October First!

Gosh, this is one of my most favorite days of the year, and yet... I forgot it! All day I was thinking that it was the last day of September. Even in my new journal I wrote the wrong date, wishing I would be patient enough to begin the journal entries on October 1st! LOL And then, just a bit ago (and it's early evening now), I visited a blog that had the October 1, 2009 as the date. I said to myself, "Oh, where does she live that it's already the first?" OHBROTHER!



Now, wanna know why I love this month???

1. To me, this is the official day of Fall; I don't care what the calendar says!
2. It's my birthday month - and I am not opposed to celebrating the entire 22 days
leading up to it! Don't even think that all those birthday tablecloths, cups,
plates, etc. should be used only once a year...
3. It's the month my BFF and I take our girlfriend weekend getaway.
4. The weather is cooler, football nights are cozier.
5. It's almost time to push the button and turn on our fake fireplace and snuggle in
the loveseat under a flannel quilt I made Superman, years ago.
6. Oh, and what about picnics in the park or our own back lawn? Wanna come over?
7. And what about Disneyland? This year I Disney is giving me a free ticket!!! I'm coming, Mickey!!!!
8. I'll stop now, but the list could keep on going.... Why do you love October???

Okay, so, I don't make it a habit to let others read my journal. But, since I didn't have any hatred for anyone or anything like that, I decided it was safe. Now you can see that I had that silly date wrong. No matter, it's all put to rights now, and this all is a perfect intro to the little lesson the Lord gave me last night...

I had gone to lunch with a friend and she was sharing how the Lord told her that when He said, "Rejoice always," that it was a command, not an option...oh...in all circumstances, not just the happy fall ones. "But it's so hard!" she bemoaned. And I bemoaned with her, knowing just how hard certain circumstances make it seem so!

But then, I come home and am cramming to finish my Bible lesson for our home group that night, and lo and behold, what do you think was question #last? Yep, it was all about 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 - right where "Rejoice always" is housed.

Anyhoo, I'm reading the verses, but the Spirit is showing me something fun. Nothing that Thomas Nelson would pay me to write a book about, mind you, but fun and applicable to life.

Okay, follow along with me. So, we are to rejoice always. Sometimes it's hard, and of course the Lord knew this long ago. So, the next verse is pray without ceasing. Gosh, this is help. I mean, have you ever thought to pray, "Lord, help me to rejoice in this particular trial that stinketh?" Well, now we have. And then, if that still doesn't cut the mustard, then the very next command is give thanks in everything. Thankful hearts are happy hearts and happy hearts rejoice...always. AND THEN, if we are really, really stubborn, and are standing firm in our unrejoicing ways, then hear ye, hear ye the next command: DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT. BOOM!

So, like I said, I don't think any of my commentaries would quite teach that lesson (and I will look at some this weekend), but for me, for now, the Lord knew how to put an end to my excuse making ways and get me on the rejoicing side!

What do you think???? Tell me all about it! :)