PHOTO COURTESY OF GORDON AND MARTHA CLYATT
When Leaves Fall
I walked out on our deck to see
If we had any falling leaf activity.
A few had scattered on the deck.
I felt fall is here; the world’s a wreck.
Isn’t this the time we usually slow down?
Don’t we take trips and walk around town?
What is so different and what is wrong?
I want to hear the wind’s falling leaf song.
The wind and some rain gently will say.
Time to get all this drama out of your way.
God made this time to slow us down to see.
Why he paints the leaves and bears the tree.
Don’t walk so fast and why your sudden haste?
Stop and look so My Beauty isn’t a total waste.
Each leaf has a story as so does all of you.
Listen and hear the tale of earth’s classic view.
God made the leaves, the trees, and birds too.
A plan to give you a place for peace to ensue.
Keep your heart pure and your thoughts clean.
Nothing on this earth to ever come between.
Me with my coffee with a golden red leaf in hand.
You are right God, the beautiful canvas is the land.
I need this time with My Savior with no distraction.
Give me peace, silence, love, and soul satisfaction.
Written by Arline Miller for Welcome to Fall 2020
DANCE OF THE GOLDEN LEAF II has been posted to remind us of the beauty at this time of the year and even in the midst of so much rhetoric from all political sides, we should stop all the chatter, walk outside and look around this beautiful world we have been blessed to live in. This post is meant to calm and soothe all of the ruffled feathers and instead focus on the rustling leaves. I am fortunate to have wonderful friends and am please to include a slide show from their mountain vacation this year so it proves God doesn’t take a vacation and is creating new joys for us to enjoy.
DANCE OF THE GOLDEN LEAF
The blue sky as its brilliant backdrop
The patchwork of fall colors as its floor
One ballerina maple leaf costumed in gold
Began its beautiful dance of descent.
Mesmerizing twists of lifts without stops
Leaps and swirls with imaginary arms
Reaching to the heavenly skies
Pointing to earth once more
Quite torn between its choice
Freedom from holding onto the branch
Should she soar through the skies
Or cling to the earth’s solid ground
This choice the ballerina will make
but for a little longer
The leaf will continue to dance.
Written by Arline L Miller, Author
My husband and I were blessed to spend 5 days in the NC mountains with family and friends at Gordon and Martha’s cabin. Since we are all workaholics, this seemed to halt the train of business thoughts and put in the most relaxed moods. I was inspired by nature’s compelling entrancement and realized there are times to shut the hectic, busy life down and chill. Sitting out on the 2nd level porch with the mountains in view and having some great conversations with Martha and Sandra, I began to watch a gold maple leaf dancing in the fall sky. I watched as it performed a melodic dance and it inspired the poem I wrote upon waking up. I shared it with the ladies later in that day and was reminded of the gift God has blessed me with. I imagine you think I meant the gift of writing. I thank God daily for that. What I was reminded is how blessed we are to share thoughts, writing, beliefs, creativity, recipes, singing (listening to good singing for me as I can’t hit any note correctly). Writing is my gift but God has surrounded me with great people who have been so richly blessed and they like to share their gifts and talents with me. How great a gift that is! Gordon drove us through those mountains like a pro guide with such ease and composure while I was reminded of my fear of open heights. Those narrow roads with traffic both ways would have been a challenge I wouldn’t have attempted. Greg would have taken it in stride too. I was reminded how blessed we are to have them in our lives for those times we feel uncomfortable because they took us to the height of God’s beauty for us to enjoy without fear. Now for the deeper thought……When we appreciate the gifts we have been given, both direct gifts and gifts inherited from others, life is at its fullest. I am humbled when I learn from those who can accomplish something I am not comfortable or don’t know how to do. To each of us, God decided what one can do and if they are humbled by God’s blessing on them to teach others, we can be further blessed by sharing these gifts. I thank God he has surrounded me with talented and learned people who are willing to share. Please God, allow me to do the same for someone every day you bless me to live.
1 Peter 4:10-11ESV As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
(C) Copyright 2012-2020 Arline Miller with all rights and privileges reserved. Third party material sourced to original location for credit.
