The Fourth Quarter
This is my favorite time of year. The three months of October, November, and December are the best if you ask me. Why? Let’s get right to the list.
- Football
- Apple cider
- The colors of autumn
- Fall sports tournaments
- Cool temps
- Flannel shirts
- My birthday
- Pumpkin pie, pumpkin roll, pumpkin spice latte, etc
- Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, etc.
- The Ohio State-Michigan game
- Apple-butter making
- Bonfires/firepits on cool nights
- Big family breakfasts
- Family coming into town
- Christmas music (after Thanksgiving IMHO)
- Vacation time
- Malls at Christmas
- Snow
- My wedding anniversary
- Christmas concerts
- Shopping on Christmas Eve
- Bowl games
- Christmas Eve service
- Gift giving
- Board games with family
- Late nights & carefree mornings
It’s just one big party for three months with some work mixed in! Ok, it’s mostly work for the fourth quarter of the year, but there’s so much to anticipate every week.
I think this time of year also appeals to me because it marks the end of harvest. And harvest means that you worked hard for months. Harvest means all the hard work was worth it. Harvest means God blessed.
Jesus used the season of harvest to teach about His second coming. That gets my attention too. His story of the wheat and tares (weeds) points to the end of the age when believers and non-believers will be sorted from the field of this world into their eternal destinies.
One of my favorite songs during this season of Thanksgiving is “Come Ye Thankful People Come” which poetically captures Jesus’ thoughts on harvest.
“We ourselves are God’s own field, fruit unto his praise to yield;
Wheat and tares together sown unto joy or sorrow grown;
First the blade and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be.”
In November, for probably 15 years, our family has memorized and reviewed Philippians 4:11-13 as we tune our hearts for the Thanksgiving holiday. I’ll leave you with just verse 11 – “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.”
During this season contentment and gratitude abound. Because of everyday graces and because of transforming grace.