Autumn has come and gone, and I’m still trying to figure out where on earth it went. The last lingering beauties of fall are quickly and gracefully being replaced by the frosty beauty of winter.

At the end of this summer, I did a post sharing with you all some of the slow-paced, beautiful things I especially enjoyed over the summer months. This week, I’m going to do the same, only with Autumn and all the beauties it brings.

Autumn carries the beauty of change. It is proof that change in our lives can be a beautiful thing and something that is needed. I’m the type of person that doesn’t handle change well. Change is synonymous in my brain with words like sad, painful, and harsh. The older I’ve gotten, the changes that come into my life haven’t slowed down any—in fact they’ve increased! God is slowly teaching me though, that change is not always sad and painful. It can be beautiful if only I will let Him make it so.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He hath made everything beautiful in his time…”

It doesn’t say that He makes some things beautiful in His time. It says everything.

Autumn is a reminder of that in my life.

There are so many oh-so-precious moments in our lives that are like gold dust, if we look at them the right way. There is beauty in every day life that is overlooked because we are too busy to slow down and appreciate it.

Note: All pictures are my own and may not be used without my express written permission. ©2022

The first, graceful signs of Autumn’s beauty transforming around us. Peaceful walks surrounded by the delicate leaves, once a vibrant green, but now beginning to blossom into Autumn’s warm, gentle hues. Crisp fresh air that bites your nose and paints your cheeks rosy red. Children’s laughter that rings out, dancing on the chilly breeze. Songbirds singing praise to their Master from the treetops, begging you to join their worship.

Warm cozy days spent inside, safe from the howl of the fierce wind. Pumpkin Spice Lattes created with the love and laughter of sisters beside you. Cinnamon & nutmeg. Molasses cookies, all warm and chewy. Comfy sweaters that wrap you up like a hug.

Nostalgic old bridges, dusted with the golden leaves of fall. Memories of days gone by, all wrapped up in one special place. Walks down memory lane.

Golden leaves, tinged with red, gently floating to the ground. Clean, fresh air that makes your heart feel glad. Morning walks beside a winding creek, with a coffee in your hands, and those you love around you. Cold, clear water that trips and tumbles over rocks and pebbles in its way. Family pictures that you’ll cherish for years to come, remembering that these are the days to hold onto.

The delicate, frozen beauty of first frost. Portraits of the moment winter’s glacial grip meets the last vibrant leaves of Autumn, covering them like crystals of sweet sugar. Brisk, walks in the silence of early morning, in awe of the intricate design of each crystalized leaf and tassel of grass.

Frozen prairie scenes, all peaceful and still, held tightly in the icy grip of winter’s first frost. Ice that coats everything, sparkling in the morning stillness. Dawn’s first rays of light rising above an ocean of frosted prairie grass, stealing your breath away.

Leaves encapsulated in a covering of ice, frozen in time as if they were meant for me to capture in a photograph. A hush that envelopes the world in the quiet dawning of morning.

Long nights, snuggled up inside. Playing music by candlelight. The gentle flickering of the flames on the sheet music, hinting at days of a bygone era. Reading a book. Wrapped up tight in a blanket to keep out the chill in the air. Listening in the dark to the coyotes howl their lonesome song. Sipping on hot, spiced cider.

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Close your eyes and take time to listen to life’s joys. They’ll be gone in a heartbeat, and you’ll be wishing you had taken just one more minute to listen; one more minute to etch these scenes into your mind; one more minute to thank God for each breath of life he gives.

Our “ordinary days” are the blessings some people would cut off their right arm to have. Don’t take it for granted.

This is the season of Thanksgiving. Yesterday, for those of us in America, it was our special day set aside to give thanks for all that God has done for us. We shouldn’t have to have a national holiday in order to see and think about all the blessings that grace our lives though. Thanksgiving should flow from us as natural as breathing.

This year, I’m thankful that change can be beautiful if I will choose to see it with eyes of thanksgiving. I’m thankful that He will make all things beautiful in His time.

What is a blessing that you especially enjoyed this season? What are you thankful for that God is doing in your life? Let me know in the comments!

~A. M. Watson

Hebrews 13:8