The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims Godʼs handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. (Psalm 19)

What a truly marvelous time of year to live in the village of Westfield. There is something about Autumn that truly stirs my soul. Be it the beautiful warm weather we’ve been having, or the magnificent color of the countryside, or the smell of concords wafting through the air, or the harvest itself, where one senses urgency, purpose and gratitude all mixed into one, or a combination of all these things! Autumn touches me in a way that no other season does.

On a recent Sabbath day, I mounted my bike and headed into the hills surrounding the area. The harvest is in full swing and those I encountered working the machinery had nothing but smiles and waveʼs for me. The sunshine was bright but there was a crispness in the air. The wind blew gently, stirring up the leaves that had already fallen to the ground. I had to maneuver my bike to miss the large Black Walnuts that had fallen from the trees into the street. Two lake freighters plying the waters in the distance caught my attention bringing to mind a vastness that goes well beyond our little village. Yet as I took all this in, I couldn’t help but sense the order to it all. Humanity working in conjunction with the firmament that God had created. Not fighting the created order, but working within it. And what a beautiful thing it was.

As I took it all in, there was no denying the presence of God in and through and around it all. There was no speech, nor were there words, but the creative power of God was obvious, and through and around it all. There was no speech, nor were there words, but the creative power of God was obvious, and everywhere on display. How truly blessed we are to be alive and part of it.