There are four seasons in a year. Winter that ushers in cold, frigid temperatures, snow, ice, gray skies…very little sun, short hours of daylight, bare, leafless trees standing with limbs stretched upward to show a semblance of life..trying to catch a ray of sun to warm its leafless body. Winter is bleak and dismal.. contributing in every way to “cabin fever”. Just when you have had enough of cold weather and think you can’t take it any more…all around you, struggling through the hard crusty ground and sometimes snow are hints of green…daffodils, tulips rising to the long awaited rays of sun. Spring is the beginning of budding trees, blustery days and rain…clean, fresh air…new life. What appeared dead before is now alive and summer is on its way.

Summer is filled with life…sunshine, bright blue skies, time at the beach, picnics, theme parks, family reunions, shrills of laughter of children at play, adults lounging… catching a few rays. Sumer is the season we all get to enjoy. Summer is here…ahhh the delights of summer. Some would venture to say, it is the best season of all… never wanting it to end. But…like all other seasons, it comes to an end…but not before we get to experience the most beautiful of seasons…fall and magnificent colors.

Fall is actually my favorite season. Maybe it’s because I am fascinated at how beautiful the colors are and how well they blend together…a kaleidoscope of color.

I am fortunate to live in an area surrounded by trees…all kinds of trees, making for a beautiful scene when fall arrives. There is a crest area and below it is the best array of color, red, scarlet (bright red), orange, vermillion (reddish-orange), yellow, purple, brown, gold, burnt orange, splendor at it’s best. I often find myself standing at a point that is a great view gazing, trying to take it all in. What I find so amazing is how each species make room for the other. There does not appear to be an over crowding, or overtaking. Each tree, no matter the species stands tall against another species with a different color…and on it goes. We can’t forget the evergreens because they provide the backdrop that makes for this beautiful canvas against bright blue skies above. It is mesmerizing, warming your heart. There are times when the sun is shining through the leaves, creating colors that are so vivid they appear to be aflame. Interestingly enough, some of the colors the trees display are also found in Scripture: brown, green, purple, red, yellow, scarlet, vermillion. God created the trees to showcase this beautiful wall of color. He also created us, human beings, with different skin tones. Like the trees, I believe His plan was for us to be just as the trees, living side by side in harmony with each other. Can you imagine a multitude of people with different skin tones standing side by side and the beauty of it all? The beauty God created and wants us to be.

In some areas of the Western Hemisphere skin tones are viewed as color, but the color of human beings is within us. Skin tones as color is to keep us separated from each other…to keep us from displaying the beauty God intended…not just in trees during the fall, but in all His creation. (“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works;…”) Psalm 139:13-14b ESV.

During the summer season, without exception, all trees are green, growing…standing tall and peacefully next to each other no matter its kind. God may have given us different skin tones, but he also gave all of us the one thing that is life…blood and it is red. (“For the life of every creature is its blood; its blood is its life.”) Leviticus 17:14 ESV.

Jesus, the Son of God, offered up his life for us on the cross. He shed his blood, permanently paying for our sin so that we could be reconciled back to God and eternal life. (“But to all who did receive him, (Jesus) who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,”) John 1:12 ESV

As you enjoy the beautiful colors of this season and all the festivities to follow, remember the cross. Jesus gave his life for us. His blood was red…

Vivian