God is our Maker and He makes stuff, lots of stuff, for us to play in. He makes the wind and we play in it. He makes the leaves and we play in them. He astonishes us year after year with their impossible colors and momentary beauty. Each one designed, each one made from nothing. Why does He do this? For pleasure. For raking. For picture taking. For jumping.
One gorgeous fall when Nate was a senior in high school, he and his friend Travis (his future best man) were raking leaves in the front yard, making them into an outrageously enormous pile. They were probably supposed to be putting them in the big black bags. I can’t remember. But the pile they made must have been at least ten feet tall and just as wide. Once assembled, they would back up across the yard, get a running start, and leap wildly into the air, landing smack in the middle of it. Then they would pick themselves up, rake it all back into a pile, and do it again. And again. Of course this drew Bekah and Rachel outside to join in.
It was just getting dark, close to the dinner hour. Doug pulled his old beater orange truck up to the curb, walked up the sidewalk, and took it all in. The leaves had just been re-assembled into their enormous pile and were ready for action. Without a moment’s hesitation, he set down his briefcase, put his head down, and ran full speed into it, doing a front flip and disappearing entirely from sight. I’ll never forget it. I’ve seen him deep in plenty of things, but only once in a leaf pile.
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Love!
Cute!
Very fun. And great photo, too.
Great story!! Where was that gorgeous picture taken?
Oh, what joy! 🙂
Beautiful! Thank you for sharing this.
Great story! Thank you for sharing.
beautiful leaves. 🙂
That is awesome. Just plain awesome. And, yep, my husband would have done that too! Love the picture by the way. So so pretty!!
That Japanese maple is the same crazy red every fall…I finally got a picture as I was driving by it on Saturday. It’s here in Moscow up in the Ft. Russell area.
Makes me miss my dad.
This is my favorite time of year, the fall colors and weather as well as the anticipation of thanksgiving and Christmas.
Speaking of which I have been thinking about the advent season and wondering if you have any recommended books and resources for use in our families? I have done a Jesse tree in the past and of course a traditional advent calendar……I’ve just been wondering about adding in some new ideas and I know my window of preparation time is narrowing.
Love the reminder of how many things God made for us to play in and with! Thanks so much AND for the really fun mental picture! : )
Beautiful!
I like Sarah’s question too. The past few years I have started an advent wreath with candles and some bible reading but we never finish it and my little boys and husband don’t appreciate it too much as its nothing very exciting. Any ideas?
Haha!
Sarah and Faith,
We have quite a bit of stuff in the category called Everything Christmas, so browse around there. And, I expect we’ll be getting something new up about Advent very soon!
What a great picture, literally and mentally!
Sarah and Faith,
About Advent readings,we have used and been blessed by the collection of devotional readings by various CREC pastors that run from Advent through Epiphany. They can be found at feminagirls.com/2008/12/03/advent-readings/
Love it … can’t help but smile and wish I’d experienced that ! Thanks !