Rooted Reflections Ed. No 17

A Fall Reset

There’s something sacred about seasons shifting.
We feel it in our bones… that subtle tug to slow down, reset, and realign.

This week, I gave in to that pull.
Out came the fall totes — and before I knew it, pumpkins, scarecrows, maple leaves, and cinnamon-swirled candles had “plastered” themselves across nearly every corner of my home. I even spruced up the porch to welcome autumn like an old friend. 🍁

But it didn’t stop there.
Something deeper stirred.

We kicked off a little end-of-summer refresh with some much-needed painting inside — the laundry room, stairwell, ceilings — and some outdoor trim when the Kansas weather cooperated. The porch got a facelift, the laundry room cabinets got a deep clean (why I had three cans of Pledge is beyond me — invasion of dust bunnies, perhaps? 😂), and yes, even the sock drawer met its match.

I didn’t do it all in a day.
It wasn’t a Pinterest-perfect makeover.
But it stirred something.

A shift.
A breath of fresh air.
One drawer led to another. One small act of order made room for more peace.

There’s something about this season that calls us back to the basics —
The comforting smells of cinnamon and clove.
The golden afternoon light through the windows.
The feeling of home settling back in.

It’s like my soul needed a house reset… because maybe it did.
I’m learning that tending to the space around me often unlocks the next layer of what God is doing in me.

Sometimes, rootedness doesn’t come from stillness.
It comes from movement.
From finally doing the thing you’ve been putting off.
From creating space to live… and think… and breathe again.

It’s not about perfection.
It’s about intention.

Because sometimes the shift we’re waiting for doesn’t show up on a vision board or a checklist…
It shows up when we sweep a floor.
When we hang a wreath.
When we make space for the new thing the Lord wants to do.

Isaiah 43:19 reminds us:
“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?”

📝 Journal Prompt:

Where in your life—physically, emotionally, or spiritually—are you ready for a fresh coat of paint?
What’s one small refresh that could create space for something new to grow?