Fall is in a category all by herself.
The sights, sounds and scents hardly compare to any other season for me.
She is simply glorious.
From the very first hint of cinnamon and nutmeg we know she has arrived.
We know that change is coming with all the beauty that unfolds around us. The crisp autumn air, the beautiful store displays, the change in the menu at our favorite restaurant.
Even the leaves serenade us with their gorgeous colors. Oh and the pumpkins! I can hardly contain myself once the Cinderella pumpkin makes her debut at the local farmers market.
I have a thing for all things seasonal. Especially those beautiful aromas that cause the memories to come flooding back into my heart. Spoken by a woman who thinks that there is no greater fragrance on earth than apple pie and newborn babies.
I am reminded today, as the season begins to change, of the most significant fragrance of all.
His.
We are called the be the fragrance of Christ.
“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” ~Ephesians 5:1-2
And there are days when we have all burned the apple pie of friendship and days when our spiritual cinnamon rolls did not rise to the occasion.
I’ve had many.
But these days are part of our process in becoming more like Him.
I try not to despise the process…..
And I am so grateful that no matter what I can sit and breathe in the aroma of forgiveness and the gift of mercy and grace each and every morning.
His fragrance is tried, tested and true.
I try to remind myself daily of these simple truths. I’ve walked through my own very long winter season over the last twelve months. It seems that I skipped Spring and Summer entirely as Winter overstayed her welcome this year.
I am ready for my personal Fall.
I am ready to receive from The One who specializes in seasonal displays of splendor.
He has promised me that…..
It’s all about to change.
It’s not over.
Eye has not seen.
Ear has not heard.
There is a recompense coming.
He has not forgotten.
There is healing for the broken places.
Oh the broken places. He’s so good with those.
Places that ache where no one but the Father knows the width and depth of it all.
I am learning to trust Him with the deeper places. The places that have been crushed.
And I try to remember that the fragrance always comes after the crushing and it is the crushing that produces change.
Just for today sit before Him with your broken places and breathe in His magnificent aroma. Taste and see that the Lord is good and soak in the fragrance of change that is yours this Fall sweet friend.
“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” ~ 2 Corinthians 2:14
By Sibi, Pearls and Grace
Leave a Comment
sarah (GenMom) says
That’s beautiful, Sibi. You really have a gift from God in your writing. What lovely imagery and such deep truths.
Sibi says
Hi Sarah!
Thank you so much for reading and for your sweet comment! It is so nice to meet you!
I hope you are enjoy a beautiful and fragrant filled Fall….in more ways than one.
Many Blessings!
paige says
what a fun treat!! i love seeing you here this morning
what a beautiful fragrance my friend
you inspire me
much love
I Live in an Antbed says
Beautiful!! What a precious reminder to allow Him to minister to our spirit. I love Matthew 11: 28-30 in the Message: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Holley Gerth says
Beautiful Sibi, I still remember what a joy it was to meet you in person. And seeing your words and photo here made me smile all over again. I’m a fellow lover of fall and while I had thought of being the fragrance of Christ, I’d never really associated it with the smells I love. Now I will! I hope I smell like a pumpkin spice latte. Yes, ma’am. Thanks for this sweet insight. So glad your words are here with us today!
Jenny says
LOVE this… this is one of my favorite scriptures… each day when I walk into my room and smell the previous days fragrance painting the air… I remember this scripture and pray that as I share God’s goodness with others… there will be a fragrance left behind too… just as He has left me His fragrance.
Cha Cha says
Once again, I sit in awe of my heavenly Father and how he uses you to speak to places in my heart that I try to keep buried under life. I am so hppy for you to have this new place to write, you will be used greatly for His good and I know that is the deep desire of your heart. I have been praying for you and your family and the new flutter who will be here soon. You are such a blessing
Love, Cha Cha
Beth says
I had to copy and paste this part because this is the part that spoke to me and made me cry –
“There is healing for the broken places. Oh the broken places. He’s so good with those. Places that ache where no one but the Father knows the width and depth of it all. I am learning to trust Him with the deeper places. The places that have been crushed. ”
I love this – “And I try to remember that the fragrance always comes after the crushing and it is the crushing that produces change.”
And today I am reveling in the joy of having my son home from college for a few days, after he has been half a country away for two months and going through his own crushing circumstances for the past month. Seeing him being crushed led to aches and deep broken places in my heart as well. I’m so thankful that God knows the inmost parts. I’m learning trust is a huge issue for me- trusting the Lord with my children, trusting Him to be enough, trusting Him to take care of everyone I care for.
Today the aroma of His love shall carry me through.
Mr Pearls and Grace says
Honey –
I am so proud of you, keep writing my pearl you are so gifted and talented. I just love seeing your work, it’s’ so inspiring.
I am truly blessed beyond words that He chose me to be your husband, and thank him everyday for the gift that is my wife.
I love you sweet Pearl,
tiffany says
Hi Sibi
This is beautiful and so resonated with me – I have felt like winter has overstayed her welcome as well and am ready for a so needed change. thank you for this and for your sweet heart!
xoTiffany
Shannon says
Oh, I am sooooooooglad you are back:)
Nancy says
My very own P&G on this wonderful site. What a treat for all of the readers who have never had the pleasure of reading your words. Another post that warms the heart and radiates His love for all of us. We are all so blessed to know you and I’m so very proud of you. I know one of these days I will walk into my local bookstore to buy your beautiful written words.
xoxo
Nancy
Cat Armendarez says
Very beautiful I can picture and smell just what you are talking about, this is my favorite season. I am in Alaska now, but not long ago I was in New Mexico, and one of the fragrances of Fall in NM is the smell of roasting green chile, there is nothing on earth that smells like that smell. So this year I found a place on line to order green chile from NM that I could afford, and for the last couple of days I have been roasting green chile,,,,,, it takes me back. I also have been learning to trust Him with my darkest places and it is so wonderful to feel that amazing freedom and peace. Thank you for your blog today it was a very welcome statement. And thank you God the Father, and Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit for all You have done for me.!!!!!!
Connie Arnold says
Thank you for sharing the beautiful post. I love fall and I love God, and this is a perfect season to soak in the magnificent beauty of creation!
Bev McDougal says
Crushed, then steeped in the water of the Holy Spirit, infusing our realm with that sweet, sweet, fragrance of Jesus. Thank you
Finding an Attorney You Can Trust » Blog Archive » 06 – Warrior of Great Edo, Tonosaman says
[…] The Fragrance Of Change […]
Amy Sullivan says
Sibi,
Beautiful words and a perfect comparisons throughout.
ps Oh, let me tell you- I feel the same way about Cinderella pumpkins!
Katherine Kingsmill says
Beautiful words from a beautiful lady!
The First of Six says
Mommy!
I am so unbelievably proud of you! You have such a gift and really know how to touch the lives of those in need. This is a great post and I cannot wait to come home so we can sit down and enjoy the changes of this new season that are about to happen! I’ll bring us both a pumpkin spice latte!
Love You,
Your Macey Girl
Claritza Avila says
As usual beautiful Sebi. You always remind the world how much he loves us.
Love you,
Claritza
Lorri says
This was beautiful. And if It hadn’t brought warmth to my heart, seeing her husband’s comment CERTAINLY did. How wonderful!
Eliza says
So beautiful. YOu are so talented! More please…..
Mrs.B says
Beautiful!