I Love Fall!

Fall is by far my favorite season of the year. Don't get me wrong, I love beaching it in the summer, wearing my scarves in the winter, and jumping for joy when I can finally go out in shorts in the Spring. But there is something so wonderful about Autumn.

That crispness in the air, the gorgeous colors of the leaves, the clearness of the blue sky. And beyond the natural beauty, there's the awesome Fall foods I can begin shamelessly dipping into, the fire in the fireplace on brisk nights, my favorite teas, and last but not least football games on the weekends. 

Here is a list of everything I love, in no particularly order, and probably not exhaustive:

Candy Corn. You know it! Throw in some of the candy corn pumpkins and I'm even happier.

Butternut Squash Soup. I may freak out that I'm going to cut my finger every time I go to dice the squash, but so far so good, and it's worth it!

Pumpkin...everything. Lattes, pies, oatmeal, muffins; I could go on and on.

NFL Football. Yep, I love football! I spent the summer away in England and got into many a discussion about soccer football versus American football. Clearly, American football is best, but I'm still working on a few of my non-US friends.

Fall Decorations. I need to get going on Pinterest for this. But what is more festive than some Fall foliage on a table, a wreath of gourds, a scarecrow on the front porch, or a wagon of pumpkins and hay?

Pumpkin Patches. Apple cider, kids lugging around big orange pumpkins, throwing on a jacket and scarf, and having tons of fun. 

Digging Out Winter Clothes. The best is not remember exactly what you had, and being excited when it's better than you expected. Almost like going shopping...for free! There is so much you an put into your Fall ensemble, from scarves and boots to jackets and hats. Good stuff.

Outdoor Activities. The summer heat is gone, but the winter awfulness hasn't hit. I went bouldering yesterday and was just in awe as I drove through the park and gazed out at the mountains, trees blazing in different shades of orange, red and yellow, with a fresh breeze wrapping me in the sights as I cruised along.

First Fire in the Fireplace. The crackling of logs, the flicker of light, the warm heat radiating out. Nothing beats a nice fire. I love curling up and reading or watching tv with a fire in the background. And after always growing up with old school log fires, I have to say that although I miss the woodsy smells and popping logs, I am loving the instant gratification as I hit the "on" button of my gas fireplace remote!

Heading Into the Holiday Season. I'm a sucker for special occasions. Seriously, I probably get more excited about birthdays than 7 year olds. And yes, I still make a Christmas list each year. But why not get excited about holidays? I think in today's culture, we neglect to celebrate as we should. What's wrong with getting swept up in festivities and enjoying the occasion?! Not that I agree with the immense (and ridiculous) amount of consumerism that holidays have unfortunately become. But the premise and joy that they embody is very welcome in my book.

That's it. There's my list. I'm sure more will come to mind, and I may add as I go along. But you get the general idea. 

If you've got favorite parts of Fall, add them to the list through the comments!

Now quit reading this, go rake up a pile of leaves, and jump in it!

Tokens from Tolkien

As you can see from the title of my blog, I've found some Tolkien quotes that I like. Just the other day, I heard this one:

"Not all who wander are lost."

Isn't that the truth? In today's day and age, with technology, globalization, and fluidity a part of everyday life, feeling lost is pretty common. Wandering goes far beyond moving physical location. It takes form academically, spiritually, emotionally, virtually, and relationally. We flit from Facebook profiles to Flikr albums, to Pinterest boards, to jobs, to tweets, to friendships, to degrees. Well, you get the point!


But even in doing all of that (which I do on a daily basis for my work), we can keep our compass pointing north. Exploring and pushing boundaries is healthy. I've been blessed to be able to travel, experience different educational environments, live in different places, and navigate the wild west of digital media over the past years. It may have been a circuitous journey at times, and I may not have had a map, but I sure grew from the journey and discovered that remaining true to myself and who God made me to be allowed me to continue northward. aka, I wasn't lost. 


Which leads me to another Tolkien quote:

“A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities.” 

I have always been a firm believer in dreams. Pursuing what you know to be right, and who you know yourself to be is so critical. After all, God created us in his image, to be fulfilled through the new life that Christ offers us when we believe in him. This goes so much farther than just acknowledging a heavenward path. It seeps into us, allowing us to discover the purpose and vision God has for our lives. 

Yes, realities press in on us from all directions. And yes, they can be discouraging, daunting, and even dire at times. But  if we have a dream in mind, and the confidence in knowing that it is sound and right, then the strength we have to go after it will always be stronger than the momentary trials that stand in our way.

So in a nutshell, I'd like to stake my claim in this fashion: I am a wandering dreamer, but I am not lost and I am not unrealistic. I am just more influenced by the power of Christ and the hope of finding myself in him and his work, which always triumphs.

Thanks for the inspiring words, Tolkien. I think we can all feel them resonate in our lives and look to them as a good reminder when our map is a little unclear or our dreams a little far off.