Sep-Tober - It's Over. Whew!

The last two months have been an absolute flurry of activity and ministry opportunities for our church and for me personally. It has been a period of great blessing and near exhaustion, and one in which I am so thankful for how God has used our congregation.





The preview to September came on the last Sunday evening in August when we held an Ice Cream Social in the church gym, and a question and answer session regarding the proposed church constitution revision. The event was well attended and positive. All questions were appropriate and relevant and all were answered fully by members of our Constitution Review Committee. I cannot say enough about how faithful Terry Perdue, June Ashworth, David Thompson, Charley Dygert, Jon Blatt, and Barbara Tarter were to the difficult task they had in rewriting our church constitution - simplifying our structure, plainly stating our mission, and moving much of the extraneous material to our Policy and Procedure Manual. With our new Constitution ratified, and our four "Mission Teams" in place, our church is now poised for effective ministry in the 21st Century. The task before is now is to "Just Do It"!



Upward Basketball and Cheerleading brochures had to be completed and ordered in the first week of September.



By the second week of September "First Place for Health" was underway, and our student ministry had already held their second "Fifth Quarter" post football game celebration of the season.



The Third week of September was a biggun'! It started off on Sunday with our annual Church Picnic at CSX Park. It was a great time of fellowship for our church family as well as a number of visitors. Then came Wednesday with the regular quarterly church business meeting. In this meeting The church approved the new constitution with no debate or opposition. This was a great conclusion to 15 months of hard work by the review committee. In the same business meeting the church called Stephen "Bub" Amis as our new Youth Pastor and Director of Student Ministry. Bub is a great asset to the ministry team of Westmoreland Baptist. Joseph Spurgeon also began to serve as volunteer Director of Children's Ministry, overseeing Children's Church and handling the transition in our Children's Ministry from AWANA to TeamKID.



On Friday evening and Saturday morning of that same week, 21 of our people attended a Church Leadership Retreat, staying the night in the new conference center of the Greenup Baptist Association in Cannonsburg, KY. It was a great time of fellowship and vision sharing with many of the leaders of our church in attendance. Jim Drake, Pastor of Brush Fork Baptist Church in Bluefield, WV was our guest speaker for the weekend.



The Fourth week of September included the Greater Huntington Baptist Association Executive Board meeting, and our newly revived Women's Fellowship had a kick off dinner on that Tuesday. Saturday morning saw 30 men come together for the "Bigger Breakfast", and beginning of a 40 day prayer initiative for men.



The first week of October kicked off this busy month with our four day crusade with "Team Intense". Mitch Hodge, of Boise, Idaho, and Kathy Bertram, of Biloxi, Mississippi performed feats of strength and shared their testimonies and the life changing power of the Gospel in six school assemblies and four nights of ministry at the church. In three days, Westmoreland Baptist Church had opportunity to impact the lives of more than 1700 students and their teachers during the day, and share the Gospel with all who attended the evening services at the church. 58 recorded decisions were made for Christ, and one marriage was salvaged as a result of the Crusade. Praise God!



That same week, the "Pairs and Spares" Sunday School Class, ministered to 87 people in a free clothing distribution in their Garments of Grace Clothing Ministry. Next distribution will be Saturday morning, November 6th.



The church celebrated Communion on Sunday morning, October 10th and we had the kickoff of the new TeamKid children's ministry that same evening. I spent most of that week in New Orleans for my Trustee Meeting at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and had opportunity to get in quality time with our NOLA family. I got back in town in time to help set up for the first annual "Light for the Islands" 5K Run/Walk for our Philippine mission work which took place on Saturday the 16th. 63 Runners and walkers helped us raise nearly $1500 for the purchase of Philippine Cebuano Dialect Bibles. A tremendous amount of the success of this project is owed to the efforts of the Davis family. Rhonda, Ed, Jamie and John, thank you so much. You are loved and appreciated!



The next week was supposed to be more or less catch up time on office work and Upward Basketball meetings and other responsibilities, while preparing for the next upcoming events. But I was surprised by an outpouring of love for Pastor Appreciation month (on Sunday the 17th) and a mega surprise birthday party on Wednesday the 20th. Linda really pulled THAT one over on me. I am so thankful that my son Jay, from New Orleans, my brother Carl, from Atlanta, and Aunt Dori, from Houston, were able to join all of the local family here, along with my church family, to make my 60th birthday something really memorable.

