Striving for Simplicity: Changing with the seasons

Just like every other girl in the U.S. right now, I confess, fall is my favorite season.   Is it yours too?  I thought so.   I have met very few people that prefer a different season. Of course, I’m sure there are many that do.  After all, every season has negative and positive attributes.  All are beautiful in their own right.   If  I had to have a runner up it would be springtime.  For me, both autumn and spring have to do with temperatures.  Personally, I don’t like it too hot or too cold.  I believe heaven will be a perfect 82 degrees. 

In the springtime, we enjoy the budding of new life.  As the snow from the winter months melts off, the trees and flowers wake up from a long winter’s nap.  They throw off their icy blankets with a stretch and turn toward the sun.  A promise of new beginnings fulfilled right before our eyes. 

Autumn, on the other hand, is everything preparing to return to that rejuvenating sleep.   The temperatures begin to cool.  The air seems easier to breathe.  The trees and other foliage are at their peak.  Mature and full they begin to show a dazzling array of colors.  Time seems to slow down during this season, beckoning us to slow down with it.

Routines and things

One reason I look forward to the fall season is that routines come back into play.  Vacations are over, the kids are back to their studies.  Adults are back to work schedules.  A feeling of nesting and making my home cozy and welcoming for the long winter’s nap comes over me.  I want to make soup, and chili, and cookies, and other baked goods. I also want to change out pillows, blankets, and scented candles to invite fall colors and smells into my home.  Hearing football games in the background with the occasional eruption of cheers for a touchdown brings back fond memories of my childhood. I like to watch football too, especially live.   Those nighttime games with the marching band close by, blankets, popcorn, and hot chocolate.   Ah, fall.   

Adding on

Somewhere along the way,  instead of beginning the cycle of slowing down and catching our breath, we have become busier.  We’ve piled on all of the things above to an already overloaded schedule. We’ve added our fall bucket list to the things we are already doing; driving around from place to place, more meetings, more activities, more planning, lists upon lists of stuff and things to do.    For goodness’ sake, we are already thinking about Christmas!  Is anyone shopping yet?   I’m sure it’s on your radar.  

Taking our lessons from the Autumn season

Just as the trees and flowers begin to rest from their season of busyness, we too need to slow down.   To simplify our lives.  To breathe.  I’m not saying that we shouldn’t go to events, or have our children involved in extracurricular activities. Or us, for that matter.   Let’s just make it easier and more pleasurable for ourselves and our families. 

Realize you are in charge of your own schedule!  Start making some changes.  Just like the leaves on the trees change colors and drop, we need to look at our own branches and make some changes.  What needs to change?  What needs to drop?   (I know there are scientific reasons why this happens to trees and plants.  I’m not talking about that.   I’m just simple and talking about what we see, okay?)   

There are so many other things that happen in nature during this season.  Things we should take a cue from.  Like the animals that are foraging and getting ready for a long winter’s nap.  Maybe you are harvesting your gardens and canning or freezing your bounty.   I would be if I had a garden this year, but I was too busy this past Spring to do it.  I’m making those changes now, by cleaning up my plot and adding compost for next year.  See how easy it is to add to the list of to-dos?  Prioritizing is key. 

Making my life and home simpler

While I don’t have all of the answers, I invite you to follow along as I seek to make my life and home simpler.  Fall just makes me want to change things.  Make a way for new growth.  Letting go of things that don’t work anymore and finding things that do. In the next several weeks you will find posts about putting God first in our already hectic days, taking care of yourself so you can take care of others, how to nurture relationships and still have a simple life, where is ministry on our scale of priorities, and more.

Tell me in the comments, what is your favorite season? What are some ways you are paring down your list of things to do? Is there anything you would like to see discussed here?

Ecclesiastes 3:1 For everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.