Pastor Ron Burcham, Risen Savior Lutheran Church
Pastor Ron Burcham, Risen Savior Lutheran Church
November is like the forgotten month, nothing special going on. I can hear your objections already. “What about Thanksgiving?” you cry; how could I forget about Thanksgiving? I haven’t forgotten about Thanksgiving; it seems to me it’s more about the official start to the Christmas season than it is a day to give thanks for all that we have. Thanksgiving is the one day a year you want to make sure you get the newspaper, so you can view all the ads. A few years back, you had to wait until Friday to get all the super spectacular, never-before-seen, practically-giving-it-away deals. Now, you no sooner eat your last bite of turkey, and the stores are opening their doors. Therefore, Thanksgiving is like the official opening of the Christmas season. So, November is really the month you have to get through before Christmas finally arrives.
It seems like November gets gypped. September is the beginning of fall and football! Lots to celebrate and get excited about there. October is filled with Oktoberfest celebrations, and who doesn’t like brats, beer and grown men confident enough to wear lederhosen?! October is also when we stop having triple-digit highs, and the mornings/evenings are gorgeous! Lots to love about October. We already covered December with Christmas and, of course, January is all about a fresh start with a new year.
November needs its own, oh, I don’t know (get ready for a shameless plug) … NovemberFest on perhaps November 4th! It is my church, after all, so you can’t blame me for giving it a plug and, besides, it’s brats and beer for those who didn’t get enough in October.
In reality, November doesn’t need a special day, nor does any other month. In reality, every month, every week and every day is special in and of itself.
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:124)
Which day is the Psalmist writing about? Today, tomorrow and the next day, because every day is a day that the Lord has made. No matter what may come of the day, it is a day that He created and we are privileged to live in. One day might bring pain, but that usually results in great strength. Another day may be filled with great joy, and the memory of that joy gets us through the pain-filled ones. When we open our eyes to see each day as one that God has made, it changes our whole perspective.
Holidays and special events are great and deserve special celebrations, but each day is an opportunity to live for the one who created it.