Fall Has Fallen

     There is Someone in charge of earth's beauty – 
     This I know.
     The trees drop their leaves as a winter-bound duty.
     But first, they put on a show.


Autumn has come to our corner of the world. (I was starting to worry that we might not have fall here this year. It looked like we might go straight from summer to winter, an occurrence that would have made me dangerously grumpy.)

It has come in glory and splendor. A few days ago, our family went on a short hike in a wooded area near our home. I was completely smitten by the loveliness that surrounds us. How blessed we are to live in the midst of such beauty!

The Doctrine and Covenants tells us that God has created the beauties and seasons of the earth for our use and pleasure:

       Yea, and the herb, and the good things which come of the earth, whether for food or for raiment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards;
       Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart;
       Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul.
       And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion. (D&C 59:17-20)

We are also blessed to live in a home with fruit trees in the yard. During the past several weeks, we have been picking some tasty apples and a lot of pears.We gave pears to anyone who would take them, and thanks to the generosity of a kind friend who lent us a dehydrator, we preserved the rest.

These events have left me feeling grateful and humble. We did not plant these trees. And honestly, we don't put much effort into taking care of them. But they continue to reward us with their sweet fruit.

We did not blaze the trail through the canyon, or pave the road that gets us there. 

Several months ago, I heard someone say, "We are drinking from wells we did not dig." I remembered those words while we were picking pears,and I wondered what the original source was. As it turns out, it comes from the Old Testament:

And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, and houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full;
Then beware lest thou forget the LORD . . .  (Deuteronomy 6:10 - 12)

I have never done anything to earn the light that comes from the sun. But it warms me and keeps me alive anyway. Birds sing sweet songs for me even when my bird feeder is empty. I've never dug a well in my life. I don't work to merit the rain that falls on my lawn and eventually comes out my kitchen faucet. But I drink it anyway.

When you stop and consider it, life on Earth is a pretty good deal, after all. 

For behold, are we not all beggars?  Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind? (Book of Mormon | Mosiah 4:19)

Happy fall to you, wherever you are.

Enjoy the show. It's free.