The autumn is one of my favorite times of years.
Maybe its all the holidays, the gathering of friends and family together inside on chilly evenings, the abundance of brilliant colors as trees shed their summer foliage, or perhaps it is the feeling of reflection as we assess another year drawing closed.
In 1965 singer Frank Sinatra released a studio album with the tile of September Of My Years. On this album he recorded songs that were reflective and pondering. Some lyrics that strike this chord are found in the title song, September of My Years and in the closing track, September Song. He sings:
One day you turn around and it's summer
Next day you turn around and it's fall
And all the winters and the springs of a lifetime
Whatever happened to them all?
As a man who has never paused at wishing wells
Now I'm watching children's carousels
And their laughter's music to my ears
And I find that I'm smiling gently as I near
September, the warm September of my years
Oh, it's a long, long while from May to December
But the days grow short when you reach September
When the autumn weather turns the leaves to flame
One hasn't got time for the waiting game
Oh, the days dwindle down to a precious few
Now before you think this is all just gloomy news, consider what the writer of Ecclesiastes 3:1 has to say about the changing seasons - "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." It is natural to have a cycle of seasons in one's life. Maybe you are in the spring, full of energy, optimism, and looking forward to a life of wonder. Maybe you are in the summer, full of brightness, warmth, and longing for the "now" to last forever. But they don't last forever, and if you find yourself in the autumn of life, it is still rich with change, color, and beauty!
If we are rooted in the Word of God, then we can be as the Psalmist described in Psalm 1:3 - you will bring forth fruit in your current season; you will not wither; and whatever you do can prosper. Your time and experience are a treasure. The bible tells us in Job 12:12 that "Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days." Just because the buds of spring are now seen as autumn's leaves, doesn't mean that you do not have much to contribute!
So no matter what season you find yourself in, seek out others in their season. You will be surprised at what you can share and learn from one another. No, the teen won't know what sock hops, malt shops, and juke boxes are; and grandparents may not understand Tik Tok, Snapchat, or even how to use a smartphone; but together you can share in the wisdom of experience and be energized by the exuberance of youth!
[Article by Pastor Jason]
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