Pause for thought: Autumn

I love this time of year – the crisp, early morning coolness often followed by a warm, sunny day, the smell of freshly picked blackberries, harvest and the promise of Christmas not far away. This year I am enjoying it even more than usual, being able to do some of the things we missed out on last year. It is so good getting to know new learners face to face rather than on a screen, and I can’t begin to tell you how much I’m enjoying being back at rugby matches – there is nothing quite like shouting at 33 men running round on a field (if you count the officials) to relieve stress. It can be a very busy time of year though, and perhaps even more so this year when we may be trying to fit in lots of things we haven’t been able to do for the last year and a half. One of the plus points of the colder weather is lighting a fire in the evenings, and I did this for the first time this autumn the other night. As I built the fire I was reminded of a poem I have on the wall of my office. It talks about how for a fire to burn well there has to be space between the logs to allow the air to flow, without the air the fire won’t burn. It likens this to the need to leave space in our lives for refreshment and reflection so we can flourish and not burn out. For me that means ensuring that I make the space to spend with God, the one who gives me all the strength and rest I need to live the life he has called me to. As my diary fills up at the start of this academic year my resolution for the “new year” is to make sure that there is plenty of space for God, and for his Holy Spirit to work in my life.

Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me. Psalm 54:4

Kathryn Delderfield