Factual Friday: October

Fact: October used to be the eighth month in the old Roman calendar before January and February were added in the Gregorian calendar, hence the “octo-“ prefix (Latin for “eight”).
Bonus fact: In regular calendar years, January starts on the same day of the week as October, but in leap years no other month starts on the same day of the week as October.

As I have previously mentioned, I love fall. It is a reminder, however, that the year is now three-quarters over and less than 3 months remain until we ring in the New Year.

This year seems to have gone by so fast in many ways, yet in others it seems to have crawled by in slow motion. There is still a lot going on the rest of this year: my brother turns 22, littlest sister turns 8, family Disney cruise over Thanksgiving, a friend’s wedding, Holly’s departure, time with Dan, and Christmas followed closely by the New Year.

With all the time (or lack thereof) left in the year and everything happening, I was reminded of a passage in Scripture that speaks to seasons and the events that occur over the course of time:

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

My favorites from the list include laughing, dancing, throwing away (especially as I lose weight and get rid of too-big clothes!) and loving. But it also reminds me that there are times where there will be destruction, weeping, mourning, hating and war. How easy it would be to lose hope in the hard times after the joy we experience!

But only a few short verses later I’m reminded of who is in control:

Ecclesiastes 3: 11
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

We cannot understand why things go the way they do, but we can trust that it is God who is in control at all times. May the God who makes all things beautiful do so for you today, even in the hardest of circumstances.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Meghan

“And even when the trees have just surrendered
To the harvest time
Forfeiting their leaves in late September
And sending us inside
Still I notice You when change begins
And I am braced for colder winds
I will offer thanks for what has been and what’s to come
You are autumn”
~Nichole Nordeman, “Every Season”