Beauty in Death

Look at my baby girl's hands in this picture - she was ready for our walk on this cold morning!

What a beautiful morning!  Fall is here and I am loving it.  There is nothing like the beginning of fall to set a soul right!  A few weeks ago we were in Bible study discussing what season we felt like our lives were in right now.  We broke up into small groups according to our seasons and mine just happened to be the current season.  It was interesting to talk with the other women about their take on this season and how positive we all looked at it.  We all saw it as a time of transition, but also as a time of renewal.  I know that is weird for fall when everything is dying, but to me it has always been a season for new beginnings.  I guess because I equate it more with the fresh start of school and everything that comes with that than the changing of nature.

This morning as we took our walk, I couldn't help but notice everything around me.  It seemed to thrive in the coolness of the morning.  Yes, this is early fall and everything is still green, but everything appeared more vibrant to me.  The bright, clear blue sky was more vibrant this morning than I have seen it in a while.  The sun's brightness made the trees and grass more vibrant and there seemed to be this intake of breath and a resounding "Ahhhhhh" being said by creation this morning.  I love it! 

One of the ladies made a comment in our small group though that I couldn't help but thinking about as we walked.  She said that in the season of Fall, there was "beauty in death".  How amazing that statement is.  She of course was speaking of the time of year, but also of the time of life.  When we are going through things that are "falling" away - there is beauty in the death of those things.  We are becoming refined and are being made more beautiful.  Just as with creation.  Fall is such a vibrant season with just as much beauty in color as Spring, it's just a different beauty.  Things are beautiful because they are dying - because they have to die in order to come back even more beautiful in the coming Spring.

My thoughts then took me to the story of Dr. Gary and Nancy Cohen.  If you have not heard, this couple was from Hendersonville and were tragically killed in a plane crash on Monday.  I grew up with the Cohens,  He was an orthodontist in our area and many of my friends got their braces from him.  We also went to church with them and their children were around my age.  I haven't thought of that family in years, but upon this news so many stories have been coming out about their generosity, kindness, and love for the Lord while they lived.  I couldn't help but see the beauty even in their death.  It is such a tragic situation and my heart aches for their children right now, I cannot even imagine.  However, after reading something their youngest daughter posted on Facebook this morning - even she is seeing the beauty in their death.  They are rejoicing with our Father in heaven right now and left a beautiful legacy to many lives that they touched.  It's hard when we are in the throws of our loss, but death of one His children must be a beautiful thing to our Lord because He has called them home and He gets to commune with them in perfection.  Just as he created nature, so He created man - through death we are made more beautiful if we follow Him.

So for those of you who dread the oncoming Fall or who dislike colder weather - take a moment to step outside at some point today.  Breathe in the cold air and let out an "Ahhhhh" as you take in the beauty of God's design.  Know that Fall is a means to an end in making things more beautiful and embrace it today!  And please, say a prayer for the Cohen children (Ben, Grace and Kate) and for all those that were close to them.  May the Lord hold them during this time.