Ready or Not, Here Fall Comes!

The arrival of fall is imminent.  Before I know it, I'll be sure not to leave the house without a jacket and will reinstate hot tea as my breakfast staple after its hiatus for the summer.  There's something special and magical about fall.  I can't put my finger on what is it exactly, but I think that's part of what makes it so great.  Something involving the cooler (but not too cold just yet) weather, the crisper air, the leaves changing colors, trips to an apple orchard, enjoying warm drinks on the front porch, pumpkin flavored everything....there's just something about fall.

One of the things that makes fall so refreshing might be that things seem to slow down a little.  I know the schedule is still full, but somehow, things just seem a little slower.  My summer was a bit busy, to say the least.  I was traveling more weekends than I spent at home, and those times I was at home, there were often out of town guests to entertain or other exciting activities happening.  Either way.  Busy.  There are a few fall trips planned but not as many, and they seem fewer and farther between (ok - now that I look at the calendar, they really aren't fewer or farther between, but somehow it seems that way).  

All that to say, now that I'm on the doorsteps of fall (and having spent a few hours of alone time driving to and from Pennsylvania this past weekend), I've really been thinking about all that happened in my life over the summer.  I don't know about you, but this summer has been one of learning and growing and stretching and challenging.  Through several different situations and opportunities, the Lord has really been teaching me to have a different perspective and different priorities in my life.  

I plan to share more about these challenges and how they have prompted some changes in future posts.  BUT  I really want to hear if there's any ways you have been challenged this summer.  Now that summer is coming to an end, what do you see when you look back?