Things I Learned This Fall, 2019

Pumpkins are being tossed aside for evergreen.  Cool peppermint is taking over pumpkin spice as the flavor of the season. 

I pulled my cardigan close around my shoulders and braved the wind as I walked into the grocery store.  It was a still dark morning and I needed a couple of things before school.  My growing too fast boy had before school practice, so I had just enough time to drop him off, run in, grab what I needed and make it back to school.  The scene inside stopped me in my tracks.  In hindsight, I wish I’d snapped a picture.  In the floral and gift section, the seasons changed before my eyes.  The young man quickly took down orange pumpkins to replace with green and red baubles.  The earth tone fall leaves switched quickly with icy white snow scenes.

Winter solstice is still weeks away, but Thanksgiving marks the unofficial end of the fall season.  I’ve been reflecting on intentional decision making and, like many others, gratitude.  There are little things I’ve learned and noticed this season and here are a few!  

#OneDayHH

I don’t take as many pictures (or put up as much laundry) when life gets too full.  #OneDayHH, hosted by Laura Tremaine on Instagram, was a thoughtful and helpful way to document an average day.  I didn’t actually get it done each hour, but it tells the story of a day this fall.  And I love it.  She just does it annually, so link up with it next year!  And don’t be surprised if you see me do it more often!  

And the thing about the laundry.  Y’all.  It’s been bad this fall.  Everything clean was stacked in my laundry room and I basically had to stand on my tiptoes to stack something else.  Wowza.  It’s been a while since it’s been that bad. 

Balls drop, but don’t always shatter.

I can, in fact, drop the ball and it won’t usually shatter.  My sweet mom tells me often I’m hardest on myself and that may be true.  But, my heart hurt with how many things I completed that felt like they deserved less than an A+ this season.  One evening there were literally four things I wanted to do, but only one could actually get done.  So, I checked my priorities, rearranged my thinking and did the one thing that ranked highest.  And, friends, the craziest thing happened.  Life continued.

Written Prayers

I’m growing to love traditional, written prayers.  I wrote about it recently (click here for the link), sharing that reading other prayers and speaking them felt timeless and connected.  I shared a printable with a traditional Thanksgiving prayer with my Wednesday morning note friends, too.     

Brittle Nails

I’ve always had strong fingernails.  I rarely painted them or had them done in a salon, but they were a tiny source of pride and something about me that I felt looked pretty.  This fall, my nails have gotten brittle and two have broken so far into the cuticle bed that it was painful.  I’ve done a little research and added a couple of supplements.  Do you leave your nails natural or have them done?  If they are natural, do you have a routine that keeps your nails healthy? 

Camera Control

I can control my phone camera from my Apple watch.  My 10-year-old niece taught me this! Open the camera on your phone, then open the camera app thing on your watch.  You can take a picture then or choose the three second timer so you can get set.  Magical!

Increasingly Unapologetic

In March, I heard Emily P. Freeman say, “You are allowed to take up space in the writing room.”  My mindset slowly changed when I began to call myself a writer.  Then, this season, I worked diligently to keep my writing time a priority by imposing my own deadlines and speaking my plans aloud.  Jo Saxton, in her hope*writers Tuesday Teaching, encouraged writers to be, “increasingly unapologetic about their writing.”  This fall, blocking off time to glue my hiney to my chair and write has been vital.  It’s required saying ‘no’ to more things than I would like.  The deadlines I’ve set are crucial to my working writer mentality.  I’m seeing success because I’m setting aside the time and learning more about how to share my written words. 

Miracles X2

God held back the water twice for the Israelites before they entered the Promise Land.  I feel like I knew this before, but I’d forgotten!  Many of us know the story of Moses and the Red Sea as they fled Egypt.  But, after wandering for 40 years, Joshua led the nation across the Jordan River and God did it again.  (Joshua 4-6)  I think it’s amazing that God allowed the next generation to witness a version of His miracle.  Are there any miracles in your family line that you pass down from generation to generation?

The year is just weeks from ending, as is the decade.  I have these not-yet-surfaced thoughts about it, that won’t quite come out as words yet.  Are you thinking about this season and decade change, too?  What are some things you have learned this fall? 

Hugs and blessings – Bethany