Just as autumn brings the beauty of falling leaves, going outdoors frees us to shed busyness and draws us closer to God and each other.
When we take the time to leave the four walls of where we make a life, we give ourselves permission to stop and enjoy the life we’ve been given.
We let our souls breathe.
We say to ourselves: we want to live more than functional lives. We want to enjoy God’s company and the people we love.
Rest. Isn’t that what we really crave down in our tired bodies and over-analytical minds?
When God finished a busy workweek, God took an entire day off to stop and enjoy His work.
Isn’t that what we do when we encounter nature? We stand still at a sunset. We freeze our steps as a bird darts across a hiking trail and somehow our body knows beaches are for lingering.
Rest is the finale of a workweek.
Today, I’d like to share one of the ways my family and I stop to enjoy God and each other on the weekends. I’m sharing an excerpt from an article I wrote for Crosswalk.com — published hot and fresh just last week —
“Top 10 Fall Outdoor Activities To Grow Closer To God And Each Other”
To keep our bodies and hearts familiar with rest, my family and I have prioritized living a restful life.
One ingredient to a restful lifestyle is spending time together outdoors.
Now, before you picture me in Birkenstocks and imagine only granola bars inside my backpack, I want you to know that simplicity is what underlines our family’s outdoor activities.
We are not super adventuresome. With kids so young, there is a limit to how long we can spend outdoors without needing a bathroom nearby or a stroller for a tired toddler.
The key is this: keep things simple.
Keep Things Simple
My husband and I try to keep things simple, so that we’ll want to go outdoors. Make it too complicated and we wouldn’t dare attempt it.
We’ve given our outings a name, so our kids can get excited about them: “Family Adventures”. Actually, they are mostly two hour outings that have us outside on the weekend.
If we end up more rattled about what we’re doing rather than enjoying each other’s company, we change it so it’s simpler.
This is how we can model God’s rest to our children — be restful!
As for growing closer to God, children experience love and intimacy through spending time with their parents. There is a time and place for teaching Biblical principles, reading Scripture, and praying together.
For us, spending time outdoors is focused on relational closeness — the glue that makes the reality of God stick on their hearts and reach into their souls.
Being outdoors is a great way for children to experience quietness, without television, music, or anything electronic. It sets the stage for quiet walks with God later as they grow older. There will be opportunities later to try some mini-journaling outings.
What do you say?
10 Fall Outdoor Activities
To whet your appetite, I’d like to share my list of Fall Outdoor Activities To Grow Closer To God and Each Other.
This list can kick start some ideas for families with young children, but I’m counting on you to adapt it for your family’s personality, local climate, as well as for the single person.
1. Biggest Pine Cone Walk (Save the pine cones for home fall decoration that last through to Christmas). Take a walk around your neighborhood and collect pine cones. My bag fills up quickly, so I tell the kids to find the three biggest pine cones or the ones that aren’t as cracked/broken. It is fun to put them in a bowl and the kids love pointing out whose is whose.
2. Colorful Leaves Collection Walk (Tape the biggest ones to construction paper and pin them on our message board). Take another walk on a different day to have them collect different colored leaves. Return home and pick a handful to put up. I am craft challenged, so this is just my simple version showcasing their leaves. I’m sure others of you more crafty have more artistic ideas.
3. Fly a kite. It’s breezy enough. Warning: this requires more running than actual flying.
4. Pack a lunch and go play at a park. It’s often empty and quiet Saturday mornings. Make sure you put in some treats you usually don’t have during the week. It makes it extra fun.
5. Invite one other family to meet up with your family at the park. Keep it small to encourage “real life” conversations which children will overhear and soak in relational conversations.
6. Google the state parks around you and plan for a 30 minute “hike”. To keep kids entertained, we tell them to look out for banana slugs, squirrels, birds, or lizards. We make a big deal when they find one. It keeps them walking and busy. Distance is not the goal. Just time together.
