Greetings!: Spring in Fall

Saturday, May 1, 2021

Spring in Fall

An Old Spring Friend

Spring in the Fall. An unusual thought. But for many of us it is a real life situation.

Now there is something very special about the Spring season. It is exciting to see new life explode from the dreary days of winter. I love to see the trees, bushes and grass begin to display their beautiful green foliage once again. We have a crabapple tree that has been ours for decades and is filled with spectacular blossoms.

I love to see our flowers grow and begin to bloom once again. Crocuses, daffodils, and tulips are among the first, displaying their rainbow of colors. They can bring cheer to our life and our attitude.

Then the azaleas burst into bloom. Unfortunately the blooms don't last very long but they are beautiful while in bloom. We have several of them in various shades and we love them.

Next come the rhododendrons and their amazing blooms. We have one huge purple one that has also been part of our family, probably for about 50 years. It continues to thrive and provide us with a beautiful, although very short, spring spectacle.

And I shouldn't forget to mention the many birds that return in the Spring. The robins are usually first but many beautiful ones also return to fight the squirrels at our feeders.

Spring is a beautiful time and it can give a real boost to your spirits, especially after winter and even now even more so, after the long isolation of the pandemic.

But how does Fall enter into this picture? Spring in the Fall?

Well the different periods of our lives can also be described as seasons. This year both my wife and I have now reached eight decades of life and realistically we know that we are in the Fall season of life. And many things change during this season. There are now so many things that we could do for ourselves even a year ago that we can no longer do today. The body quickly wears out. That can be very difficult and even discouraging at times. We wonder how we got this old this fast.

Now instead of doing things yourself, one must consider moving to a new facility where these things are done for you. But this is not only expensive and much work, but it is difficult to leave a home where you have lived for six decades.

The other choice is to pray about it and look for others who can help you with these chores around your house. But it is hard to admit that you now need help and it is often hard to find those who can help. And sometimes help also gets expensive. And so our Spring in the Fall of our lives is a new challenge for us as it must be for other seniors. Getting old is not easy.

One of the big Spring needs is the cutting of our grass. That takes 45-60 minutes using our riding mower. Thankfully our oldest grandson has been available and faithful in doing that for us each week. Spring in the Fall.

We have also been able to hire a lawn service which fertilizes our grass, sprays our trees, and mulches our many flower beds. They do a great job, but they are very expensive. Spring in the Fall.

Then there are the flower beds which at least twice a year need extensive weeding. Thankfully the Lord has provided a neighbor who does this as a supplemental job. She and a friend have helped us out twice a season at a very reasonable price. Spring in the Fall.

Bushes need regular trimming if they are to bloom and grow properly and look nice. Last year the Lord led us to another person who does this work on the side. He did an excellent job for us at a very reasonable price. He even came back this week to dispose of a huge pile of tree limbs that have fallen over the winter. There was a time not long ago that we were able to do that ourselves, but no longer. Spring in the Fall.

We still have some needs with planting some flowers and with some minor outside repairs. Hopefully the Lord has somebody He is preparing to do that for us. Then we need major work on our many huge trees. We will need to hire somebody for that large and expensive job. But we are trusting the Lord for that. Spring in the Fall.

And so we are enjoying the Spring. We can see the Lord working with our numerous medical challenges as well as the many challenges we have as senior homeowners. And as we enjoy many of our trees, bushes and flowers that have been with us for decades, we rejoice in the knowledge that not only is God good, but that He continues to provide just what we need. Even during the Spring while we experience the Fall season of our lives.

1. Walk boldly to stand in His presence

Lay claim on the promise He made

Your soul can be cleansed

Beneath the flow of His fountain

His Blood washes guilt all away

Chorus

Just bring all your needs to the altar

Bring all your needs to the Lord

He is so willing and able to help you

Bring all your needs to the Lord

2. He watches the fall of the sparrow

Concerned with the lilies so fair