Today, my “special friends” class created the most amazing fall tree! We made leaves any and every way imaginable:

We did texture rubbings, and water color paints,

We cut and colored on construction paper, we even cut up our finger paintings from last week!

How beautiful our tree was when we put it all together in the hall! While “filling” our tree – I reflected on the change of seasons this Fall - as well as the changes of "seasons" in life.  And - isn't the change refreshing?  How cool is it that God “has made all things beautiful in its time.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)  But, I am beginning to realize just how quickly the seasons change!  With the seasons speeding up - I’ve realized how mindful I need to be of what I am filling my seasons, days, hours, and minutes with.

Are we just filling our days on Earth with things that will pass the time – things that will just get us through to the next thing? Or – are we making each moment count – and really savoring the good parts? Living in a fallen world – full of suffering and sin – it takes a very conscience effort to focus on the good, and just like Mary, “treasure up all these things, pondering them in (our) heart.” – Luke 2:19

As each leaf was taped to the wall today – I tried to make a conscious and intentional decision about where it would go – how would it relate to the tree, which other branches would come in contact with it. And, I began to pray to be this mindful, this intentional with my everyday decisions -- so that my “tree” will not just have some leaves – but become full of leaves that are, by God’s grace, perfect and beautiful in time.

And God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth." And it was so. – Genesis 1:11