That Saturday I served as moderator of the Greater Huntington Baptist Association Annual Meeting at First Baptist Church of Kenova.



The final week of October was jam packed with activity. I preached Sunday through Wednesday evenings in Revival services at Lloyd, Kentucky's First Baptist Church. Tuesday and Thursday were the funeral services for Frank Dowdy and Leona Calhoun, respectively in Ashland and Huntington. Then on Thursday night we hosted more than 400 children and adults in our church gym for a safe and warm Fall Festival for the children of our community.



During this same 8 week period, I did have the usual sermon prep and pulpit duties, along with hospital visits and church administrative stuff to keep up with. I also found time to take my father in law and his lady friend to a Reds game in Cincinnati (her first - his second), attend several of my grandson's football games, attend my father in law's 89th birthday celebration, preach at the homecoming service at Wayside Baptist Church in Boyd Co. KY, counsel and marry one couple, offer an invocation at a Spring Valley High School Soccer game, go to five different doctor appointments, attend a B.A.L.L. team seniors lunch, attend several weekly pastor prayer meetings, three mentoring meetings with a young minister, attend the Holy Fest concert, and went with Linda to her High School Reunion in Belfry, KY.



Tomorrow morning will be "Youth Sunday" at the church. We'll have our 5th Sunday Fellowship Dinner afterward, and "Faith in Action" tomorrow evening. Instead of regular Sunday night service tomorrow evening we will be going into the community doing various ministry projects in the name of Jesus.

At that point, Sep-Tober will be officially over. Whew!

I plan to be in the office Monday through Wednesday on the first week of November, and then attend the West Virginia Convention of Southern Baptists' Pastors Conference and Annual Meeting, Thursday through Friday at Fairleigh, WV, where I will be nominating Seth Polk for his second term as WVCSB President. Upward Basketball and Cheerleading evaluations are the next week, and then... THEN... we should get back to a more manageable routine.



It sure is going to be nice to get back to normal.



Hey, wait a minute! Isn't this the Christmas season coming up???

Be The Church

On the last Sunday evening in October, Westmoreland Baptist Church is going to do something a little different than the routine regular Sunday evening service. We are asking our members to put their Faith in Action.
James 1: 22 says “…But be doers of the word, and not hearers only…” and that is the idea. We will be cancelling the REGULAR Sunday evening service routine, and will gather for prayer and then go out to do ministry to our community.

At our 5th Sunday dinner, we will have several local mission projects to choose from. They will range from a list of homebound people or shut ins to be visited … to passing out literature in the community … prayer walking assignments … house cleaning work for a widow … helping the members of the Pairs and Spares Class in the clothing closet… working in the food pantry … working on the gym floor for our Upward outreach ministry … and other possible projects. All of these will be outreach (mission) projects for right here in our community.

We will meet at the Church at 5:30 for prayer time, and then we will go out “on mission”. Even the TeamKID children and the Youth Group will be taking part in the activities. I urge each of our members to chose a project from the ones which will be advertised at the dinner, (or come up with one of your own) and spend a couple of hours on Sunday evening being “doers of the word and not hearers, only”. Next Wednesday evening we will share our experiences at prayer meeting.

James continued in his epistle with these words of wisdom - “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” James 2:14-18

6 - OH!

Today is a birthday that I never thought I would see. Not only is it the 60th milestone, but the fact is that it is "bonus birthday" number four by my count.

Most of you know the story, and I won't burden you with all the details again, but for those who may be new readers - or just surfing by - allow me to recount the main points.

Just after my 54th Birthday, (six years ago) they dropped the bomb on me. Colon Cancer. Metastatic colon cancer. Conventional wisdom was that I may not live to see my 56th birthday. The malignancy had already spread throughout my liver and lymph nodes. Diagnosis was "Stage 4, Incurable". Prognosis was not good. 18 to 22 months average survival time. There was major surgery to remove much of my colon, several other surgical procedures followed. There were two six month courses of hard, debilitating chemotherapy, separated by a few short months of remission. And then... Nothing.

"You will never be cancer free" my doctor told me. "The cancer cells have spread throughout your body through the blood stream, and we will need to monitor it, because it will come back somewhere" he said.

