Temperatures are finally cooling off, and the changing weather brings opportunities to refresh wardrobes and get a change of scenery. Right now pumpkins and fall mums seem to be everywhere you look! Leaves are turning brilliant reds, oranges and yellows before being swirled into the wind as they fall from the trees. The sun’s light even seems more golden in the evening at this time of year. All of creation is signaling that the seasons are changing.
This is a great time to pick up a new sweater or pull one out of storage from last year. Freshen up cozy throws and winter coats that have been packed away. Warm fuzzy socks are a welcome haven for cold feet. During the summer months we didn’t do a lot of baking, but now it’s time to fire up the oven for pies, cookies, and hearty soups. Maybe you will even need to turn up the thermostat as mornings are chilly in the kitchen. Afternoons call for a hot mug of tea, freshly baked cookies and a good book to read.
For a more active lifestyle, the cooler temperatures always tempt me to go on a walk through the neighborhood or along a path in the woods. Walking is one of the best forms of exercise you can get. It’s aerobic, it’s weight-bearing, and it’s good for stiff joints. Added to all that goodness is God’s creativity on display everywhere you look with autumn’s vivid display of colors. What better way can you think of to get a little exercise and burn off some stress while taking full advantage of the season?
Look for activities you can do together to create memories. Bake those cookies, hang a fall wreath on the door, go for a drive. Pick up some colorful leaves from the yard or along your walking route and create a vivid leaf collection to enjoy indoors. During my mom’s final months her gingko tree, her pride and joy, was pure gold and held onto its leaves far longer than usual. I went out one afternoon in November and filled a shallow bowl with the bright yellow leaves and brought them into her bedroom so she could see how lovely they were. I described the tree to her; the leaves that surrounded it on the ground seemed almost to shine their own internal light. The yellow leaves in the bowl held their color for weeks and she enjoyed them until she closed her eyes for the last time. Those memories are mine now to cherish, and I often reflect on the joy simple things brought to us in my mother’s last few weeks.
We hope you’ll join the conversation this week at Heart of the Caregiver and share your heart about enjoying God’s handiwork with those you care for.
Heart of the Caregiver 