Hello Fall!

The smell of pumpkin bread and chai spices, the feel of the warm sun on your face as the cool breeze gently blows your hair, the sound of leaves crunching beneath your feet, the taste of all the soups you’ve been waiting all year to make, the beauty of the leaves changing colors….oh wait, that’s for those in the northern states. Here in the south, we’ll fill our houses with the smell of pumpkin bread and chai and make our soup or gumbo, but the only sound crunching beneath our feet is dead grass from the hot summer sun and the only breeze we’ll feel is a hot, muggy one. Now we do have some beauty to behold here in our sunrises and sunsets. So we’ll glory in what we can get! Here’s a beautiful sunrise from our fishing trip on Vermillion Bay last weekend to prove it.

And although the calendar says that September 22 is the first day of fall, for those of us here in south Louisiana, we've only begun to experience this season the past couple weeks. And can I tell you how nice it is to open the door and actually be able to breathe and not feel as though you're in the pits of hell itself?? I’ve taken this opportunity to get outside and get as much vitamin D as possible. If you follow my social media pages, you’ll know that on most Fall afternoons, you’ll find me in the backyard on a lounger with an iced dirty chai and my Bible and/or computer. 

For me, and I think I speak for most of the south, even the slightest drop of temps and a humidity level below 90%, we’re pulling out gumbo and soup pots, all the warming spices, some people (not me) are going for the PSL, and seeing if it’s cool enough to wear our favorite thin sweater and boots. For me personally, I’m making my homemade chai concentrate to have on hand for the week and leaving the spices on the stove in some water to make the best smelling simmer pot. I’m making veggie soup with jalapeno cornbread, and pumpkin bread to snack on throughout the day. I’m roasting acorn squash for the most amazingly delicious and creamy soup. I’m making way too much sourdough. I tried to wear a cardigan to church last week, but that was an epic fail. I sweated like it was still mid summer. Ugh. But soon enough…soon enough I keep telling myself. Soon enough, the green leaves will turn beautiful colors of red, orange, and yellow, the breeze will stay cool, and maybe I can even turn on the fireplace and curl up inside with a cup of chai, a blanket and a book. 

They say Fall shows us just how beautiful it is to let things go or that change can be beautiful. And although these can be such cliche little quotes, there’s some truth in them. I think it’s a good idea to evaluate ourselves periodically and what better time than the changing of seasons. Now I’m praying every day that the Lord create in me a pure heart and renew a right spirit in me (Ps 51:10) , to search me and know me, to test me and know my anxious thoughts, to see if there is any offensive way in me and to lead me in the way everlasting (Ps 139:23-24). And although I pray this daily, I still have blind spots and I need to take a deep dive in my heart to see if I’m holding on to things the Lord has asked me to let go of or if there are changes that need to be made in my thought patterns. Maybe I need to let go of a relationship that's not healthy for me, a past hurt or regret, or unforgiveness I’ve been holding onto. Maybe it’s envy, lust, or pride. I’ve found that it’s easy to look at what the church might call the “big” sins and think we’re ok since we don’t participate in those things, but are we harboring bitterness in our hearts? Are we always complaining? Do we let our mouths just run away and say whatever comes to mind, with no regard to the damage we’re doing? Are we letting our minds run with every thought that enters or are we taking every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ? I hope you take some time this week, as I am, to sit with Jesus and ask Him what you need to let go of or what things you need to change to make your heart more beautiful and pleasing to Him as we dive fully into this new season.

I love sharing this space with you and would love to know your favorite Fall things. Feel free to leave a comment!

Also, if you’ve subscribed to the blog, I’ve got a little something extra you’ll be getting in your inbox this week. 

All my love, 

Angie