Seasons, They Are A-Changin’
Table Talk
Setting the Table
You are welcome here. Come just as you are, bringing whatever is on your heart today. Take a few moments and allow yourself to be present in this moment.
Consider the way a tree spends its entire existence on a journey of change and growth.
Galations 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
“Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes. Turn and face the strange ch-ch-changes.”
- David Bowie
“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”
- Winston Churchill
Food for Thought
The air has finally grown crisp instead of humid, and the leaves are starting to turn that beautiful burnt orange color that I love so much. I must say that it is always a little hard to let go of summer, but man, do I look forward to fall!
Growing up, the autumn season was my favorite. This was probably because my birthday is in October, which means it’s the start of celebrations, gatherings, and, most of all, CAKE! Like most kids, I just couldn’t wait to be one year older - one year closer to driving, graduating, going to college, and becoming a real adult. I can remember my parents telling me, “don’t wish your life away.” To which, I would think “yeah, yeah… you’re just saying that,” then I’d shrug it off and keep pushing forward. But now that I am an adult, I find myself saying the same thing to my own daughter, nieces, and nephews. It's funny how that happens. The truth is, it goes by so fast, and nowadays I sometimes long to go back and savor some of life’s most precious moments a little more!
With each year that passes, this season takes on a new meaning for me. The prospect of becoming one year older prompts me to take stock of what was accomplished. Did I meet those lofty goals that I promised myself? What changes were made? Did this year have meaning? What do I want this coming year to look like?
I guess that is the beauty of autumn - it is not only a season to gather and harvest all that was planted in the past year, but it is also a season that reminds us of the necessity and inevitability of change. It’s almost as if everything around us is showing us this very thing - the squirrels are gathering their food for the winter, the birds are flying south, the weather is growing colder, the plants are shedding the old, all to prepare for something new.
For me, the most prominent reminders of the season are the trees - the way their leaves reveal the most brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows before they fall. Though most of the trees I see are far beyond my years, they will probably go on for many more, cycling through their seasons of change and renewal. Their cycles make possible a newness of life: new growth, new fruit, new opportunity. This change keeps them healthy so that they can provide shelter and nourishment for the plants, animals, soil, and air around them. Ultimately the seasons of the tree are necessary for the betterment of their entire ecosystem.
The same is true for us - we are each called to move through our own seasons of change.
Though change can feel uncomfortable and unfamiliar, it can yield life-giving promise for us and the world around us. As we are reminded in Galations, “do not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up.” Don’t give up on the good work of life-giving change! Instead, take some time to notice the beauty and blessings of this season of transformation.
Take some time to be outside and enjoy the changing seasons. Perhaps go on a hike, visit a pumpkin patch, or simply sit on your porch for a while.
Take a moment and make a mental note or journal about this past year. What has changed? Are there any goals that you met or didn’t meet? What were some of the highlights?
Blessing
Loving God,
We give thanks for the beauty of your
ever-changing creation -
and for the lessons it teaches us about
rebirth, growth, and the sacredness of
each passing moment.
A little Table Talk for your table...
How do you feel about change - do you tend to resist it, or do you welcome it with open arms?
What about time - do you notice in yourself a tendency to rush from one thing to the next, or are you purposeful about staying present in the moment?
Which is your favorite season and why?
Try taking it to the Kids Table...
Talk with your kiddo about the changing seasons.
Discuss how each season has its own benefits and purpose.
What’s their favorite season and why?
Meet our Welcoming Voice!
The Welcome Table Team - We are “The Bunce Girls!” Originally from Lexington, North Carolina, we were raised surrounded by music, justice, and faith. We spent most of our Sunday afternoons gathered around an open table with family and friends where the food was plentiful, stories and laughter connected our hearts, and where the presence of each individual was held sacred. It’s those moments that have inspired The Welcome Table.
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