Autumn Simplified

As the air turns crisp and the leaves turn color, I come face to face with the realization that my life is entirely too fast-paced.  I lament to my husband that Autumn is passing me by…life is passing me by.  I tell him of memories I want to make and he tells me the best memories are the small things…not my white-knuckled-grandiose-watch-out-kids-mama’s-got-plans list of Memories to Make.

Autumn is a time of slow, somber, contemplation.  It is the beautiful death of summer, all red and orange and yellow.  It is God’s reminder of another, more beautiful death and the anticipation of things to come…a season of celebration…a season of life.

But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
Hebrews 2:9

And so I slowed my pace and threw out my to-do’s.  I grabbed a cup of pumpkin spice coffee and settled into my patio chair.

I listened to the red and orange leaves above me rustle in the cool breeze and I determined to simplify.  Rather than worry over my endless lists, I would let Autumn be Autumn.  And I would be available.

I would be available to buy seconds at the apple orchard and turn them into a freezer full of recipe-ready apples and “apple snakes” for the kids.

I would open my home to friends and family and put dinner in the crockpot so wonderfully relaxing fellowship, not stressed-over food, takes center stage.

I would keep the candy dish full and campfire at the ready.

I would let my boys decorate the porch with camoflauge and hunter orange while I decorated with autumn leaves, pumpkins, and hay bales.

I would take the time to craft with the kids, but not stress over what they looked like or how many we got done.

And I would watch and wait.  I would see Christ’s sacrifice in the dying leaves.  I would see Christ’s hope in my children’s faces.  I would see His love for all mankind in the open door of my home.  And I would see just how simple this is.

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Wondering about the photos above?
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#1 – our front porch where I staple down garlands of Autumn leaves and place pumpkins in the planters.
#2 – our new patio set under the arbor that is attached to our home
#3 – our 3 year old enjoying what we call “apple snakes” (aka apple ribbons to the more refined).  These are simply the peelings that come off of our apple peeler/corer/slicer.
#4 – our ceramic leaf shaped candy dish filled with autumn candies – it sits on the edge of our island, unless mama gets tired of telling little ones to stop eating all the candy.
#5 –cast iron skillet with pork chops in gravy, cooked over a fire pit our son dug out in the garden.
#6 – camo and orange for the Youth Deer Season hanging from the bannisters of my side porch.  My little boys got their hunting vests from JM Cremps and my big boys get their gear from Cabela’s.
#7 – the straw wreath decoration I made many years ago.
#8 – a garland made from paint samples and raffia.  My daughter and I used leaf-shaped cookie cutters and traced them onto the paint samples, then we cut them out, punched a hole in them and tied them together with raffia.  It is taped to our living room wall.
#9 – creatures made from leaves we picked up in our yard.  From left to right, top to bottom:  puppy dog, man, lizard, primitive man by a campfire, fox, bird.  Can you guess which one is mine?
#10 – leaf punch pictures hanging in our hallway.  We gathered leaves and sat outside on the patio furniture one night and punched out leaf shapes from the leaves using a punch similar to this one.  We used other scrapbooking supplies that were collecting dust in my hall closet and some glue sticks and created pictures that make us smile every time we walk by.