::Autumn::

There is just something marvelously wonderful about the change of season from summer to fall.


Fall is probably my favorite season. I can remember having an odd fondness for fall growing up. In the Isaacson household, we were big on make-believe play outdoors. We would make forts or become domestic and have forest “houses.” If we were feeling extra adventurous we would explore the wooded areas, (this is when 2 acres of land was “uncharted” territory and felt like 200,) or we would turn on some music and choreograph trampoline circus routines. I can remember four-wheeler hide-and-go seek games, horseback rides, and rollerblading up and down the one paved street in our area. Being homeschooled was fabulous because there were so many opportunities to finish our work quickly so that we could spend the day playing catch with Puppy outside.

I was never enthusiastic about summer days in Alabama. We were always in the pool and while that was fun, it was the nip of the autumn air that sparked in me a passion for God’s great outside creation.

My strong affinity for sports was also satisfied by football-filled Saturdays. Growing up in Auburn/ Opelika, I have been around SEC football for the majority of my life. Currently I am experiencing serious withdrawals that incite strong arguments about teams of which I care nothing about. I am venturing today to Knoxville to finally see my Tigers play, and I couldn’t be more excited! War Eagle!
Autumn also brings the need for long sleeve shirts, turtle-necks and sweaters. There is something delightful about cuddling up in a hammock with a good book and beautiful bronze and ruby leaves creating a canopy above that rustle with the cool wind interrupting the silence of the country. Oh how I wish I could be on Sedgefield Lane.

One of the other things I feel with the coming of autumn is the desire for school. I enjoy reading and learning, and I liked “school” growing up as long as I had some say in what I was learning. After a summer break, I can recall the excitement upon discovering a box arrived in the mail, all the kids would gather around to claim the books that were to become our teachers for the upcoming year. I would much rather be in school in the fall than any other time of the year. The weather inspires me to think deeper thoughts, and truly desire to retain the information I encounter; new books, new hopes for good grades and new interesting subjects to discover.This may be why I have been interested in grad schools the past few weeks, even though I can't fathom going back to school anytime soon.
In the AO area, we always had fun fall festivals, hayrides, corn mazes, etc., and all the memories of those activities makes me long for home and yet so thankful that I will actually get four seasons in D.C.

So it is with that same childish fascination of the weather patterns and biological change in the landscape that I am clinging to the hope of bottling up the weather here in DC and having some to enjoy year round. God is so creative to design a consistent pattern by which our agricultural cycles follow.

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his.
He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them.
He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.”

Daniel 2: 20-21