Celebrating the official arrival of my favorite season, I marveled at the activity in the garden. Goldfinches gathering seeds, cardinals fluffing their nests, and squirrels, the busiest of all, gathering hickory nuts and acorns! As I gathered a handful or two, a story from long ago of autumn acorns speaking God’s love brought a smile to my face.
Autumn’s flamboyance of color, generous harvest, and acorn abundance all point to a joyful God who delights in lavishing His good provision upon all His creatures.
Indeed, even the humblest of creatures looks to God as He gives them their food in due season. (Psalm 145:15-16)
Welcome to the garden for a time of Garden Grace, where we allow God to reveal Himself through His creation. Lingering together gleaning all He has for us through the beauty of plants, trees, animals and insects. I can’t wait to share my most recent discovery with you!
Speaking of Acorns
All children seem to delight in acorns. Laughing as I heard two little neighbor boys gathering them to make “soup”, my own memory swiftly recalled having a fairy tea party in the woods.
Gathering the numerous acorn tops in the woods we pretended they were fairy teacups! Apparently, this was not a novel idea, check out this Etsy listing by someone who crafted her own fairy tea set from acorns!
My Mom even let us place a bowlful on the dining room table as autumn decor.
I still use them to decorate my home, mingling them with my regular autumn decor.
But alas, like so many things, acorns no longer seem so magical to most adults.
Our large oak tree in the front yard drops untold acorns all over sidewalk and driveway, creating extra clean up. Not to mention the bitter tannins though harmless to squirrels, chipmunks, and deer, wreak havoc on the sensitive digestive systems of domestic animals.
Yet in the sheer abundance of the little nuts, we can hear them speaking God’s love to His vulnerable creatures.
Speaking of God’s Love
Naturally, many acorns serve the purpose of generating more beautiful oak trees, but certainly as I wade through literal piles of acorns beneath our giant oak, God intends more for these wonders than simply ensuring oak trees for years to come.
Perhaps the regular rhythm of scattering and gathering of acorns provides an invitation to listen to creation speaking God’s love.
Reminded of the portion of the Sermon on the Mount recently memorized, (Matthew 6:25-34) my perspective shifts, beholding God’s love anew.
Jesus, in an attempt to help His followers understand kingdom living more fully, challenges us to cease worrying about such daily necessities as food, drink and clothing, and instead adopt a kingdom mindset of reliance on our Heavenly Father.
For, as He reminds them, life is more than food, and the body more than the clothing it wears. Besides, He sardonically quips, “who can add one measure to his height by worrying?”
By way of illustration, Jesus uses nature’s carefree existence, yea flourishing reliance on God, for their food, drink, and “clothing”.
“Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?”
“And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”
“Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?”
Reflecting on these verses as I held a palmful of acorns prompted the memory of a childhood story.
Autumn Acorns Speak of God’s Love
My Nana loved autumn too, and with the first falling acorns she would tell me God was showering His creation with love to keep them warm during the harsh winter months.
She said in the winter seasons of our lives God can seem distant, even absent. But keeping a little bowl of acorns nearby reminds us of His generous love and provision even in the harsh seasons.
Observing the eager gathering of acorns by the squirrels, I wondered if my heart’s attitude towards God’s lavish love appeared as zealous. Was I careful in storing away His abundant promises and nurturing His love in my heart against the harsh times ahead?
Stopping short of tossing my handful of acorns in the rubbish bin, I savor their smooth, round shape in my palm. Thank you, Nana, for meeting me and Jesus in the garden today; and yes, I have that bowl of acorns ready!
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I absolutely loved hearing your stories Donna. I love your Nannas words. This is so encouraging and what a lovely takeaway for me.
Visiting today from G&T
Thank you, Paula! May you be blessed with God’s abundant love every time you see an acorn!!
Thank you for so sharing these memories of your Nana. I remember a few years ago, my granddaughter had a homework assignment for “100 Day.” She did not want to collect anything that was common. So they came over and we walked down to a neighbor’s house and collected 100 acorns, I kid you not! And they all had to have their “hats” on, as she called them. Acorns are such a precious way to remember that from something so small, our God can grow something splendid. Such a wonderful post, Donna!
WOW, Joanne, 100 acorns, AND with their hats on, quite a project! But such fun! I find them so cheerful and a wonderful reminder of God’s love and provision!
Acorns have always felt like a little treasure to me . I don’t have them right where I live but on my park walk around the lake there is a tree and acorns on the ground . I take a moment to choose a few perfect ones to put in my pocket to bring home . I’m trying to really notice all of the little wonders of our beautiful creation.
I know what you mean, Margie, I have felt they were a treasure too, though my husband despises them now that we have so many he has to “clean up”. I find them to be so cheerful and enjoy having them around in the autumn. Isn’t it wonderful to find these signs of God’s love all around us?
Thank you for sharing these sweet memories of your Nana and childhood playtime in the woods with us, Donna. I do believe God invites us to spend time with Him in His creation. There is nothing quite like delighting in Him and His creation; it’s priceless!
Thank you, Lisa, for your kind words. It’s a cute story, I honestly had forgotten about it, but isn’t it just like the Lord to bring these things to mind when they will most bless us?
I love how your grandmother kept a bowl of acorns near-by to remind her of God’s lavish love no matter the season. Nature is a constant teacher of God’s abundant nature!
Lynn, it seems a silly thing to most adults, but the subtle message can be so powerful on a bad day!