Changing seasons

     I love the change of seasons.  Fall is one of my favorite times because of the cooler weather and the bold colors.  I love to put on a pair of jeans with boots and a sweater and sit out on the front porch with a cup of coffee or go for a walk in the cool air.  
     Over the weekend, I picked up some extra work, and that extra work will continue through this week. My two-hour commute to and from work gives me time to take in the beauty of the trees on the side of the highway.  I'm amazed at the vibrance of the oranges, reds, yellows, and rusts.  I don't tire of looking at them, and the colors take my breath away sometimes. God is quite the artist.
     During my last commute, I  noticed a sensation of urgency to take in the view.  I realized that it could be gone in a few days, since this beauty is on a timer. The rain will come and the wind will blow, and soon winter will descend upon us.  Seasons change. Soon, these beautiful leaves will be on the ground turning brown. My first thought about this was an unpleasant one.  However, I realized that their beauty will be replaced with another beauty.  The bare tree branches will be ready to capture the glistening, white snowfalls of winter.
     Just like the changing seasons, I thought about how our lives go through changes. Change can be uncomfortable, though it isn't always bad.  I see life's changes like many other people do.  We all have our hills where things seem to be going well, and we're coasting along feeling pretty content. Valleys tend to present without a warning, and they can be so trying and difficult.
     During the changing seasons in life, I remember that God is unchanging.  We will always encounter reasons to worry and to lose hope in this cynical world.  We hear those reasons daily from the media. I find it comforting that in the midst of the chaos in the world, God still reminds us of His presence through something as simple as the beauty of the seasons.  Acts 17:27b says, "He is not far from any one of us."  Take comfort in the changing seasons of your life, knowing that God is right there with you.