Dear Parkside Family
Welcome to Fall, Parkside Family. This is my favorite time of the year with football games, fall festivals, sweater weather, and pumpkin everything. I absolutely love watching the leaves change colors, and it brings out the science nerd in me. Have you ever wondered why some autumn seasons have brighter, bolder colors than others?
The green leaves begin to change colors as the days get cooler and there is less sunlight. With less light and heat, the green in the leaves subside. Other colors, that were masked by green, are only seen as the leaves are dying and the green departs. Several conditions cause the fall leaves to have more intense, vibrant colors including cool but not freezing nights, lack of water, and lack of nutrients. These are not fun conditions for the tree, but the extra stress produces a glorious sight for us to behold as reds, oranges, and yellows paint the trees majestically.
Difficult and stressful times can drain us of our color, just as the green fades in Fall. Just as the vibrant colors of fall emerge, so our hidden talents or gifts shine through during dark days in our lives. The glorious colors produced in times of distress are only discovered through a season of lack. If the green of our life never faded, we would not know the glorious intense colors hidden inside.
Ecclesiastes 3 speaks to different seasons we face in our lives. Each season’s purposes are revealed in beautiful new mercies for the moment. Press into this new season and all God has for you. Look for new vibrant gifts He wants to reveal through your difficulty. As we watch the autumn leaves change before our eyes over the next several weeks, let God remind us how He brings forth beauty in each season, revealing His glory, His goodness, and His gifts.
Kathy Lovell