And monitor it they have.

Since my last chemo treatment I make a monthly trip to the Ashland Bellefonte Cancer center to have my medi-port flushed. While there, they do monthly blood work to check the CEA level (those are the bad guys - a marker that colon cancer leaves in your bloodstream) and other basic blood levels such as hemoglobin, white blood cell count, platelets, etc. There have been quarterly CT scans of my abdomen and pelvic area. Every six months I have a PET Scan of my entire body looking for tumors "as small as the head of a pin". I see my oncologist every couple of months, as he looks over all the reports, and pokes and prods me all around the stomach, groin, and under my arms, feeling (I suppose) for swollen lymph nodes or other tell tell signs of trouble.

So far, so good.

The point is this. I should have been dead four years ago. It is so easy to question why I am still here, when others are gone. I have several friends who were diagnosed after me, and have already passed away. I have even officiated at the funerals of two folks with whom I took chemotherapy.

Why?

I don't know. But I know that God does. So I will not question. I will feel no guilt. I will take no credit.

What I will do today is to enjoy this milestone that He has allowed me to reach. I will rejoice in each additional day He grants me.

I will rejoice that God has given me more years with my best friend and love of my life, Linda. I will relish the fact that I have been blessed to live to see my grandsons grow and to have time to build a special relationship with each of them. I will be thankful for having seen my sons become men of whom I am proud to have raised, and to see them lead their own families in a Godly path. I will be thankful for a wonderful church congregation that stood by me in my darkest hours, and continue to support me as I try to lead them in my 8th year as their pastor. I will rejoice in each day - in its blessings and its challenges.

I will be thankful and appreciative to Dr. Kirti Jain and the wonderful staff at Ashland Bellefonte Cancer Center, and all of the other medical professionals who have worked with me for the past six years.

But most of all, I will thank my God, who in his Sovereign plan, has not only spared my life, but has redeemed my never dying soul, and has ordered my steps and put a new song in my heart. Let me close with the words of the 40th Psalm:

"I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.

Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust,who does not turn to the proud,to those who go astray after a lie! You have multiplied, O Lord my God,your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.

In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”

I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord. I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.

As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me! For evils have encompassed me beyond number; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart fails me.

Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me! Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether who seek to snatch away my life; let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt! Let those be appalled because of their shame who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!” As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God! (ESV)

Just Thinkin'

It is a common thing here in south Louisiana for alligators to be spotted in the swamps or bayou. It's something entirely different when a 5'7" gator is taken from the waters of the upper Mud River, just south of Hamlin, West Virginia! Lincoln County, West Virginia is a rugged rural area, tucked between the counties of Cabell, Wayne, Boone, Kanawha, and Logan. There are several things found in abundance in Lincoln County. There are coal reserves, timber, natural gas deposits, lots of fish and wildlife, and more Adkinses than you can shake a stick at. In studying my genealogy, I have learned that the first Adkinses in West Virginia migrated to the Mud River area from Wales, by way of Henrico County, Virginia. Our family's "Old Home Place" is on nearby 14 Mile Creek, and ours is probably the most prominent surname in Lincoln, and nearby Wayne Counties.

I'm sure my distant cousins do their share of hunting and fishing, but I dare say that none of them have ever come across any critter like the one that the WV Department of Natural Resources personnel shot and removed from the waters of the "Mighty Mud" earlier this week. DNR officials say that the reptile appeared to be half grown and they had no explanation as to how the prehistoric looking creature found itself in the shallow waters of southern West Virginia. Speculation is that someone probably brought home a cute baby alligator from some vacation trip to the coastal areas of the southeast USA. Whenever it got to be too big to handle and a hassle to feed, splash! into the river he was chucked.

However it may have found its way to the banks of the Mud River, it certainly raised some eyebrows among local fishermen who crossed paths with it and promptly informed the DNR of its presence. All the fishermen, that is, except one guy who told a local TV station, "I didn't report it. Heck, I didn't even tell my wife! Who would have believed me?"

*******

"Dancing With The Stars" is a television phenomenon watched regularly by millions of Americans. I can honestly say that even though many of my friends, and some of my family rarely miss the show, I have never seen a single episode.

