Fall is my favorite time of year. You might wonder why I choose a time when things are dying all around me. I guess it is because fall is a time of preparation. The cold, hard winter is approaching. With the convenience of modern shipping, we have forgotten that our grandparents' lives depended on the work they did through the growing season, the gathering at harvest, the preserving, canning, drying, storing, and freezing.

We used to grow several acres of sweet corn that provided enough to share several dozen ears with each of the families in our three little churches, and still have 1,200 ears left over to steam, cut, bag, and freeze.

This summer we put up 120 pounds of blueberries (our favorite source of antioxidants), and several bushels of peaches. The aroma of homemade applesauce blended from a variety of apples from our friend's orchard still lingers in the kitchen.

This cycle of life, so much a part of my heritage, has its parallel in the spiritual life. Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. Working in cooperation with God's Spirit, we have stored up precious memories year after year—memories of worship, healing, reflection, and reconciliation. These acts of love build my spiritual reserves and prepare me for whatever trials, challenges, and heartaches may be in store for the year ahead. In addition to the daily, this yearly heart preparation provides a bounty of faith in my own soul.

Gary Burns is the communication director for the Lake Union Conference.