November is still autumn. The flower of the month is the chrysanthemum (I didn't have a picture of mums, so I went with the marigolds instead!), and its birthstone is topaz. These are golden yellow in color, not red and green! Autumn leaves still cling to trees, hanging on for dear life before finally falling to the ground. It's a month for raking leaves and making our homes cozy for the coming winter months. And pumpkin spice drinks, along with delicious pumpkin breads and pies, should be enjoyed to their fullest.
November is a month with important holidays that shouldn't be overlooked. First of all, Election Day is the Tuesday immediately following the first Monday of the month. This is a day when Americans go to the polls to cast their ballots, deciding who will represent us in our government. We are blessed to have this right, and we should take it seriously. Next comes Veterans Day. Originally celebrated as Armistice Day, which commemorated the end of World War I, it later became a day for us to honor all of our military veterans. It is the sacrifice of these men and women that protects our freedom and our way of life.
And then comes Thanksgiving! Somehow, in our haste to celebrate Christmas, we have come to forget the story of the Pilgrims. We have forgotten about the sacrifice those brave men and women made for religious freedom. Traveling across the ocean to a wild land, they endured hardship and sickness and death so that they could freely worship God. At the end of their first year on a new continent, they set aside a day to give thanks to God for His blessings. Interestingly, the Pilgrims did not celebrate Christmas.
So I say, let's make the most of November. Let's get out and vote. Let's honor our veterans. And as we roast those turkeys and bake those pies, let's celebrate Thanksgiving with our families and friends and remember how blessed we are. After those leftovers are refrigerated and the dishes are washed, then we can think about Christmas!
Happy November!
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