Hello, Autumn...

The first signs of Autumn have presented itself...

All the kindergarten students in the class I work with are already planning Halloween parties and contemplating costumes. I miss the excitement and magic of Halloween dearly, but I receive my joy through them.

There is, of course, the seasonal Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Latte, which I have yet to consume. The consistency, however, is comforting. I appreciate it abundantly!

There is the warmly familiar sight of the Autumn Pottery Barn magazine. You know you'll never actually buy anything, but I am emotionally attached to flipping through the red, yellow, orange, brown pages.

There is the reunion of those friendly scarecrows that find their early way out of your neighbor's garage and onto their lawn.

Yes, Autumn has sneaked its way into 2009 early this year. The colors and familiarities please my eyes so. The smells, such as my beloved Pumpkin & Spiced Apple reed incense diffuser, the crisp, sharp smell of changing leave and winds reach deep down into me. I look forward to Falling deeper into Autumn.

the Lord's word will never return empty.

Stop & Listen

As I was enjoying the view of the beautiful land that is Florida through the wonderfully big windows in my newly clean bedroom, I came to this shocking realization...

I have yet to hear God's voice.

I then began to mercilessly plague myself with questions, questions such as "What does He sound like?" "Is His voice loud, maybe frightening?" "Rather, is it a loving, nurturing sound?" The concept began to grow and grow within my mind until I felt my head about ready to burst. Of course, there is scripture discussing the Lord's voice, but I am sure you agree that it is simply not the same.

How strange, I thought. This God, this Father with whom I have grown so close to over the years has not once revealed His voice to me. I, His child, to this day could not point out His voice by ear. It was comforting, though, that I was drawn back by the absurdity that I did not know His voice, indicating (so I believe) that I am indeed close with my Maker.

So I sat there, by my big window, inhaling the sent of my Autumn candles, for quite a while pondering the mystery of how one can grow so close to another without even speaking words to each other.

It was at that instant, between feeling dumbfounded and not worthy of His speech, I realized that of course we have communicated! I hear God all the time! I am not merely talking into oxygen and gravity, I am talking to a God who hears, a God who listens, a God who indeed replies.

He answers my prayers, I do receive strength and that peace the passes understanding. I feel Him when I just open my Bible. My youth pastor put it as "discipline" to hear the Lord, and it is. You must have spiritual discipline to open a Bible, to turn off the music, isolate yourself and stop & listen. The results can be extremely clear, far clearer than any audible sound.

"In people we are looking for God to show up in big and glorious ways, and there were times when He came simply in a whisper or a breeze."