Season of Mellow Fruitfulness

The signs are everywhere. Season of mellow fruitfulness. The trees are beginning to turn lovely shades of autumnal orange, yellow, burnt reds, and even bright reds on the acer and the Virginia Creepers. The rose hips are brilliant red beads amongst the withering foliage. The rowan berries are still a tangerine shade but darkening by the hour. 

The final harvests are ready to bring in before winter’s wild weather hits. Potatoes, carrots, runner beans. And apples! Oh, the apples are looking good at the moment. I may not be so enthusiastic in a week or so when I’m peeling them for endless crumbles and boiling them up for apple butter.

Living rurally I am so aware of the changing seasons, as anyone who reads this blog regularly knows. I probably harp on about it too much, but it is such a reminder of the passing seasons of life. And this weekend I am being particularly reminded of those passing seasons.

Yesterday morning I received an email containing a photograph of a beautiful new baby girl born to friends in Seattle. A perfect wee treasure, snuggled down in her mother’s arms. All that promise of joy and laughter and love.

By lunchtime I was sitting shoulder to shoulder in church awaiting the start of the funeral of a very special and dearly loved lady who has gone to be with her Lord. The tributes were fulsome and the tears were real. She slipped away in such a gentle, quiet way, unexpectedly. Lovely for her, but to those who are left, something distinctly unreal about it all. Is she really gone? Surely she is just in the next room, or down in London for the weekend again? 

I am confident I will see her again, only not before I slip away, too.

And today. I’m about to spruce myself up to go to the wedding of another very special lady, a young lady whose musical talents are many and whose personality and smile are quirky, fun, and lovely. The start of another season in her life. Such a privilege to be there to share her joy today.

New beginnings all around. A new life in Seattle, bringing fun and laughter, challenges and tears: a wee miracle. A new life in heaven, about which we can only speculate apart from having the assurance that our dear friend is definitely there, safe in the arms of her Saviour. And a new life here in Aberdeen as two become one in this mystical union we call marriage, with all the joys and laughter, challenges and tears that accompany the season of new life together.

Our world is always changing, but our constant is God, who is faithful and whose love never fails. I will now go put on my glad rags, and prepare to celebrate with a heart that is tender – both hurting and happy. The hurts make the happiness that much more precious, highlighting these moments as treasures to be stored up and pondered at quieter times. 

Today is a day for storing up.