Every year it happens.
IT sneaks up on me.
IT being Fall.
Fall is my absolute FAVORITE time of year without a doubt and I have blogged about it many times before.
I anticipate it starting in July - that's how much I love and long for Fall.
Yet, still, here it is November 1st and I am just now realizing, "Oh my gosh! It's Fall! How did it get to be November already?"
I love the trees and the colors of the leaves.
I LOVE how the sky changes and the angle of the sun is just different enough to notice in the morning and again in the afternoon.
I love pumpkins and hayrides and trick or treating.
I love the breezy days and cooler nights and all things orange.
And no matter how hard I try, I just cannot my make the camera on my iPhone {which I normally LOVE} do justice to the colors of the trees 'round here.
But FALL is also more.
It's a reminder to slow down.
For me
For you
For all of us.
I was talking with a friend recently about my love of all things PUMPKIN. And that led to lattes (another love of mine) and pumpkin spice this and that, and she told me to go try Dunkin Donuts' Chai.
Never tried Chai before and so today I decided to stop and get one. I chose to go in rather than do the drive through and I'm really glad I did.
They were busy outside and inside.
I waited in line behind 3 people before getting to place my order.
I was told they were cleaning the espresso machine and so I would need to wait for my chai.
I am NOT a patient person y'all. My to-do list and what I needed to get home for were running mad through my head.
But I said, "ok, no problem," and moved over to wait.
As I waited, here's what I saw...
someone pull up to the drive-through window and wave her money at the attendant as she was pulling up because the girl didn't open the window right away.
The same lady was actually DRIVING AWAY as the girl tried to hand her her change. {And I'm thinking to myself, "RUDE!"} The next customer at the DT window was just as impatient.
Then a customer who had been in line and ordered before me came back in. Her nostrils flared and I could almost see the smoke coming out. She was very noticeably angry.
She stood there tapping her foot as she waited for a correction on her order.
I tried not to stare, but couldn't help but watch. She shook her head at me as if trying to find sympathy in my eyes.
I just smiled.
A few minutes later, after she asked if she could keep the wrong sandwich too, she walked over to me on her way out and said, "one more time and I'm never coming back here!"
And as I watched these things unfold, I realize I was there waiting, not so patiently {but hiding my impatience well}, for a reason.
I was convicted. Not just for myself but for all of us.
Y'all we have become so impatient. So self-centered.
So "I-want-what-I-want-now-give-it-to-me-so-I-can-be-on-my-way."
Some days, I don't even come to a complete stop at a stop sign.
It doesn't say pause or slow -
it says STOP!
Today was a gift and I share it with all of you and encourage you to take it to heart.
Slow down.
Stop.
Look around you and enjoy God's beauty.
Show some mercy and grace to those who need it. A smile, a hug, an encouragement to just stop and take a breath.
Today is super busy for me too. My calendar is full and time is short.
But when I look back on this Fall season, do I want to remember it in a blur?
Or would I rather remember it as the beautiful,peaceful, anticipatory season I think God means it to be?
I choose the latter.
My wish for you is that we ALL would make that choice.
Breathe the Fall air, sip something warm and spicy, laugh with friends, take pictures of the trees...
Enjoy Fall, enjoy your family, enjoy life.
Slow down.
I just gave you permission.
Happy Fall Y'all!
