I hear everyone declaring their love for it! The summer flowers have recently been replaced with hardy mums and the colors of orange, yellow and brown adorn the entrances to houses and businesses all around town.  The change of weather allows folks to enjoy cooler evening events and wear those beloved jeans and long-sleeve shirts we’ve had safely tucked away for months. 

It’s THIS time of year that I begin to get all GIDDY with tradition and expectation for the holidays!  The time-change and the early onset of evening is refreshing to me.  I love to light candles around the house -  fragrances of leaves, harvest, and spice to welcome my family home from their long days.  It’s this time of year where you can feel justified to simply sit with a warm cup of coffee, cider, or hot-chocolate and curl up with a good book or watch that favorite TV show, complete with new and exciting episodes.

To me, Fall ushers in a more relaxing season of life!  The non-stop days of summer are exchanged for family gatherings in the living room, the essential time for a cool evening walk, football with friends, and a chance to merely sigh a sigh of relief.  Simply put, Fall is HARVEST TIME - a season for gathering crops, but also a season for gathering your thoughts!  A season for the laborer to gather and then sit quietly in solitude before God, ceasing from activity and enjoying His fresh fragrance.  This can be an uncomfortable position for you go-getters out there who feel pressured to always be “doing”.  However, this is THE necessary place! 

The Holy Spirit reminded me this morning of the parable of the ten virgins found in Matthew 25:1-13.  This story clearly exemplifies the difference between spiritual wisdom and spiritual foolishness.  Each virgin was given the exact same opportunity to light their lanterns, which is a direct representation of lighting the fire of their souls...that moment when the Holy Spirit draws you to the open door of accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, filling all who receive Him with light!  However, in the parable, five virgins were wise and five were foolish.  The difference?  The five wise virgins continued to return to their initial Source and refuel their flames.  The constant renewal supplied them with new revelation, empowerment, attitude adjustments and for that moment when the Bridegroom called out!  The five unwise virgins simply went about, living off of the one-time experience they had when their flame was initially lit, but never stopping to refuel.  Eventually, their fire was extinguished.

As a gentle friendly reminder today...where are YOU in this season of life?  Are you like the wise virgins who understood that continual refueling from their Source was of the essence?  Or, do you find yourself today following pursuit of the unwise?  Your Source is God!  Your Light is the presence of Jesus’ Spirit radiating from within!  Only time spent alone in His presence will refuel your fire, causing you to shine everywhere you go with the glory of our beautiful God!  How brightly are you shining?

In this shift of seasons, I hear Jesus ushering us, “Come unto Me(the WORD, Jesus is the Word), all ye who labor and are heavy laden(wore out, need refueling), and I will give you rest!  Take my yoke upon you and let ME teach you, because I am humble and gentle and YOU will find REST for your souls.”  Matthew 11:28 NLT 

Happy Fall to All and Many Blessings Your Way,

Jeneen