I Tried to Resist, But Fall Decor is a Weakness

I tried to resist. Honest, I did. But the next thing I knew I had dragged boxes, bags, and tangles of vines and dried fruit into my living room.  It was Fall in my mind, which meant pumpkins, sunflowers, & bittersweet for starters. 

Someone should have alerted the weather station as to my intentions. They seemed to think it was still summer and predicted high temperatures in the 90’s. I thought that rude. Not to mention stressful for my porch decor. Have you ever seen a scarecrow sweat? Sad. It wilts his straw.  How about a pumpkin blister up in sun spots? Scary. Or have you smelled fried sunflowers? Don’t. Nasty.

I Don’t Like to Wait

I’m not a good “wait” girl. Never have been. I’m in a hurry to dig out sweaters, flannel shirts, and cocoa. It just seems right once I see a single leaf turn colors to announce autumn to the neighborhood. It is the most abbreviated season, don’t you think? We need to extend it. Besides I’m almost certain I saw a fly-by crow in a hoodie.

Impatience adds to our stress. And I’m pretty sure with the way things have been going none of us need that. So if I could suggest a September tip it would be—Breathe. Breathing, deep breathing,  improves mental acuity, and it can help lower not only our blood pressure but the tension in our shoulders and the rubber bands in our jaw. And breathing exercises help us wait.

What Scripture Says

The Scripture uses the word “wait” repeatedly. Why do you think that is? Yep, because we forget. Waiting can be sacred work, for on the other side of wait, we find patience, hope, and most important God’s palpable presence.

“Wait I say on the Lord.”

Psalms 27:14a.

Blessing, Patsy

P.S. There’s a reason pumpkins don’t grow on trees. Imagine one of those falling on your head, you’d be seeing candy corn till Spring. But listen, when the leaves turn the color of pumpkins, reach for the rafters, pull down your orange sweatshirt, and skip on over to the mill for cider and doughnuts!

38 Comments

  1. Ana Retter on September 14, 2020 at 8:02 pm

    Hi Patsy,

    I listened to your story on moody radio today. I had a great time listening to your humor and the way you tell stories. I’m 30 years old and related to a lot of the stuff you talked about. I too experienced panic attacks at one point. Thank you for telling your story. God bless!

  2. Angela Pope on September 16, 2020 at 3:11 pm

    It’s BEAUTIFUL 😍

  3. Patsy Parkey on September 16, 2020 at 3:11 pm

    It all looks so very cute, too hot here in my part of Texas to even think about such things, I’m waiting for cooler weather

  4. Kim on September 16, 2020 at 3:12 pm

    I love your writing. I read it in your voice and it makes me smile. Happy Fall to you, Patsy from Georgetown, Texas! (Where Fall doesn’t get the memo until about November no matter what they are selling in the stores!)

    • Kimberly Balles on September 16, 2020 at 3:52 pm

      My sister lives in Georgetown, TX. What a small world. Yes, it is hot there. She says it’s sunny there too. We in IL are having nice beautiful warm weather, but not hot.

  5. Chris D on September 16, 2020 at 3:13 pm

    I have a friend that I am softly witnessing to who is going through cancer (round 2) and now stem cell recovery. Things have stalled out and I just texted with him about waiting on the Lord. May God hear our prayer and soften his heart because waiting is not easy.

  6. VICKI SCHLUPP on September 16, 2020 at 3:13 pm

    Love you Patsy! Thanks for brightening up my day!

  7. Sheryl Brown on September 16, 2020 at 3:14 pm

    Love it! How beautiful! I love fall, also, not just cuz it contains my birthday, but I love all the warm colors and great baking ingredients!

    Thanks for helping me out this year. I made 12 flights in my quest for a retirement home in Tennessee. The Lord blessed us with one in Bethpage, and we saw it last week. Got three more years to go in California until retirement, but it will be waiting for me.

    Take care, and Happy Fall!

  8. Vickie on September 16, 2020 at 3:15 pm

    I LIKE it! Very nice!

  9. Melissa Henderson on September 16, 2020 at 3:17 pm

    Beautiful. Now, I want to decorate for fall. 🙂

  10. Terri Astin on September 16, 2020 at 3:18 pm

    I live 10 miles from Galveston, so it won’t be really fall for awhile, but the pumpkin spice flavors are already everywhere! Love it! I haven’t put out anything yet, but Halloween comes shortly!

  11. Kristy on September 16, 2020 at 3:20 pm

    Thank you for the good and encouraging words!
    🎃🍁🍂☕️🍩

  12. Debbie Wahlbrink on September 16, 2020 at 3:22 pm

    So pretty – and warm and inviting! Thanks for sharing – and for the giggles!

  13. Phyllis Zimmerman on September 16, 2020 at 3:23 pm

    Beautiful

    • Kim on September 16, 2020 at 3:26 pm

      I Love it Patsy!!🧡💚🤎

  14. Laurine Forsythe on September 16, 2020 at 3:23 pm

    It’s perfect! 🙂

  15. Linda Fenska on September 16, 2020 at 3:27 pm

    Very lovely!

  16. Billie Dumas on September 16, 2020 at 3:28 pm

    Love it!

    • Toni on September 16, 2020 at 4:19 pm

      California chiming in today-97 degrees here! But I have those same boxes in the closet yelling for me to dive in!! 🍁 I am exercising my self-control for a little longer but yearning for sweater weather, hopefully before Christmas (a different closet of boxes)! 😬

  17. Barb on September 16, 2020 at 3:39 pm

    Patsy. . Please don’t ever change 🤗🤗

  18. Brenda Skene on September 16, 2020 at 3:43 pm

    I love your stories, Patsy and your humour.
    I live in Winnipeg, Canada, so right now our weather is right on for fall.
    It was a short summer and more so that I’ve been pretty much cooped up in my apartment like alot of people.
    Stay well and God bless.