By watching cable news, however, I have had a vague awareness of some of the "celebrities" who have appeared on the series, and the general concept of how it works. Apparently, like American Idol, Big Brother, Survivor, and other such reality shows, someone is voted off the show periodically, as the field is narrowed down to the best celebrity dancer.

In the news this morning, the big story is that the two celebrities up for elimination last night were Bristol Palin (daughter of the former Alaska Governor and Vice Presidential candidate) and some guy known as "The Situation" from "Jersey Shore" (another program I have avoided like the plague). Now, I believe in the live and let live philosophy, and in the words of those great philosophers, Sly and the Family Stone, "Different strokes for different folks". However, this reality show genre is just a little hard for me to swallow.

If that is your thing, OK. Enjoy. I hope that "The Situation"'s ejection and Bristol's survival meets with your approval. I personally think the whole thing is "chewing gum" for the eyes and brain. (For What It's Worth).

*******

On the REAL NEWS front, however, what about those miners in Chile who have been trapped underground for 70 days? I'm sure that everyone from mining country is watching with interest this morning, as the 33 men are slowly being safely brought to the surface, one by one. This rescue effort has been a triumph of ingenuity, technology, and international cooperation.

Apart from the fear of drowning, my greatest phobia is that of being trapped underground. These guys were trapped for 17 days, with no one knowing whether or not they were dead or alive. Imagine the angst of the families and loved ones above, who agonized over the unknown fate of their loved ones for more than two weeks, before learning that all 33 miners were indeed alive and safe in an underground refuge after the August 5th tragedy.

The first estimates were that a rescue was possible, but that it would most likely take until Christmas time to drill a suitable way of escape. The world's attention was riveted to the reports coming out daily about the progress. One could only speculate how deplorable and maddening the conditions must have been in that 600 square foot (would be) tomb for 70 days. But last night, rescue efforts began to move the men one by one from their underground prison. As of this writing, the tenth miner is slowly being brought to the surface. The whole operation will probably take a little more than 33 hours to complete. The world will sit with fingers crossed that each man will be safely delivered to his loving family.

Only time will tell the physical and emotional toll that these 70 days of trauma will take on these miners. One thing is for certain, however. All of us who have lost loved ones to underground mining accidents are rejoicing today with those families in Chile, whom we have never met, but with whom we feel an inseparable bond.

God Speaks

The poet/warrior/shepherd/ and great King of Israel - David - the son of Jesse - is called a man after God's own heart. He was a man who could hear God speak. In the 19th Psalm, David tells us how God speaks (not in an audible voice - but much louder than that!)

This Psalm tells us that God speaks through Creation, through His Word, and through us.

See how He speaks through His creation in verses 1-6.

'The heavens declare the glory of God,and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech,and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words,whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth,and their words to the end of the world.In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens,and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat. "

Consider also, how He speaks through His word in verses 7-11

"The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul;the testimony of the Lord is sure,making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure,enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean,enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true,and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward."

Then He tells how He speaks through us, His people in verses 12-14

"Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer."

No one can silence, or pervert how God speaks through His awesome creation. It is what it is! Some may argue or dispute over the interpretation of certain passages of His inspired Word, but that does not negate the fact that it has stood the test of time, and speaks clearly in His message of holiness, sin, redemption, love and grace.

The big question is, "Does He speak through us"?

David prays that the meditations of his heart and the words of his mouth might be acceptable in God's sight.

Wow!

How many times do our words bring honor to God, and how often do we dishonor Him through our speech? There is power in the tongue. Power to speak life, and power to communicate evil. Yet David hits on something that is most important here. The words of our mouths are important, but in reality they are only the communication of the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Those things upon which we meditate are the things that dictate what we speak.

Do you ever dwell on thoughts that you know are contrary to what is acceptable to the Father? I am ashamed to admit that there have been times that I have. Invariably, such thoughts will go directly to the tongue! How tragic to think that we might bring reproach on the Father, through corrupt communication.

God speaks so clearly and powerfully through creation and through His word. Let us join David in a prayer that He will also speak distinctly through us. He will, but we must be sure that the meditations of our thoughts and the words of our mouth will be acceptable in His sight. After all, He IS our rock and our redeemer!

Full Flight Blues

My plane just arrived at gate 13A at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. We are due to leave at 10:30 pm. Should arrive in New Orleans at 11:30 Central time (half past midnight to my Eastern Time Zone body).

