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Fall Fun

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Hi friends,

Excited to be here with you today. Being a summer, beach girl, this time of year isn’t my favorite. If I can’t be in shorts and flip-flops, normally I’m not a happy camper. However, I’m learning to appreciate all of the seasons God’s created. There’s a rhythm to them and as the Bible says: 

I’ve been going through a wonderful Bible study named Contentment: Seeing God’s Goodness by Megan Hill. It was my gift last month for supporting Truth for Life. I can’t tell you how much impact God has used this study to make in my life. In fact, I LOVE this study so much that I got copies for my daughters and a sweet friend. And,

I’m going to give one away here. Just answer the question at the bottom of this post to be entered. I’ll try the winner’s name on Monday and will post his or her name in the comments section below. 

Working to grow in contentment, I’ve decided to focus on what I love about Fall instead of focusing on what I don’t enjoy—at least for today! Change takes time. 

The top three things I enjoy about Fall:

Outdoor family fun: 

I love corn mazes, hayrides, and apple picking.  

Tasty treats:

Fall brings delicious apples, pears, apple cider, s’mores over bonfires, and a wide array of sweet pumpkin treats. And, no list of tasty treats is complete without mentioning Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. We call it ‘Thanksgiving in a cup.’ 

The Beach In the Fall

The beach is still gorgeous in Fall. We were just there this weekend and the beautiful thing about this time of year at the beach? We practically have it to ourselves. Walking along the sand, skirting the ocean waves puttering out at the shore, is so refreshing. The breeze cool on my skin and the moon large. It’s quite blissful. One of our favorite restaurants here even decorates for the season. 

Reader Question:

Do you decorate for seasons, just holidays, or both? 

Remember I’ll be picking one winner from the comments below for the Contentment Bible Study so be sure to share. 

Look forward to reading your answers! 

Blessings, 

Dani 

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Dani Pettrey

Praised by New York Times best-selling author Dee Henderson as "a name to look for in romantic suspense," Dani Pettrey has sold more than half a million copies of her novels to readers eagerly awaiting the next release. Dani combines the page-turning adrenaline of a thriller with the chemistry and happy-ever-after of a romance.
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Comments

  1. I decorate for both…but mainly the season as I don’t have change out the decorations as often. 😊

  2. I definitely decorate for the seasons. Fall is almost as much fun to decorate for as Christmas is.

    • I wish I was more decorative. We do decorate the house for Christmas, but I love visiting friend’s houses where it’s all decorated for fall. Has such a cozy feel.

  4. I so need this study! I was recently diagnosed with cancer and just had a 7 hour surgery that included a complete hysterectomy and bowel resection. They were unable to remove everything so I have to follow up with chemo. I have had a lot of setbacks during my surgery recovery also. I need to focus on contentment and the goodness of God right now. By the way, I usually decorate for holidays and a little bit for seasons

    • Oh, Linda, I’m so incredibly sorry for all you have been through and are still going through. Cancer runs high in my family–mom, sister, etc. My heart goes out to you. “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.” ~2 Thess 3:16

      Praying for peace that surpasses understanding and for comfort for you in the midst of this battle.

  5. Yes, I enjoy decorating for the different seasons. Sometimes something small just freshens and brightens things up!

  6. We decorate for fall and Christmas only. I’m with you though, shorts and flips are my go to! It’s a little hard in the Rockies when the seasons change. Even though I’m a beach girl at heart, I do love the mountains throughout all the seasons.

    • A fellow beach girl :))) Raising my sun tan lotion to you. LOL.

      Yes, there is something spectacular about the mountains. We love hiking and we did live in Albuquerque for close to 7 years a the foothills of the Sandia mountains and they definitely have a beauty all their own.

    • Fun!

      It definitely is. I’m going to be so sad when it’s over, but she does recommend a couple books for further reading in the back of it so I’ll probably grab one of those next.

