An Autumn Prayer
Abba, Father, the trees are ablaze with your glory.
The seasons change, but you never do.
You are always beautiful,
in the green and freshness of spring
as in the golds and reds and chills of autumn.
Make me like you.
Let my life reflect your beauty,
season after season,
as the calendar of my life turns and turns and turns.
The trees are letting go of this year's foliage.
Help me let go of both blessings and burdens,
and surrender them both to your loving care.
Fallen leaves pattern the ground with variety.
So design my own fallings and failings
into whatever design will please you most.
In Jesus' name, I pray,
Amen.
When I must go
When I must go, dear God, please let it be
A golden autumn day; when red leaves fall,
When purple grapes in shining clusters hang
And bittersweet glows bright against the wall,
When o'er the barren fields and russet meads
Their last farewells the crickets cry.
Let me make my silent journey
When the homing birds fly south across the sky.
When I must go, dear God, please let me go
As silently as autumn rain,
As still as lacy shadows 'neath the willow trees,
As calm as is the moon above the hill.
So let me go—and may there be no grief
When life is done and I must say goodbye.
I'll take my leave with flowers and falling leaf
And lie in peaceful sleep beneath the sky.
--Anonymous
Heavenly Rays
As summer into autumn slips,*
O give me grace today
To rise and turn as summer's leaves
Draw life and strength from heavenly rays.
*first line from Emily Dickinson
We see the Creator's hand
In the fading of the summer sun,
the shortening of days, cooling breeze,
swallows' flight and moonlight rays
A. WE SEE THE CREATOR'S HAND
In the browning of leaves once green,
morning mists, autumn chill,
fruit that falls frost's first kiss
A. WE SEE THE CREATOR'S HAND
