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Who doesn’t love this time of year? Pumpkins, squash, gourds. The autumn leaves are always a joyous surprise when the colors change. The days are much cooler and even call for a jacket some mornings. The Japanese maple outside the parsonage turns a red so brilliant it almost hurts to look at it. Thanks to you, there are three new sugar maples we planted when we put in the parking lot behind Hazel’s house. They are a spectacular red, orange and yellow. Gorgeous.

No less joyful are the harvest hymns we sing at Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, we can’t sing them together this year in church, but we can sing them at home and read the wonderful words. Now Thank We All Our God. We Plow the Fields and Scatter. Come, Ye Thankful People Come.” “Let All Things Now Living.”

We do outside and the cool air uplifts us. We are reminded how good is our God.

1.
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.

2.
Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors,
He made their tiny wings.

All things bright ...

5.
The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden,−
He made them every one:

All things bright ...

7.
He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell,
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.

All things bright ...
The hymn lifts us and carries us home.

The hymn speaks for our hearts.

I sit on the back porch of the parsonage watching leaves flutter down, watching circular hawks waiting for a chance to nail a squirrel, watching the sun set earlier and earlier and drink in the beauty of it all. I have seen it dozens of times before, but each tie it seems like the first.

What kind of God is this? How does he dream it all up?

He lets me see it then asks only that I tell about his greatness. He gave us eyes to see him and lips that we might tell. How great is God almighty how hath made all things well.

You let me see it, God. Thank you. Open my lips to tell about you.