Beautiful, Jim. As I was contemplating the fall colors, coming from death, I thought of the object lesson God has for us.
Two lessons came to mind. First, out of death comes life. When we die to self, we gain eternal life. When the leaves die and fall to the ground, they actually provide fertilizer to the trees. The leaves decompose and build of the soil. Have you ever wondered why it is that wild apple trees still produce good fruit when they are never fertilized by human hands?
When the leaves fall off, and the trees are dormant, they are like us who have died to self and live unto Christ. When we go into the grave, are we really dead? Not at all. We are only sleeping. So with the dormant trees. They do not die, they only sleep. The nourishment gained from the soil just before going dormant provides the energy for the next years fruit. So it is in life. When we go to sleep in Christ, we have the supernatural power of Christ indwelling the heart, so that when Jesus calls, we come forth. If we die, not abiding in Christ and He in us, then we do not come forth. We are forever doomed.
I too, love fall, Jim. It is peaceful and a blessing after our hot summers. The rain comes and the grass grows. The air is cleansed and we are given a time of more rest as the harvest is completed. Thanks for sharing.