As the name of my blog indicates, I spend a lot of time thinking about home. Of course, my Heavenly Home is the one that is eternal, so that’s where I need to lay up my treasures, and that’s the one I’m striving for. But in the meantime, I have been given this tiny piece of the here-and-now—this home on the edge of town, this family, this neighborhood—in which to serve Him. And, though this is in the earthly realm, I want the things that happen here to be investments in the Heavenly realm.




Thursday, November 1, 2018

Gathering the Moments of October



Oh, how I love October! 

I love its warm days, its cool nights. I love the crisp air. I love the color of pumpkins, gourds, berries, and turning leaves. I love October in the kitchen, making soup or a batch of pumpkin muffins.

This year . . . well, only about half of it seemed October-ish. It felt like summer until the middle of the month! 

But I loved it anyway! 

It was a good month. 


This year, October was birthdays (Ben's was a milestone: 10!) and pumpkin spice iced coffee and buying a new gourd every time I went grocery shopping. (You never know what you'll need on the Thanksgiving tables. Plus I never met a gourd I didn't like.) 

October was finally decorating for fall just before the birthday party. It was a new wreath for the front door. (Because I put the old one on the dining room table.) 

October was a senior trip, several days chock-full of learning, and walking, and memory-making.

And then another trip for Kati. A good trip.

October was an overnight camping trip for Ryan's family, along with four of Kristin's children, and Kati and Bekah. They ate around the campfire, played games, told stories, canoed, and kayaked. Ron and I stayed home with the granddog. And I nursed a cold.

(October was also lots of laundry after three consecutive trips!)

October was also a growing baby boy. (Be still my heart!) It was coffee and donuts with Peter. It was apple cake and Apples to Apples (the game).

It was lots of long distance communication.

October was a Shakespeare Reading Day and book club. It was piano lessons and voice lessons choir and plenty of time in the car. It was Morning Time with the book of Jonah and "Jesus Paid it All" and George Catlin and Stephen Foster and Gerard Manley Hopkins. 

















October was trying to hold on to the moments as life changes, as seasons of life begin, as some seasons of life draw to an end. 

And yet, we can't hold on to the moments. We can only gather them and store them in our hearts, thanking the Lord for His good gifts. Then we move ahead. 

"They who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true."
Frances Ridley Havergal



21 comments:

  1. Hey, we get to see you! Nice one of you and your daughter. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. I am so often behind the camera, Melissa! And I am usually not good at selfies, but I liked this one of Bekah and me together in the car. (A typical scene, these senior days.)

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  2. Yes, He is wholly true! His goodness is all over this post. His faithfulness to each of you. Happy November, Cheryl. May it bring more of His goodness!

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    1. Those are the best words: His goodness is all over this post. The best! He is good and true and faithful!

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  3. Loved this post. You are blessed! And thanks for the reminder from 'Stayed Upon Jehovah'. Just what I needed today.

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    1. So blessed, GrammaGrits! I am glad the words of the hymn ring true in your heart today!

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  4. Cheryl, it's so nice to catch up with you and your lovely moments of October. The blessings of family life is so evident and wonderful to view, my friend. But even more special is the heart filled love in your words for those blessings from Him. ♥

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    1. Great to hear from you, Martha Ellen! I know that October is a big month for you! Hope it has been joy-filled!

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  5. A full and beautiful October with your tribe. That sweet baby boy is so cute. Loved seeing the shot of you and Bekah, too. What a fun table you set. Singing along...

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  6. So many beautiful moments! I have always enjoyed how you've gathered the moments from the month and created a mosaic of those special moments.

    Wishing you a beautiful November ahead!
    Brenda xox

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    1. Thank you, Brenda . . . and a lovely November to you too!

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    1. losing comments here quite often...tonight I am on the PC so perhaps it is not all my fault. ☺

      Here's to a beautiful November with many blessings in store.

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    2. Ugh to the lost comments because I know it's frustrating. :(

      Wishing a beautiful November to you too!

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  8. This was a delightful post. You know how to stuff October full of joy and family and memories! Homeschool senior trips are great! I hope November is wonderful as well, as we approach Advent. That's how I'm trying to look at November this year. :-)

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    1. Thank you, Judy! It was certainly a full October this year . . . and, yes, full of good things!

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  9. I loved that you took the wreath off the door and put it on your dining room table. That's something I would do! Then when I saw the photo, it looked gorgeous.

    We have a new grandson born on Monday. That is #7 with our daughter having five kids and now our son and his wife have two, Piper and baby Oliver. Stephanie put a photo on Facebook of them in a restaurant (I think in Worcester maybe?) ordering "Cousin Oliver" burgers. ;)

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    1. House people are always tweaking, aren't we? ;)

      Happy congratulations to all of you on the safe arrival of Baby Oliver!! (I like the way Stephanie celebrates!)

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  10. October has slipped into November. Here our leaves are just turning but they will all be down by Christmas. Your October has been full (but I am guessing all your months are that way!) but some extra special things this month. Love your aerial shot of the table with "our" cups and saucers. As you move towards Thanksgiving I know you are filled with gratitude! As we all are. God is so good all the time. Dotsie

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  11. Dotsie, I almost feel like we have just sat down and had a chat over coffee. (We were probably sipping from "our" cups and saucers!) Indeed, our lives are full, and yes, there were some extra special things this month. And, absolutely, God is so good!!

    Thanks for dropping by for a chat!

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