Christian mindfulness practices are beautiful in the autumn. If we concentrate on our neighborhoods and local parks, we can all enjoy God’s majesty and creativity in the fall.
Here are some ideas:
- Pick a tree in the neighborhood that changes color. Visit it every day to watch the subtle changes. I’ve always loved that the autumn hues are always present in the leaves. They are green only because they are full of chlorophyll.
- Take your devotions outdoors. Bring a spiritual book to a park to read. Pray under the prettiest tree.
- Go nutting. Find true nuts like acorns and hazelnuts. (Believe it or not, almonds, Brazil nuts and cashews aren’t true nuts, which are hard-shelled, one-seeded fruits of the tree.) You can use the nuts in decorating. Or go nuts and roast them. (Acorns are pretty bitter, but edible.)
- Go for a gratitude walk to thank the Lord for all the natural beauty you see, one thing at a time.
- Watch the squirrels getting ready for winter. Do you know the Lord has blessed them with the ability to remember where they stored their food?
- Eat outdoors as often as possible. Even better, take Jesus on a picnic.
Autumn is a time when the beauty, creativity and wisdom of the Lord is visible throughout the landscape. Be sure to enjoy it.