This time of year always gets to me. I love summer’s lavish sense of time, the way the light lingers well beyond the day’s work, how the breeze asks nothing of us, and the birds sing each day into existence. And then it happens. Almost overnight. The leaves on the trees crinkle ever so slightly, the change barely visible to the eye, but they are sharper, more awake than ever, committed to the countdown. My heart sinks. I don’t want winter to come. I want to move barefoot through the backyard in the afternoon, unaware of the sun’s coming or going, just knowing it will be there.
For people who live in tropical climates, this is everyday life. But even there, the light is always changing. Seasons mark the passage of time, mirroring the cycles of life in a purposeful and grace-filled dance. We can brace for change, or embrace it. Either way, we bear witness as “all creation groans…”
“For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved.”
Romans 8:19-24
Burying daffodil bulbs in the ground, the sun sets earlier than I anticipated, but I get the last one in and say a prayer. May you survive what is to come and make it to the other side, a hopeful flower awakening to spring. And may we remember what a gift it is to live through every season.
Reasons to Hope Week 37: Embrace the Change
This week, let’s look for reasons to hope as the season transforms from golden sunsets to fall harvests. Whether you’re embracing the change wholeheartedly, pumpkin latte in hand, or you’re trying to squeeze in one last swim, we can find joy in how the small changes keep us alive and guessing. Nothing is as predictable as the slow steady passage of time. And there is comfort in knowing that. As Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes: “To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven…”
Share your #reasonstohope with our growing community. Snap a picture of your fall garden or your end of summer adventures and tag @rootandvinenews #reasonstohope. And join us on Instagram Live every Monday at 3pm ET to talk about what’s giving us reasons to hope these days.
Writing the Book of Hope
We’ve been writing the Book of Hope together for 37 weeks now, but it’s never too late to join us. Here’s all you need to get started.
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Root and Vine