October Musings ⋆ A Delightful Glow

I fully intended to post my October Musings last week.
It didn’t happen.

O B V I O U S L Y.

Here we are at the very end of this week!
This past Sunday evening, we hosted a hayride, and dips and chips, and a campfire for our neighboring young people. I spent a bit of time preparing food last week. Renae did most of the cleaning and some food prep as well. We pulled out favorite recipes and we also bought some prepared food items.
Renae wanted to serve a pumpkin cake roll from the Food Store she works at. They also had maple kisses and chocolate-covered peanuts and sour green apple slices. Perfect candy for fall.
We added glazed donuts and crullers and chocolate peanut butter cake and apple crisp and Scotcheroos to our dessert lineup. It was fun to offer a fall-themed feast of sweet treats. {Baking is my favorite.} {And it all sounded yummy.}
Our dips were Bean Dip, Cheesy Meat Dip, Queso Dip, and Guacamole Dip.
We sliced apples and bought caramel dip.
And finally, a big bowl of mixed nuts and a tray of pepperjack, cojack, and mozzarella cheese cubes.
It wouldn’t have been an autumn party without hot drinks, so we brewed coffee and made this spiced cider in the instant pot.

Here’s to our lists for October….hit reply and tell me what you’ve been delighting in or creating, where you found beauty in October, your gratitude list and what you’re anticipating ahead!

1. ANTICIPATE

A few things I anticipate/am anticipating each week, month, or for the current season…

I’d love to know what is on your List of Anticipation!

5 Quick Things Newsletter from Tsh Oxenreider

Christmas Collection by Emily Lex

Grace Flame Candle ~ the proceeds support Mercy House

Cozy Christmas Wonderland Collection from Sew a Fine Seam

The London House by Katherine Reay

{affiliate links included in this post, comrade friends. thank you!}

2. BEAUTY

October wears her splendor in a gracious, abiding way.

The sky is a blue one can almost feel. It wraps itself around me easy-like, brushing bone-deep. I can almost reach, reach, reach and fingertip paint it.

Colors live vibrant in autumn. A showcase of deeper, brighter, richer.

A last hurrah as earth prepares to rest. To quiet. To exhale.

Here’s what I know.

Beauty and wonder shape the hearts of the beholders.

Rest and renewal make space for souls to breathe.

If we don’t give any of them intention or attention, we become people shaped by the lack left in our lives.

What splendor did you feel today?

3. CREATE

Prayers for the Writing Desk

“Lord Jesus Christ
Word from the Beginning
Word Made Flesh
Shape words also into speech
and bring them to print
that tell the truth
and speak your glory.”
Amen
~ Eugene Peterson

4. DELIGHT

The beauty of the ripened heads of milo always brings me joy. I like to “harvest” some with my scissors to create bouquets of fall beauty.

Also bringing me delight was receiving a box of children’s books from Zonderkidz. It included I Can Read books about Fiona. So super cute. There were also Beginner Bible board books and activity books.

My IG stories fiiiiiiinally received the link sticker this week and yes, I was very delighted, thanks for asking! 🙂 I probably won’t use it as often as I have thought I would, but nevertheless, it is very nice to have this handy-dandy option.

Speaking of stickers, I was absolutely delighted to have happy mail from Sketchy Sermons arrive in my mailbox. These stickers are awesome!

5. ENCOURAGE

“As the Puritan whose possessions were reduced to a single piece of bread and a single glass of water, said: ‘What? All this and Jesus Christ too?”

6. FAITH

“Cue the music again. Place fingers on piano keys.Tuck the violin under your chin. Pick up your drumsticks. Hold high the cymbals. Place your bow on the cello strings. Tune your harp. Grab the guitar. Celebrate Sanctuary!” ~ DJF

{read full post Sanctuary Offered in the Ordinary right over here}

I’ve been pondering this question….

“Did I do anything today to bring God pleasure?” ~ Philip Yancey

I think one answer may be….we bring God pleasure simply by belonging to Him. We’re His. His dearly beloved.
Just as my toddlers and beaming babies and chattering children brought me joy by their very existence, our God delights in us.

7. GRATITUDE

Delightfully grateful for:
• 75 degree days
• the beauty of the earth
• bike rides
• wheat in the ground
• white mini pumpkins
• chubby baby cheeks
• Jesus is Enough

What’s landing on your gratitude list this week?

1 Peter 1:6
“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.”

I tapped the microphone button on my phone and began to talk-the-text for this verse in 1 Peter. I noticed when I finished it had translated “many” as “mini.”
This puts a different spin on the interpretation.
I wonder, if perhaps, when we view our lives through a glass-not-so-darkly, with God-vision instead, if “many” may not fade away into “mini” after all.

Psalm 40:11
“Lord, you do not withhold your compassion from me. Your constant love and truth will always guard me.”

OF READING AND LISTENING…