by
The lesson of the leaf
It caught my eye as I stepped off my porch. A small orange dried leaf lying alone on the ground.
Its sight summoned a whirlwind of emotions. While I embrace some parts of fall, I adore summer. Seeing that orange leaf signaled to me that fall is back. I scanned quickly gauging the color scheme of the trees. Green seemed to appear as the majority of hues on my landscape palette. But tinges of orange edged the shapes of the trees.
Cozy, candlelit evenings, pumpkin flavor, and hot apple cider bring me delight. But the change to a cold, dark landscape does not. Truthfully, winters sting my body and soul. I relish sun and warm air kissing my skin. However, God has called me to this midwest climate for now and I can look for God’s glory in its midst.
Glimpsing that lone leaf reminded me that there is comfort in the order of seasons. They point to a God who has created a stunningly beautiful, mysterious, and orderly universe that synchronizes to breathe life into all creation.
This season of in-between serves to remind me that I need seasons. All of them.
An orange leaf on a balmy August morning tells me that fall is around the corner—but not yet. I can prepare for what’s coming because I’ve been there before and I know that, despite my dislike of cooler weather, God’s provision is taking place—for the earth and for me. It’s not always an easy lesson. Recognizing that the universe does not revolve around me needs to be spoken into my life in various ways—including a lone orange leaf.
But, I am grateful that God’s holiness intersects our world. And in the midst, speaks to me through a leaf.
The gift of pecan trees
I am thankful for pecans.
I’ll admit I have taken them for granted and that’s worthy of lament. The knowledge of the profound design and fruiting process of pecans is largely unknown. That has sacred implications for me as an individual and us as a society. For there is much to learn from them.
As I savor the words written in Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, I feel my soul feasting on their nourishment. The native people, in her case, the Potowotami Nation, share what they know about the sacred design of Earth and all that inhabits it. Creation points to God’s character. As image bearers, we can’t afford to be deprived of that wisdom.
Kimmerer shares the story of her grandpa discovering the gift of pecans as a boy recently resettled to a new territory in Kansas. Like the previous nuts that scattered their land, these fruits held a reserve of protein and fat for survival during the winter. They even come in a naturally protective shells. The mast fruiting process of the trees indicates a system of sharing resources so that all fruit together—whether small or large—can be rooted in fertile or infertile land.
“The pecan trees and their kin show a capacity for concerted action, for unity of purpose that transcends the individual trees. They ensure somehow that all stand together and thus survive,” she writes.1
A small nut. A simple treat. A gift that speaks of a great God whose handiwork in a tiny piece of provision points to the beautiful picture of community as it was intended.
Pecans add a sweet crunch to my salads, infuse the flavor of my husband’s favorite ice cream, and offer a little treat in the midst of the mundane. Yet, wrapped within these tiny nuggets, are life-giving elements. Literally. For that, I give thanks.
“Taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8)
How do you see tastes of Heaven in your landscape?
Stephanie Thompson is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Covenant Church, speaker, writer and mental health advocate. She is passionate about our sacred relationships with God and each other and it is reflected in her writing which is published on numerous sites and publications. She lives in Mokena with her husband while navigating a new season of life: parenting three young adults. Her ideal day includes drinking an iced coffee with a great read while listening to the surf on the beach.
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Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Milkweed Editions, 2014.
Stephanie this was such a life-giving read! Thanks for sharing ♥️