Hooray For Fall!

(Click on photo for a closer look)

Every year I eagerly await the arrival of the Fall and Holiday Season. I always say that my favorite months of the year end in "ber", and I think one reason is that the weather begins to cool (and here in Texas that's certainly a cause for celebration!) Also, to me, Fall and the Holidays are all about family and friends....

When my sister was 11 years old, she wanted a piano so badly. My parents told her "Why don't you pray and ask God to help you get one!" And so she did. And, as He always does, our good and loving God answered! This time, His answer was in the form of an old upright piano, and a lady who had a compassionate heart for a young girl that longed for piano lessons. She let us have it for around 125.00 dollars, I think it was. My sister and I both learned to play sitting at that old upright, and, to this day, though it is out of tune and timeworn, we still can't bear to part with it.

Every year for Fall and Christmas, I deck the dear old instrument in either Fall folliage, or Christmas finery (whichever the season warrants) and I have a grand time doing it. I treat the top of it much as one would a fireplace mantle...
There is a scarecrow couple on the top, (I will try to post some close ups later on) that also have meaning for me. I bought them at Hobby Lobby not long before Sept.11, 2001, and I remember looking at their smiling little faces during that first awful week after the tragedy, and thinking: "Will America ever smile again?" Of course now we know without doubt that God did bring us through, and has kept us safe, and has even restored joy that we thought was gone forever... season after Fall season, when I see Mr. and Mrs. Scarecrow, I think of these things....

I hope this "Autumn of the year" is wonderful for each one of you. Most of all, I hope that you will take the time to thank the Giver of all good things, for His love and goodness to you and yours...