Autumn

Autumn, to me, is as beautiful as Spring. It is full of cool days and chilly nights and bright blue skies. Is is full of changing colors - the green grasses to shades of brown and umber, the trees to reds and yellows and golds. The fall flowers are bright against the fading background.

The earth is going to sleep after a glorious Summer. The sleep will refresh it so it can burst forth again in Spring.

I feel energized and full of anticipation as I breath in the air and practically skip down the street. The leaves swirl at my feet and the squirrels bury nuts they will probably never find again.

It is hard to believe that all of this was a random act of an explosion millions of years ago. It is all so ordered and perfect. God smiles on us and His creation is amazing.

Growing old??

"Let me grow lovely, growing old -
so many fine things do;
Lace and ivory and gold
and silks need not be new.
There is a healing in old trees,
old streets a glamour hold.
Why may not I, as well as theses,
grow lovely, growing old?"
From "Wings of Silver", author unknown.

I found this in a little daily thought book given to me by my step-daughter over 10 years ago. It means more to me now that I am 10 years older! Go figure!

I try to grow "lovely, growing old." I do not believe that complaining about your aches and pains or the things you can no longer do, makes you lovely. I think bringing joy or comfort to others, being a good friend, being a good wife, and letting the love of Christ shine through my face and actions, helps me to "grow lovely, growing old." At least I hope so.

I don't mind getting older. I do not wish I were 20 again. Not one little bit. I love where I am and who I am with and I wouldn't go back even if I could do it all over "knowing then, what I know now." If I did that, I might end up somewhere else, with someone else and I don't want to do that.

Growing older is an adventure and I love it. It's "not for sissies" as my late Mother used to say but it has a joy about it that you can't know until you are there. So my plan is to "grow lovely, growing old."

Hill, What Hill?

Today I visited the Eye Doctor. I know there is a more proper name for his profession but this describes it better. Anyway, after not being able to read the bottom line on the chart and having a discussion about my beginnings of cataracts, I left feeling that age was catching up with me. It probably has already caught me but I have been in denial!

When I have these moments when I feel my age, I often think about my Mother and realize that she had these same thoughts, feelings, realizations and moments of reflection about what was happening to her body as she aged. She never shared them with me but, then again, I didn't ask either. It's an odd feeling to take a bunch of prescriptions, be getting cataracts, have less energy and muscle tone than you had just five years ago and yet not feel any different than you did when you were 18. Who says God doesn't have a sense of humor!

So right now, my body and my mind (such as it is) are having an argument as to whether I am near the Hill, over the Hill or on the downward slide. I think my mind is winning because it won't even let me see the Hill, let alone climb it. I think I'll stick with that until my next doctor's appointment. Wish me luck!

Charm bracelets

I don't know how many women in blogland remember charm bracelets. I am wearing one today that I think was my Mother's. I have several charm bracelets - mostly gold ones - one is mine and 2 were my Mother's. They jingle when I move my arm and the charms bump together. It is like the music of fairies!

Charm bracelets were special. They held your memories in little gold figures attached to a gold link bracelet. You started with the bracelet and then you added charms for special events such as trips or birthdays or boyfriends. Some girls bracelets were very full. Mine never were that full. I was particular when I added a charm. It had to be just right.

As I think about it, I am that way with my friends. I am very particular in choosing my friends so I don't have as many as some people do but I know them well and I cherish each one. They are each unique and bring something different to my life. And just like my charm bracelet, they create music for my soul.

Working for God

I have a little book of daily devotions - more phrases to ponder than devotions really. Anyway, the one yesterday was Colossians 3:23-24 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive and inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

I can forget that so easily and I need to remember it everyday. I don't work for me, I don't work for my boss, I work to bring glory to God. It puts so many things in perspective and makes life so much less stressful. My decisions are better, my day is more filled with joy and my vision of the future is clearer and brighter.

The next time someone asks me who I work for, I hope I answer "The Lord."