A New Season...

Fall is now here. I love this time of year. The air chills off. It gets a bit dryer. It's a touch more crisp. You can leave your windows open. Diana and I can walk outside without sweating. My dog and I can play outside longer. It's almost time to go to the fair. It's so great. Autumn (this is what smart people call it) is here!!!!

If I were honest I think I love every season right when it first gets here. Whatever gene we as humans carry that leads us to appreciate "normalness and predictability" has been completely disconnected or vacant from my body since birth. I can't handle things very long without change. (This is incredibly ironic when you consider my wife is very fond of structure, details, and the sticky note - though I am learning the value of lists as a means to keep one focused ;) Either way... the seasons changing is a reminder that a new time is upon us. This is good for me. It causes me to reflect. "What am I happy with?" "What do I want to change?" "What should stop and appreciate?"

This brings a great deal of hope in my life. Usually I am reminded what amazing friends and family I have. I am reminded what an incredible wife I have. I am reminded that I dont have to keep things the same in my life. I can work to make things better. I am reminded that I can make steps towards being the man I was created to be.

It's also a new season in the sense of being for the first time, a father. Other than being a husband I have never felt such a burden for someone else. Everything I think about seems to be going through a different filter.. "what is best for my family?" I pray that as time passes and as seasons change I will grow to be a better man. I hope to grow to be more loving and more compassionate. I hope to become a stronger leader as well as grow in humility. I long to be more forgiving and to encourage others around me more. I hope to understand grace better as means to teach it to my family and show it to the world around me.

As seasons change I pray we have time to reflect on who we are becoming and remember things don't have to stay the same. I believe the story we are in is one the says "there are always new possibilities." May we all find ourselves in that story and find ourselves moving towards what and who we were created to be.

Cheers!

-Jason