  19. Karen Lane on September 16, 2020 at 4:42 pm

    Love it🌻🌻

  20. Janice G. Gruber on September 16, 2020 at 4:57 pm

    As always I love your humor, you crack me up! But I respond in the same way to your regular words and your prayers. Thank you also Patsy Jean for the gift of creativity – art, decorations, stories, everything.❤️Jan.

  21. Susan McNabb on September 16, 2020 at 5:11 pm

    Dear Patsy,
    I love Autumn! Waiting is something I’m still learning too. Thank you for the verse.
    Love, Sue

  22. Jan J. on September 16, 2020 at 6:04 pm

    Thank you, Patsy. It looks beautiful and gave me a boost! I put my wreath out on Monday without even thinking about the date. You just know when it’s time for fall regardless of a calendar. I put my wreath out on Monday without even thinking about the date. You just know when it’s time for fall regardless of a calendar!

  23. Cindy on September 16, 2020 at 6:06 pm

    Patsy enjoyed your humor and cute pics of your decor! It is a special time of year and I think we are all needing positive changes this year. Waiting has been hard and thankfully we have our Lord who makes that possible especially in the hard seasons. Blessings to you! 🙏🏼💖

  24. Tricia T on September 17, 2020 at 4:31 am

    Well, I made it until today, September 16th, without putting out Fall decor. I have been checking the daily temps ever since I bought the cutest scarecrow wreath on Etsy back in August. I put her in the attic but she is on my mind daily. Though I kept telling myself, “not before October 1st”, I stuck a very small Welcome Fall banner in my front garden last weekend before hosting a family birthday celebration.
    Then! Today, at the grocery store I saw a bin full of beautiful pumpkins. Before I could talk myself out of it I was asking my son to put a giant one in our basket. It is proudly setting under the Fall banner out front.
    ( The Scarecrow Wreath is coming out tomorrow)

  25. Marianne Ginnan on September 17, 2020 at 8:21 am

    A true Michigan girl references the cider mill! We are heading up this weekend from Ohio (where they say “apple orchard”). I will enjoy my Yates cider and doughnuts and think of you.

  26. Joan Sellers on September 17, 2020 at 8:57 am

    Oh I’ve had my stuff down from the loft and just itching to put it all out. You just scratched my itch. Mid September is my time to transition from sunflowers and roosters to harvest and autumn. I am inspired to spread the colors make a glory wreath AND continue to wait on the Lord with a calling that is more earnest than ever. What a blessed analogy for such a time as this.

  27. Sandra on September 17, 2020 at 9:10 am

    I do not decorate inside but love to see what other folks do in their homes…what I do is buy a handful of small scarecrows and put them in the pots where the plants have died…also buy a pair of bigger ones for the planter on my porch…in the spring they all graduate to the side of my duplex as I put out new flowers…I cannot dig in my small flower bed due to the clay and many roots of a bush that blooms so I use pots which are perfect for little scarecrows

  28. JudyinHuntsvilleAL on September 17, 2020 at 10:03 am

    I pulled out our fall decorations this week also! Looking forward to cooler weather!

  29. Michael on September 17, 2020 at 12:50 pm

    I think I’m the only man posting on here. Well how timely. I have been going through 2 months of serious health issues and your stories and life lessons always lighten the load! Today I needed to hear …wait on the Lord. Thanks for reminding us…wait on the Lord! Your fall displays are absolutely picture perfect!

  30. Cyndy on September 17, 2020 at 1:48 pm

    Love it. So pretty. I live in Scottsdale AZ and it is still hot here. Can’t wait for cooler weather. This makes me want to get all my fall decorations out. I think I will do that this weekend.

  31. Amy on September 18, 2020 at 7:02 am

    I live in Alabama where we have often seen short sleeve weather at Christmas. We decorate for seasons by date, not weather. Enjoy your beautiful decorations. I’m putting mine in the house and on the porch today. They bring a smile to my face and we all need more joy lately.

  32. Beate Vandermark on September 18, 2020 at 8:15 am

    It looks beautiful.It use to be one of my favorite times ,love the colors,now we are missionaries in Belize Central America fall here is like spring everything starts growing because of rainy season. Spring is like fall the leaves fall to get ready for dry season.🤔sure messes with you

  33. Dorena Carlson on September 18, 2020 at 3:27 pm

    Thank you for your encouraging stories. I love the so. Am glad you put a sunflower in your decorations. Yu must have a little bit of Kansas in you. B
    less you day.

  34. Jackie chappell on September 18, 2020 at 10:19 pm

    Your colors are spot on !!
    And a little bit of scarecrow whimsy makes it perfect ! Trying to get my “fall on” down here in sunny moist Florida 🌴🎃

  35. Kathy Henderson on November 16, 2020 at 12:32 am

    Hi Patsy, been following you on Instagram and decided to look at your blog. I’ve seen and heard you at Women Of Faith in Anaheim, California. Have 2 of your books. Love your book: Tea with Patsy Clair mont. So inspirational and lovingly written. Highly recommend it to everyone! I love Tea and have hosted several Theme Teas over the years. Have Women of Faith devotional books too! You and your team were so instrumental in my walk with the Lord as a young Mom and wife. Those conferences were Powerful! ❤️Thanking God for you and how you are still serving Him … especially in a year such as this! Happy Fall to you!!

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