  9. I use to decorate for all the seasons when I lived in Minnesota because we did see every season. But now, living in Florida, it just seems like summer never goes away and it is very difficult for me to get motivated to decorate when it is so hot. I do miss the seeing and feeling the seasons.🌴🍂🌞💐⛄️❄️ Just thankful that the Lord is with me in every season of life. 🙏🏻😊

    • I’m in Florida right now and really enjoying the 80 degree weather, but I feel you. Has to be weird decorating for Christmas when it’s so warm outside.

  10. I LOVE Fall, so I usually do some fall decorations. And we ALWAYS decorate the whole house for Christmas! 😊

  11. We also love the beach (Sandestin) and have a house near the beach. I don’t decorate it much, I guess because it doesn’t feel as much like the other seasons or holidays. Our home in Franklin TN is the one I decorate and it does change with the seasons but Thanksgiving and Christmas are the best

  12. I decorate minimally for seasons, i.e., change the kitchen table runner, the quilt and shams on my bed and the Kleenex cover in the bathrooms. 😉 And then I do more than that at Christmas!

  14. Since we live in a small home, I leave my small tree up all year and decorate it according to season/holiday. Hubby’s idea.
    I also love sand and flip flops. Enjoy your writing time. Prayers for God’s guidance.

  15. I decorate for every season. I just enjoy having the house reflect the outside. My favorite to decorate is spring and Easter. I think because it represents new life in nature and for us.

  16. I don’t normally decorate for seasons, but I would really like to start. Right now I only decorate for Christmas, but all the cute decorations out there for the seasons, I think it would be fun to decorate and be able to enjoy the seasons more. However, I love Fall and Winter so this is my time of the year and am more inspired to decorate than in Spring and Summer.

  17. I just decorate for Christmas. I would like to do more, but I don’t have the budget or storage space.

  18. I decorate my office for most seasons because I enjoy the decorations there. I only decorate at home for Christmas but I love to have decorations for myself and for others to enjoy!

  19. I am not a big decorator so the only season I decorate for is Christmas, and I do a good bit of it then!

  20. I love all the seasons and fall is so beautiful in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula! Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us each week and thanks for the give away!

  21. I really only decorate for Christmas anymore. I’m much too lazy to decorate for the seasons. haha! I used to decorate for all of the major holidays but living by myself, I’ve adopted a more minimalist approach (and it creates less work for me and frees up time to read and craft).

  22. I typically only decorate for Christmas because I have two little ones and it’s already overwhelming enough trying to keep the house together, haha. But my mother-in-law decorates her house for the season and it is always beautiful! I would love to do it that way sometime in the future. 🙂

  23. I decorate for both, but since we are living in an RV, it’s not as extravagant as previous years. Much of my decor is outside now! But after we build our small home, I will enjoy digging out my tubs of decorations and decking the halls.

  24. Dani, I’m with you: I’m a summer/beach person – grew up near the equator. I’m now living with all four seasons &, with God’s beautiful creations, I am truly embracing the seasons.

    Yes, I just started decorating for seasons, and i still decorate for holidays.

    • I decorate only for Fall in October with mums and pumpkins and then the traditional Christmas decorations. I’ve never really decorated for Halloween or any other holiday. I also LOVE the beach!! It’s my favorite place to be!!

  25. I tend to decorate for both the seasons and the holidays. I like to change it up each time, but I really enjoy decorating for the holidays. It just really helps you get in the spirit. Thanks for the chance to win the giveaway!

  26. I generally only decorate for Christmas. Hallmark loves me because I am an ornament collector and over the years have given many for gifts.

  27. My idea of decorating for a season is a wreath on my front door. Sometimes I will do hanging baskets in the spring or rarely mums in the Fall. Before my health issues (I won’t bore you with details) I loved planting flowers around my porch in the Spring. Now I do well to take a shower and do a few things around the house.
    Our son died 2 weeks before Christmas Eve a few years ago and it took a while to begin to enjoy Christmas again. There is still a void there. My husband loves putting up the lights at Christmas. I am back to decorating again. I would love to do this study. If I don’t win it I may buy it.

