Day 12: Fairest Lord Jesus

I love the fall season. I love the crisp weather, the colors of the leaves, mums on front porches, goldenrod in the fields, making beef stew and all my favorite soup recipes. I love, love, love pumpkin spice lattes, well actually, pumpkin anything. Today, we are planning on visiting our favorite pumpkin patch that we've taken the kids to almost every year since they were toddlers. It's getting more and more difficult to keep the tradition since our Saturdays are packed with ballet class, cross country practices (or meets), grocery shopping and other errands. Anna is also attending a homecoming dance with her cross country teammates tonight, so we have about two hours for pumpkin patching this afternoon. Even with the extreme busyness, I just love fall so much.

Though today's hymn sings about the blooming garb of spring, it is just as applicable in October as it is in April. Everything we love about fall cannot compare to even a fraction of the beauty of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

So as you go about your weekend, take time to enjoy the beauty of the season, but then take time to meditate on how Jesus is lovelier than any of these earthly gifts.

Fairest Lord Jesus (Beautiful Savior)
Anonymous (Published in Muster Gesangbuch in 1677)

Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Thee will I cherish, thee will I honor,
Thou my soul's glory, joy, and crown.

Fair are the meadows, fair are the woodlands,
Robbed in the blooming garb of spring:
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.

Fair is the sunshine, fair is the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host:
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels heav'n can boast.

Beautiful Savior! Lord of the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forever more be thine.