Galatians 5:12 – My friends, you were chosen to be free. So don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do anything you want. Use it as an opportunity to serve each other with love.

Gratitude Day 672

As Hubby Rick and I sat outside around a fire with our neighbors last night, it was clear. Fall is arriving. And SOON! It’s getting darker earlier. The evenings are cooler. There’s a crispness in the air.

And Hubby Rick bemoans everyday we move away from summer.

YET … I believe it’s a great time to love every day we have right NOW!!

Part of fall is opportunities to help each other. I’m sharing just a few quick ways you can give back to someone else right now. None of these are complicated. But just a little way to look beyond yourself and see how you might bless someone else.

• Buy Local. The apples, the pumpkins, the fall decorations. Yes, you can purchase them from a store where things get shipped from some other place. But maybe, YOU can support a local merchant instead.

Last weekend, a social media friend shared how her young nieces and nephews grew pumpkins this summer. They have set-up their selling shop and are ready for serve-yourself customers.

Of course, I went and bought some pumpkins from them.

Yes, the road in front of their selling spot was under construction. I didn’t care. I wanted to help these little entrepreneurs. Will my purchase make a huge difference? No. But if enough other local people stop by and get their pumpkins from these little people who are trying to learn how to make a few bucks, it all adds up.

While it may seem like buying those fresh pumpkins and gourds from a big-box store are easy, let’s move beyond easy and think about how we can support growers in our area. No matter what their age.

Again, not a big deal to you … but certainly a big deal to the person who receives the little treat.

• As the leaves come down, spend an hour raking for a neighbor or someone who could use a little extra help. Recruit someone to join you and make it a fun event.

• Take in a local event – safely. The last couple of weeks, we’ve enjoyed attending football and cross country events that our grandkids are participating in. As outside events, it’s great to enjoy the weather and watch the kids participate. Don’t have a person actively involved in a fall sporting event? If possible and it’s safe, attend one. And cheer your heart out.

• Ask someone to go for a fall walk or hike together. Or a bike ride. Or a drive. Take in these beautiful fall days. Make everyone count.

• Watch this video. A friend shared it this week on social media. I pray you are blessed by it.

Take a quick look back at the scripture verse again. There is so much conversation these days about freedom. Here, we are reminded that freedom is more about serving others than ourselves. The best way to express freedom today? Serve someone else. Think of someone else first. I’m confident if a bunch of us did this, there would be a positive little ripple around us. Amen.

For the opportunity to serve someone else, I am grateful.

Blessings –

Dianne

Holy God – Place on my heart some way that I can serve someone else today. May I be encouraged to think less of myself and more of how I can bless someone else. Amen.