The Season of Harvest Church
*By: Edited/recreated by Scott Gasparini, 2006-2009
I went to church this morning. The church I attended however wasn’t awash in religious rituals. My seat wasn’t a polished wood pew and there were no hymnals or bibles at the church I attended. Nevertheless, the spirit of God enveloped me. I could feel His presence.
*
I go to church very early this time of year. This day, the pre-dawn moon and stars greeted me and all was calm. The moon dimly lit the way to the tree where I would take my stand for the morning’s sit. I never even had to use my flashlight. As I sat quietly in the dark up in my tree, a subtle breeze danced across my face. The only thing that broke the silence in the woods was the intermittent falling of leaves around me. As I looked around below, I was unable to decipher anything but shadows in the pre-dawn gloom. The solitude and crispness of a brisk October morning in a treestand is a feeling that can be found nowhere else.
Eventually, the pink hint of a new morning filled the horizon. No artist could paint the canvas I soon witnessed. It was as if God had given me a front row seat to watch the rebirth of a new day. It was spectacular.
*
The steeples of my church are not straight. There are no crosses atop them and they bend in the wind. The steeples in my church still arch towards the sky though, as if to pay homage to their creator. They are prettier than any man-made church steeple. I feel at home in their perch.
*
Though I was the only person in my church, the spirit of fellowship was strong. The choir was wonderful as always. I was serenaded by the cacophony of the songbirds that signaled the arrival of dawn. I closed my eyes and let them sing their songs to me. *I smiled. How Great Thou Art.
*
As the dawn’s light opened the sanctuary to my anxious eyes, I slowly and quietly turned my head left then right to see what other of God’s creatures were around. Squirrels chattered and dug for acorns in the leaves as they began their day. The distant sound of honking geese overhead added to the splendor. Fall is a very special and cherished time of the year for me. I thanked God for being alive to witness the beauty of His creatures.
*
Dead leaves quietly drifted to the forest floor signaling autumn was upon me. As I watched individual leaves fall and coat the forest floor, I was literally watching God’s natural cycle of the Fall taking place right in front of my eyes. If you haven’t sat quietly in the woods and watched hundreds of leaves fall lazily to the ground, you are missing one of God’s most beautiful art shows. Go and watch this and you will thank Him for it.
*
Even amongst the beauty that surrounded me, my predator instinct was on full alert. That’s natural, the way it is supposed to be during this season of harvest. As I slowly turned to see what might be behind me, a couple does cautiously picked their way through the underbrush. They sauntered directly under the tree I was sitting in moseying by without ever knowing danger lurked a mere 20 feet above them. It wasn’t time to harvest. It was time to observe and learn. If I played my cards right and have a little luck, the time to harvest may come soon.
*
Watching the does amble by reminded me that I had a special invite to that beautiful sanctuary. It is their home, and it is my Season of Harvest Church. I can think clearly there and be at peace. There is no clutter, no e-mails, no cell phones, and no stoplights; no man-made distractions to steal my attention. The beauty of it lies in being alone there with just my thoughts and observations. It is a place to rest and feel at peace with your surroundings. It is why I have such a passion and respect for the great outdoors and all the creatures that He has created.
*
Soon, the woods will come alive with the chasing activity of the bucks that we as bowhunters seek. I will be there in this sanctuary to bear witness to it, as I should be. To be somewhere else would be against who I am.
*
Something from deep inside me pulls me to the Season of Harvest Church. It is an instinct that has been instilled in me since I was a little boy when my Father and Grandfather taught me the ways of the woods.
If you listen closely, you can hear the voice of God in the breeze as it rustles through leaves and the treetops. Enter quietly, be still, and you will be welcomed into the Season of harvest Church where you can witness the beauty that God has created.
Amen
