Autumn Thoughts

God does not exist to answer our prayers, but by our prayers we come to discern the mind of God.

- Oswald Chambers

"When we are alone on a starlit night, when by chance we see the migrating birds in autumn descending on a grove of junipers to rest and eat; when we see children in a moment when they are really children, when we know love in our own hearts; or when, like the Japanese poet, Basho, we hear an old frog land in a quiet pond with a solitary splash - at such times the awakening, the turning inside out of all values, the "newness," the emptiness and the purity of vision that make themselves evident, all these provide a glimpse of the cosmic dance." — Thomas Merton

I have always loved fall.....the expectation, the whisper of cool breezes, the closing out of summer with one bright blaze of glory. I wonder, is it summer throwing a tantrum or fall announcing its presence? All the same it is like no other time of year. It is joy mingled with a bit of melancholy thrown in, like you want to sit at a window all day and watch the leaves twirl down, lost in thought, tea having long grown cold, book open but untouched......It is hope of good things to come, quiet moments by the fireside, bundled up walks, breath blowing frost, stacking wood and burning leaves.

It is the faint promise of Advent settling quietly about your spirit that makes you feel like home.....Softly saying He is coming even though you know He is already here....

Photos from Flagstaff Observatory and Sedona Tourism, Google Images

Any fall thoughts you want to share?