team sports

on friday we had thanksgiving day, part deux--or return to thanksgiving day, as some of you may know it. it was delicious and delightful. i'm so thankful for thanksgiving.

every year i collect fall leaves and take them home and press them between the pages of the phone book under the weight of my heaviest and fattest textbooks.
the most wonderfully frustrating part of collecting fall leaves every year is the simple fact that no single leaf is able to capture all of the glory of fall by itself. i always go looking for the "best" ones, thinking that one or two will be more extra specially amazing than all the others. i generally search by color, looking for the most vivid yellows and reds, the green leaves with splashes of color overtaking them like a disease. i will gather a handful of perfectly lovely leaves, yet as i make my way home i always feel a bit unsatisfied. i know that what i hold is not really the whole picture but merely a poor representation of the splendor of the trees from whence the leaves came. fall is a team sport, and only with the effort of each player does it all come together. i wonder if god did this to make us think of the kingdom, or to help us realize that we're better when we all work together.
perhaps this is cheesebag imagery. but i see god in nature and i'm thankful for that.

also, now that thanksgiving is over my family is officially allowed to listen to christmas music. bing is serenading me as we speak. it may be a bit early to tell, but i think this year's going to be a good one. there's a whole new person to celebrate with! i love with all of my heart that i get to know her my whole life. i see god in that too.