7. Have a leaf “boat race” at a nearby creek. Drive to a nearby creek and just walk down to the water and throw pebbles. Then, each pick a leaf and float them downstream for a fun race. Be sure to pack bring an extra pair of dry socks and shoes.
8. Grab some sweatshirts and picnic on the beach. The beach is breezy at this time, but so very quiet and beautiful. The ocean becomes backdrop for food, pastries, coffee, and sand toys (books for the older kids.)
9. Train Ride. Take a train ride together and walk to a nearby sandwich shop or cafe. Surprise your kids with some an inexpensive toy (Hotwheels are great and so are coloring books).
10. Play tourist. Grab a tourist book from your library and take in the sights. Take lots of pictures, buy candied apples and enjoy an ice cream cone. What tourists do best is enjoy wasting time. Some of our most memorable family adventures, like ferry rides, wondering along the waterfront, have come from pretending to be tourists during the fall, when there are fewer tourists.
No matter what you do, keep it simple. Focus on whatever is restful and spend time with each other.
After a tough work week, wouldn’t it be great to enjoy a God-inspired finale: rest?
You will be creating memories of resting together as a family, enjoying the outdoors and the beautiful coolness and warmth of fall.
“The whole earth is at rest and is quiet; They break forth into shouts of joy.” Isaiah 14:7
~~~~~
How does your family stop and enjoy God and each other through the outdoors?
What are your fall outdoor activities?
Pull up a chair. I love company and enjoy hearing your thoughts. Click to share a comment.
~~~~~
** Don’t miss! ** If you are new to Faith Barista, I’d like to invite you to join me on my journey this month — 31 Days to Feed Your Soul. Click to subscribe by email and get each post in this series served up hot and fresh directly in your mailbox.
~~~~~
To catch up and read the earlier posts in this series —
{ Day 1 } :: Hunger
{ Day 2 } :: Dare To Sleep
{ Day 3 } :: True Escape
22 Comments
A cancer diagnosis for our 4 year old and the battle that followed, left our family of six scattered and confused and distant. We are still finding pieces of our former life as we all attempt to figure out where to go from here.
This weekend we will join other families who have walked the same road as we have. Some of us still have our children beside us, while others have an empty bedroom to avoid every day.
But we will all be together, celebrating fall at its finest; pumpkin carving, campfires, canoeing, our own spot in the town parade, and always new friends.
Somehow, when our family is outdoors, we are able to breath a little easier. The tension dissipates. We have room to spread out. Laughter returns. We relax and enjoy each others company. It is a beautiful thing….
*tears* So beautiful – what you shared. I hope you have a tender time this weekend, Julie and feel Jesus through bearing the burden together with others.
Thank you, Bonnie. You amaze me with your ability and willingness to respond directly to our comments. A generous act that speaks loudly into my life. May God single you out today with His anointing and focused love.
Rest my favorite pastime, and fall is the perfect season to rest. I love your list of family adventures! I will be trying them with my little brother. 🙂 One of my favorite ways to rest is sitting by a fire-pit (just bought one Friday- eek!) roasting hotdogs and making s’mores!
Oh, that is extravagant rest, Jennifer! chocolate sweetness by light at night. *swooning*
I love to take time to rest after a busy week. However, it seems that my husband and I haven’t taken much time for this. In the past, I remember how we used to take long bike rides along our canal system here in Phoenix. We’d reach our destination which happened to be a coffee shop and then head home; such fun memories. Your post prompted me to consider beginning this once again, especially since the temperatures finally dipped below triple digits in Phoenix. 🙂
I love your great ideas for times to spend with your family. Having fun is an ingredient that is so important. Laughter is wonderful medicine for the soul. Your children will treasure the memories of these times as they grow up.
I remember growing up and having fond memories of clamming and crabbing. We lived on Long Island across from the boat docks. We’d bring the crabs home and boil them on the barbecue and invite the neighbors over to enjoy. The evening would end with a volleyball game. Bonnie, I almost forgot about those memories until reading of your family’s adventures. Thank you for that my friend.
