Vibrant Color From Autumn Quotes

With it raining outside and my mug filled with hot tea, my cozy sweatshirt and cheerful study keep me comfortable with my thoughts. Right out my window, the vibrant red of our pear tree reminds me that God’s Artistic Handiwork deserves our attention.

For some reason, Fall 2022 has fostered a more satisfying experience than usual. When two of my granddaughters came to visit, we spent the greater part of a day at Blooms and Berries, a local pumpkin farm, and had a blast. (They made it through the corn maze in a record time of 6 minutes, and twenty seconds!) Then, our beloved group of Women Who Survived the Cold War met for a reunion in North Carolina, and, along with our fellowship, the breathtaking color of the leaves nourished our souls.

 So, before our calendars rush us headlong into the upcoming holiday surge, join me in taking a pause to consider these quotes which add still more color to the season which is sandwiched in between summer and winter: AUTUMN.

 Vibrant Color From Autumn Quotes

“Autumn is God’s way of showing how beautiful change can be.” Anonymous

. . . Autumn—that season which has drawn from every poet worthy of being read some attempt at description, or some lines of feeling.” Jane Austin, Persuasion

“Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons.” Jim Bish

“October’s poplars are flaming torches, lighting the way to winter.” Nova Blair

 “Every tree speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.” Emily Brontë

 “Autumn, the year’s last, loveliest smile.” William Cullen Bryant

 “Fall has always been my favorite season, the time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.” Lauren DeStefano

“Besides the autumn poets sing, a few prosaic days; A little this side of the snow, and that side of the haze.” Emily Dickinson

“Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go.” Infinite Waters

 “Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn.” Elizabeth Lawrence

 “Autumn is really the best of the seasons, and I’m not sure that old age isn’t the best part of life.” C. S. Lewis

“I loved autumn, the one season of the year that God seemed to have put there just for the beauty of it.” Lee Maynard

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

“He has also set eternity in the heart of man.”

(Ecclesiastes 3:11)

Which season of life do you consider to be in?

What advice would you give one in a younger season?

What would you ask someone who is in an older season?

Of all the quotes offered, which most resonates with you? Why?

Greetings from a recent golden autumn setting! Please know that through all the seasons God gives us, I appreciate you and your participation here at Living With Eternal Intentionality®. May we move forward together in pursuing intimacy with Jesus, authenticity with others, a passion for our calling, and a purpose for our influence.

-Photo credit Beck

Are You Living in Vain?

My own personal mission statement, Living With Eternal Intentionality®, motivates every corpuscle in my being. Since God first etched this clarion call on my heart, this theme orders my thinking, my planning—my very life. So, when a gifted teacher elaborates on the topic so precious to me, I listen. Will you join me in considering what life truly means for a Follower of Jesus?

From Paul David Tripp in New Morning Mercies, 5 eternity-driven realities emerge. He says,

1. We declare that we believe in forever, yet we live as if this is all there is.

2. This contradiction between our belief system and our daily living cannot work.

3. You cannot make any sense out of the Christian life without eternity. (1 Corinthians 15)

4. You and I have been hardwired for eternity. In the middle of your sadness, there is celebration because you have read the final chapter.

5. So, you get up every morning and give yourself to doing the things that God says are good, because if grace has put eternity in your future, there’s nothing you could ever do in God’s name that is in vain.

So, for you and me, the challenge becomes connecting the then with the now, doesn’t it? How can we more progressively give our daily selves to the quest of Living With Eternal Intentionality? May God grant us traction as we, His pilgrims, move forward together. What a joy to journey with you. And, No! We are NOT living in vain!

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

“He has also placed eternity in human hearts” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

In quiet moments, do you wonder why you are here on this earth? Have you ever asked yourself:

“Does my life matter?”

“Am I living in vain?”

Take time this next week and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in writing out your own personal mission statement. When you do, I would be honored to read a copy.

Improve Your Health: Forgive

Are you kidding me? Snuggled up on my couch watching the evening news, I noticed a recurring theme in advertisements: Health. The consistent message—punctuating the pauses in the programming—conveyed either a warning about neglected health or a promise for better health or a suggestion for improved health. Vitamins, exercise equipment, and medical trials all made their case.

“Not one voice or advertisement spoke about forgiveness.”

However, not one voice spoke about forgiveness. And yet, one of the most significant ways to improve our health is to forgive.

As the Johns Hopkins article Forgiveness: Your Health Depends On It states,

“Whether it’s a simple spat with your spouse or long-held resentment toward a family member or friend, unresolved conflict can go deeper than you may realize—it may be affecting your physical health. The good news: Studies have found that the act of forgiveness can reap huge rewards for your health, lowering the risk of heart attack; improving cholesterol levels and sleep; and reducing pain, blood pressure, and levels of anxiety, depression, and stress. And research points to an increase in the forgiveness-health connection as you age.”

So, here is my suggestion: In pursuing a lifestyle of vibrant health, don’t hesitate to exercise the muscle of forgiveness. And if it helps, remember, “Forgiveness never goes to a deserving person.” -Ronnie Stevens

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

“He has also set eternity in the human heart” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12).

“Father forgive them for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34).

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ in God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13).

Recall a time when your hesitancy to forgive took its toll on your health. What did you learn?

Why do you think forgiveness is an asset to your health?

Please offer your comments and suggestions. Your thoughts hold value for the rest of us.