Jay D Weaver's Thought for the Week

Autumn Reflections

An Autumn Sunset

Autumn has officially arrived. Our children are back in school, and except for weekends, vacation time is over for another year. The marigolds, impatiens, and dianthus are still in full bloom. The chrysanthemums are opening daily. Yet, in a few short weeks they will all either be dying or going into dormancy for another winter.

Soon the hardwoods in the Northeast will be in full dress. But the leaves will fall quickly, and the forests will again be bare. By that time the robins and other migrating birds will have flown South. It is a time of year for nostalgia, reflection and expressions of thanks to our Maker. Our prayer is that we will make it through another winter season to see the beauty of a returning spring.

An Autumn Prayer

God of the changing seasons, we thank you for autumn. As life ebbs all around us, we become more aware of our own mortality. But we know that renewal can only come through a process of death and resurrection. So we have the hope that comes to those who put their trust in you.

Just as surely as death comes in the fall, life is reborn in the spring. We await that time when the buds begin to swell, and all of nature becomes pregnant with new growth. Walk with us through this winter season. May our lives reflect the purity of the snow, the vitality of the spring, the fullness of summer's growth, and the brightness of the autumn foliage.

We often grieve our losses, but we know that your constancy in an ever-changing world will provide the rock on which we can anchor our lives. In your grace, we pray. Amen

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