Blessings and much love to you,
Debbie
*sigh* These memories you shared. They make our soul rich. Thanks for taking us back there for a moment with sweet growing-up Debbie. Yes, that canal bike ride sounds like it’s whispering to you…
Great ideas for family time. I’ve always called these times, “going on an Adventure”. One of the fondest memories I have from when I was married was when we’d go to an old fort and pretend we were spies needing to avoid the enemies, unwittingly played by all the other visitors to the fort. We’d roam around the complex for hours doing our best not to be seen or heard by them. It was a blast.
A-ha! You’re an actress… An female action super star, Diane! 🙂
Faith, all your ideas made me wish my children were little again! We used to do so many of those things and your post made me realize how much I miss it! Now, I guess, I wait until grandkids come along!!
What sweet memories you have, Kim!
“somehow our body knows beaches are for lingering.” They do don’t they! I think it the awesome wonder of them that rests the mind, but our bodies respond as well. Loved that. Brrrrrrrr….it is freezing here in VA this morning. My beagle Flash is curled up at my feet. Just the thought of a warm beach is delightful. When I think of fall activities I think of church activities. The picnic, the stew, the pumpkin roll making, Operation Christmas Child, etc. Since I stepped down from the youth pastor position I really had not thought about family activities past this summer. Thanks for the list. I look forward to a bonfire, pumpkin carving, and trying some of the things on your list.
Oh, that is a blessing to think of memories of your church family, Melinda! I once served in youth ministry too… Oh, I can’t believe how many pizzas I ate — and I still love pizza!
Our family is getting good at making the most out of any period of time. We have a “Bucket List” type thing going on the back of our door. And, if we find we have an hour or a couple hours, we check the list.
Sure, we can be lumps on a couch like anyone else. And, lump time – if we’re together – can be good time, too.
But, we try to get out to state parks, collect pinecones – so many of the things you talked about. It would be great to take a week vacation. But, if we make the most of an hour or two, we are blessed.
Dana — I LOVE the bucket list on the back door idea! I think the kids will have fun brainstorming it together. Thank you! Yes, those simple one or two hours over time become the rich stuff everyday nostalgia later. Don’t you think? 🙂
We take adventures, too. They are simple and usually always outdoors in the woods, in the high desert, or someplace remote and away from people. The last adventure had us hiking for seven hours, cresting the top of Mt. Humphrey’s at 12,600 feet. It was exhilarating. We carried a lunch with us and enjoyed life. Sometimes, our real simple adventures are just a jaunt to the coffee shop to relax.
Sounds awesome. You’re a serious hiker, girl!
Thank you for blessing my life with this AWSOME outdoor activities. It’s remind me when we live in Virginia two years ago. I was living in Texas before we moved there; I enjoy my 8 month ther. God bless me in every season, and FALL was my favorite. Now we are back to Texas I for me it’s not the same because were I live the seasons are not as marked as in other places. Anyway this weekend I’m gonna have one of the best adventures with my family. I’m going through a process of new beginnings and in good time this blog came into my life. Thanks for being a blessing to me.
Love it! #2 is a favorite, and whether it is affixing them for a paper display, framing on black velvet for a wall, or taking pictures of them, they all bring peace remembering the day they were found!
Marina
http://marinaskitchentable.blogspot.com
One of our families favorite activities outdoors in autumn was raking leaves into huge piles and diving in! Even my daughter with special needs can enjoy this, and I have past Christmas photo cards of the kids with just heads poking out to prove it! This was a favorite from the time they were little to into the teenage years. One year when I felt too busy to take the time, my boys begged until I gave in! They knew we needed the togetherness and I needed the rest! Thanks, Bonnie, for another great post!
I love your list of fall activities. We’re big onfall hiking, and I love to simply celebrate the season by going to the farmers’ market with my husband every weekend. We can walk through the market and the gradual shift in seasons makes its way through the farmers’ stalls of produce. I love the challenge of seeing what has changed from week to week and deciding what to cook for us.
We only spend 1 hr a week in church and for me, we can even spend more than that by praying before and after bed…