty love that carries us through the seasons of life to the threshold of death and on into eternity with you. Praise you that we needn’t fear any of this, but can confidently follow you as our good Shepherd who knows where you are going. You, Lord God, are worthy of our trust, obedience, worship and praise at each stage, each step, each season. And so we submit ourselves to you today. Carry us on and bring glory to yourself in our lives in whatever season we are.