The temperatures are colder and the foliage in our yard begins to glimmer through its new wardrobe in jewel tones of crimson, gold, amber and flaming orange. They have caught my attention throughout the day: in the early morning as we left the house and again late during sunset as we returned at the end of a full day. There are different trees in our yard, each turning according to their seasonal pattern, some holding tightly to their still-green leaves as others have already released their temporary treasures. Strangely, there are two trees, both trunks shooting out from the same place in the ground and they have the exact same conditions to grow from. They are exactly the same type of tree. They were planted in the same year, so they are exactly the same age. They get exactly the same amount of sun, rain and soil nutrients. And yet, even with their identical conditions, one has remained green with leaves and the other has turned golden and dropped every leaf.

October's poplars are flaming torches
lighting the way to winter.
- Nova Bair
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This October night has a sky that is spotless clear and the autumn air has a chill in the evening, persuading the bare shoulder to reach for the nearest sweater or jacket. The movement of the seasons steps gingerly through these harvest weeks, ensuring the calendar journey is one step farther from summer and one step closer to winter. I stand in my backyard, entranced by the size of the moon – it is enormous! It seems as if it fills the entire sky, spilling out its moonglow brightly. It is not quite a full moon, that won’t happen until October 26.

The oceans on the moon are so visible tonight, these mares so romantically and beautifully named by Galileo: the Sea of Serenity, the Sea of Clouds, the Sea of Rains, the Sea of Ingenuity, the Sea of Fertility, the Sea of Cold. Directly across from each other one can observe the Sea of Tranquility directly across from the Sea of Crises. These lunar regions have encountered nearly identical exposure to the meteors which have pummeled the moon’s surface. Because of the orbit and axis the moon travels upon and within, these regions are exposed to the sun in the identical time period. Galileo links these two moon oceans together, Tranquility and Crises.

Tranquility and Crises.

I cannot overlook the poignancy of the elements I see before me. God weaves tranquility into our lives, tranquility in the face of crises. Some circumstances can bring out strength from us (green leaves on the branches) and others can make us almost unwind (golden leaves in a pile at the foot of a tree), even though we haven’t left our faith. When we turn to God and rely upon Him as our Rock, our Guide, our Shield, our Strength, He brings a calmness of heart and mind in the throes of a violent storm.

We can see within the heart of the crises that there is a divine heart of Tranquility which is unmoved, unscathed, undisturbed, unintimidated. God is faithful, endlessly faithful to us, providing serenity in the midst of crises. These two experiences are linked together, peace and panic, and are held within the hand of the Master Creator of our lives.

One thing I ask of the LORD, that I will seek after; to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in His temple. For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent. He will set me high on a rock. Psalm 27:4-5