Change is in the Air

I have always been sensitive to the breeze that begins blowing weeks before fall is officially here. It may sound weird but the air will sometimes even smell different and the sun seems less harsh. I tell my husband every year, "It's almost here babe. Fall is on it's way!" He always laughs and probably thinks I'm crazy but, within a few days he agrees that the season has begun to change. Last week I stepped outside on my lunch break, turned my face up to the sky and let the suns rays, warm me to my core. It was a perfect warmth that kicked the chill away and left me feeling relaxed and calm. I took a deep breath as the wind whistled by me and whisked through my hair. It felt like Heaven for lack of a better word. Can any of you relate?

Summer is great. I love the opportunity to get house and yard projects done, have family visits, travel, enjoy the warm nights, movies in the park and BBQ's outside with friends etc. Somehow, by the end of Summer however; I can tend to feel a bit dry, metaphorically speaking. Dry spiritually, relationally and emotionally. The Pastor of the Calvary Chapel that we attended in CA for several years once told me that Summers often get people out of whack and out of sorts because the routine is so inconsistent and for many church goers such as myself we are often not able to get to church as much because we are out of town or have something going on. As a result we don't get much soul food or fellowship and we can get of course. He encouraged me to not lose sight of keeping Christ at the center of my life even in the off seasons and that has always stuck with me. Jesus is my rock, my strength, my refuge, my peace, my direction, my sounding board, my comforter and friend. When I fall out of sync with Him, everything else in my life feels off as well.

All that being said, with this weather change I feel my dry soul drinking in every whisper as I read my bible, fellowship with friends or spend time in prayer. I am reminded to serve my husband and to make extra effort to show him how much he means to me. We've been together for quite a while now. It's easy to forget to spoil a spouse, to flirt, to date and to invest in each other when the daily grind gets the best of us. I'm reminded to wake up with a song of joy and praise in my mouth, to honor the Lord in all that I do (I will be a work in progress until the day I die), to try and use my time more wisely and to be more productive with my free time and to rest when I can so that I am refreshed for what the next day might throw at me. I can feel the dry scales flaking off and the blood kicking in my veins again. It's a beautiful and refreshing feeling! If I were to sum up my life with a song (also a bible verse) this is what it would say, "This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!"

Side note: I'm not depressed, having a bad day or wallowing so please don't worry or wonder about me:-). I simply decided that I would bounce back into blogging and give you all a little peak into the things I am chewing on these days.

Do the changing seasons ever stir you in some way? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Isaiah 41:10