Here in the Midwest, we don’t have rolling hills of maple trees, but each autumn I’m on the look out for the brilliant red leaves.
We have trees in Chicago. And we have color–lots of it! Park districts, forests…
And even with the lack of those rows of maples, I’ve never found myself criticizing a tree for its leaves.
“I’m so tired of yellow. Why can’t you be red?”
“Your orange is dull. Can’t you be brighter?”
And yet I am so critical of myself.
“Why can’t I work faster?”
“When will I get my act together and be productive? Organized? Creative? Disciplined?”
If I’ve never complimented a maple…
… and have never argued with a tree that couldn’t figure out which season it’s in…
… then I have no right to beat myself up for being the person God made me to be.
I might still have green leaves in early November–and that’s okay!
I might look dull compared to the brilliant maple leaves around–but so what? My leaves are stunning in there own way!
I might not ever be the smartest or prettiest or most popular–but neither are most of the trees that I pass by everyday.
What matters is that I’m growing, I’m loving myself and God who created me. I’m participating in the wonder of God’s creation and making the world beautiful in my own way.
And I know you are too.
Your turn: All the pictures in this post I took this year from spots in my neighborhood. And these are my favorites. So, I’m curious: Which picture stood out to the most and why?
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