Fall brings brings so many things for us to enjoy

Fall brings many things for us all to enjoy. One is the much cooler weather and all the beautiful colors of fall. But I look forward to the cooler weather; after our hot summer, it feels great outside.

There is nothing like wearing an oversized sweatshirt and pants and having a cup of hot tea or coffee. My daughter, Emily, likes the scary Halloween movies this time of year. She tries to talk me into watching them but hasn’t succeeded. But what I like most is taking walks in the cool, brisk air and trying new soup and dessert recipes.

I made a chicken tortilla soup recently, but I made a few adjustments to the recipe given to me. To make this delicious soup, I cooked about a pound of chicken tenderloins in two cups of chicken broth. I added a can of Rotel, one can of roasted tomatoes, a can of green chilies, one package of taco seasoning, two cans of Mexican corn, and two cans of black beans. I let it cook for about forty-five minutes to an hour and then added a cream cheese package. Stir well before serving. Add some tortilla strips to the bowl of deliciousness to add a little crunchy to the bite. It is warm and delicious. Inviting friends over to share makes it even more delicious.

Poet Joyec Rupp wraps up the meaning of autumn in her poem below.

A Prayer for Autumn Days
By Joyce Rupp
God of the seasons, there is a time for everything; there is a time for dying and a time for rising.
We need courage to enter into the transformation process.
God of autumn, the trees are saying goodbye to their green, letting go of what has been.
We, too, have our moments of surrender, with all their insecurity and risk.
Help us to let go when we need to do so.
God of fallen leaves lying in colored patterns on the ground, our lives have their own patterns.
As we see the patterns of our own growth, may we learn from them.
God of misty days and harvest moon nights, there is always the dimension of mystery and wonder in our lives.
We always need to recognize your power-filled presence.
May we gain strength from this.
God of harvest wagons and fields of ripened grain, many gifts of growth lie within the season of our surrender.
We must wait for harvest in faith and hope.
Grant us patience when we do not see the blessings.
God of geese going south for another season, your wisdom enables us to know what needs to be left behind and what needs to be carried into the future.
We yearn for insight and vision.
God of flowers touched with frost and windows wearing white designs, may your love keep our hearts from growing cold in the empty seasons.
God of life, you believe in us, you enrich us, you entrust us with the freedom to choose life.
For all this, we are grateful.
Amen.