  29. I decorate for the season in the fall with sprinkles of Halloween or Thanksgiving around the house. But I do go all out on Christmas decorations!:)

  30. i also love decorating for seasons !! it remebers me why each of them has been created and helps me to recognise they have been specificly chosen by someone

  31. I try to decorate for both, but sometimes I slip up and let the season pass before I get around to it. 🤪

  32. I decorate for the holidays only. I always think for the seasons would be nice, but I just never get that done. But I love my holiday decorations. 🙂

  33. I decorate for all seasons by using creative plates, printables and things I make. Love Fall and Christmas decorations!

  35. I only decorate for Christmas and I wait until after Thanksgiving to do that. I want to celebrate each season of my life with joy and love for God and His beautiful creation.

  36. I decorate for Christmas and Easter. Years ago I decorated for the different seasons but not now…although, I do use tablecloths that are seasonal.
    Thank you for the giveaway.
    Blessings, Tina

  40. I hadn’t thought about it but I guess I decorate some for both! Of course, I decorate for Christmas and leave the snowmen and my village up in January, then Valentine’s Day, Easter/spring, 4th of July, and fall/Thanksgiving. Some get more than others!

  41. I decorate for both holidays and seasons! Fall is pumpkins, bittersweet and love apple fragrance candles! Winter, of course, is Christmas trees and snow and Merry Christmas signs. I love Winterberry, so I bring some sprigs in. Everything reflecting the birth of our Saviour. Spring is sheep and lambs and summer is beachy…sea glass and shells. The Lord gives us so much beauty in each season!

  42. I love to decorate both for seasons and holidays, from Fall through Spring! I’m part German and have a little fun with some hints of Oktoberfest starting in September (I’m not a drinker, but I like the decor), that morphs into cute Halloween decorations (no scary ones), which morphs into Thanksgiving, and then it’s time for Christmas! After Christmas the house always seems so sparce, so I do a little something for Valentines day, and then it’s not too long until I can pull out the Spring/Easter decor! Summer seems to be the one time of year that doesn’t get as much love. I take a break and don’t do anything special beyond a colorful tablecloth!

  44. I decorate for the holidays. For the seasons, I have different house flags and garden flags hanging in front of my house that celebrate the various seasons!

  45. Birthdays and Christmas are about all i have time for these days. Did more when the kids were home. But for this season of caregiving, the house comes last.
    Great to read all the comments,
    Thank you all. Your words are encouraging even if not directed specifically to me.
    God bless all,

  47. I like to decorate for seasons and holidays. My mom does and she passed down that passion to me. From table runners and throw pillows to wreaths and flags outside. Love to decorate 🍎 🍁 🎃

  49. I decorate for seasons and holidays, I love fall, cool temperatures, campfires and snuggling under a soft throw reading great books!

  51. We try to decorate for seasons, because it is so much fun. It usually depends on what all we have going on. Autumn is my favorite season as I am a September baby, and I do so love the changing colors of the trees, too. Thank you for the chance.

  52. I don’t usually decorate for anything other than Christmas, but this year I decided to do some centerpieces on my tase for fall!! I didn’t get the decorator gene, but I enjoyed looking for table things!

  53. I only do the Christmas holidays indoors. Otherwise, I keep the same things up the rest of the year. It’s just not my thing. 🙂

    Four outdoors, I have different wreaths for my door for all the different seasons though and I do put pumpkins on my porch. Sometimes they are carved and sometimes they are not – it depends how my kids feel that particular year (and only one is home at this time, the other is in college).

  54. I only decorate for Christmas in honor and respect for my Savior. Occasionally I will put something small out at Easter, if I find something that just jumps out at me.
    However, this year I more than likely won’t be doing any at all, as I just had triple bypass open heart surgery two and a half weeks ago. Plus I still haven’t gotten my new apartment I moved into in May even half unpacked.
    Keep writing! Love it!

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