“The glory of Lebanon will come to you,
    the juniper, the fir and the cypress together,
to adorn my sanctuary;
    and I will glorify the place for my feet.”

Isaiah 60:13

Over the past couple of weeks I have noticed a lot of FaceBook posts featuring the spectacular fall we have been enjoying this year. The variety of colors has been sensational, and even a casual drive around Wake Forest yields its share of inspiration.

People have been driving into the mountains, pulling out tripods and expensive camera lenses, and publishing photographs that will take your breath away.

I say, “go for it” and “more power to you…” But then I have also thought, “how about just opening our eyes right where we are, and drinking in the goodness and the splendor that is all around?“

So I pulled out my camera right where I was, sitting with Rebekah on the coffee-drinking bench on our back deck. I didn’t even stand up, and I looked at what was right in front of me.

Our home sits in a deep lot, in the middle of a ton of trees, in a cul-de-sac, in Tyler Run near to the heart of downtown Wake Forest. It’s kind of a quiet, wooded oasis. We’re less than a mile from the old town center, and if we want to walk there are sidewalks all the way.

But to sit on the deck and look all around, at times it can feel like we’re living out in the country.

I’ve got to tell you, this is where God’s work really shines!

There are several millions of leaves to rake here, and the moment we put them out by the street a whole ton or two more come down. But the colors! The texture. The crunch underfoot. The beautiful sense of being completely saturated in autumn.

Like I said earlier, there really is no need to go searching for natural beauty. Most of the time all any of us has to do is to open our eyes.

Here is another short video, this time walking down my mother’s front stoop and looking back toward Maul-Hall.

If you need a little extra exercise, or just enjoy playing with the leaves, come on down and I will show you where to rake!

There is plenty enough for everyone! Peace – DEREK