It's that time of year again...

This week we're forecasted to have a cold front come through and then have low temperatures at night (and in my humble opinion, in the day as well). This can only mean one thing: it's leaf time! You see, in order for the chlorophyll to break down in the leaves, exposing the other color pigments than green (such as red, yellow, and orange), it is necessary to have several nights in a row with cold temperatures. Here in Asheville, we have about a month and a half of good leaf viewing time because the color begins to change in the higher elevations (5000+ feet) and slowly spreads down the mountains.

Ok, so that's my nerdy meteorology tidbit for the day. Perhaps tomorrow, I'll talk about something even more nerdy, such as Convective Available Potential Energy :), or how hailstones form (those two are actually quite related...).

In case anyone is curious about why I am randomly talking about autumn leaves, it is because it was the first thing that came to mind as I was reading this passage in Colossians this evening and it is talking about all things being created:

"He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him" - Colossians 1:15-16.

One way that I really feel like I deeply connect with God is by being out in His creation and just taking in the splendor and the beauty of it. I mean, everywhere I look, whether it be the rolling windswept plains of Texas or the mesas in the Arizona desert or the waves crashing against the rocks and sand along the Great Ocean Road in Australia, I see beauty. So therefore, I see God's fingerprints everywhere. I remember hiking up Mt. Pisgah with one of my friends and we were just looking at the formation of the mountains shadowed by the setting sun. It was just beautiful, seeing how God molded those mountains like clay.

I love those serene moments, when I can enjoy something beautiful in our world that God has created, and I can take it in realizing just how big and awesome our God is! Autumn is my favorite season in the mountains. When the leaves start turning colors, it is almost too much beauty for my eyes to take in. In fact, it is too much beauty for my eyes to take in.

It's easy for us to look at this beauty in these moments and selfishly think to ourselves "wow...God, you created all of this for me! What a wonderful world I live in!" But Colossians puts it into proper perspective: they are His leaves! They are His mountains! They are his mesas, and his foamy white waves! They are for Him and His glory. However, we're blessed that He chooses to share His glory with us. He didn't have to. He didn't have to give us eyes to see beautiful snowcapped mountains or noses to smell the sweet fragrance of wisteria on a warm spring afternoon or ears to hear the relaxing sound of ocean waves crashing against the shore. Creation isn't about us, or our enjoyment of it, like I've heard so many people sigh to themselves when they experience one of those serene moments that I mentioned before. It's about God, and His glory! He just chose to share it with us, so that when we would experience it, we would fall to our faces in awe before Him, so that He in turn would receive even more glory.

Here's some photos I took last year of the autumn leaves in the mountains. It's not just for enjoying, but also for taking the time to give our glorious Creator praise.