You always find yourself hoping there will be an empty seat beside you, since coach is like riding in a cattle car.

I asked the lady at the gate if there were any exit rows or bulkhead seats available, in hopes of being able to stretch the legs a bit. She told me what I was afraid I would hear. "The aircraft is basically full. Only two seats are open as of now."

Neither of them were an exit row or bulkhead seat, so I can just cross my fingers that one of the two empties is next to me. (but the odds aren't too good)

At least I am in an aisle seat, and I do plan on sleeping on this flight. Hopefully my snoring won't keep anyone else awake.

Either way, New Orleans, here I come!

Loving the Lord's Church

This article is not original with me. I got it from Joe McKeever, whom I am proud to call my friend. I assume it is original with Joe. At any rate, I have a copy of this article framed and on my office wall. I also have a framed copy on the wall in the "crossroads" section of the building with connects the worship center with the educational and office wing of the church. I do not know how many of our folks have stopped to read it, but it is so powerful that I wanted to reproduce it here for the folks who hit this blog from time to time.



Many folks still think of the church as buildings of wood or bricks and mortar. Nothing could be farther from the true concept of the church. The church is the bride of Christ. It is a fellowship of believers. A group of Christ Followers who are united to fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.

How do you feel about the church and how you relate to it? Here is what Joe wrote. They are words that every member should take to heart.


Since I love the church, I will be careful how I treat it.

Since I love the church, I will honor the people who make up its membership.



Since I love the church, I will not hurt its members trying to get my way.



Since I love the church, I will pray for its members and its ministry.



Since I love the church, I will deal with problems quickly and healthily.



Since I love the church, I will work for its unity and strive for its effectiveness.



Since I love the church, I will guard its reputation in the community.



Since I love the church, I will be careful of my own actions in the community since I am one of its members and people will make decisions about this church based on what I do and say.



Since I love the church, I will pour myself into making it stronger, its members more Christlike, and myself a better example.

Team Intense Is Here!

I spent five hours yesterday with two of the most impressive evangelists I have ever met.

Kathy Bertram and Mitch Hodge are members of "Team Intense", an evangelistic strength team that will be ministering every evening, Sunday through Wednesday, this week at Westmoreland Baptist Church. Their "intensity" is obvious as they perform feats of strength that will amaze every person in their audience, but the entire purpose of their work is to exalt Christ, and bring people to saving faith in Him.

Kathy is a U.S. Air Force veteran, who met her future husband while they were both in the service. She has lived in the U.S. and Japan. After a bad automobile accident she got into body building and eventually, six years ago, began in strength ministry. She is only the second woman ever to be involved in this type of ministry. Although she makes her home in Biloxi, MS at the present, Kathy and her husband will be moving back to her native Minnesota in the near future.

Mitch was born and raised in Idaho, where he owns a gym and a screen printing business. He has been involved in body building since his high school days and has won such competitions as "Mr. Idaho", "Mr. Northwest", and "Mr. Western America". He is also involved in world strong man competition. His soft spoken manner belies the tremendous physical strength he possesses. Mitch began his work in strength ministry with the world famous Power Team several years ago. He is an ordained minister and evangelist, and he and his wife, Shari, have a 16 year old son named Gabriel.

Mitch will be bringing the message this morning in our 10:45 AM worship service at Westmoreland Baptist Church

Team Intense will be appearing during the days Monday through Wednesday in assemblies in several elementary, middle and high schools. They will preform feats of strength and give the students a positive message about character, honor, and integrity. While encouraging them to be good students, Mitch and Kathy will also warn the kids about the dangers of alcohol, drugs, eating disorders, and bullying. Each child (and teacher) will be invited to the service that evening at Westmoreland Baptist Church. There Mitch and Kathy will perform even more amazing feats of strength, but will also share a powerful presentation of the Gospel to all in attendance.

As impressive as their public feats of strength are, Kathy and Mitch's love for Jesus and passion for sharing the Good News is equally striking. I had opportunity to get personally acquainted with Mitch and Kathy during the five hours we spent together, and I can tell you that these two folks love Jesus, and want others to come to know Him as well.

Some cynics may ask, "Why do we have to have this type of event at the church? Is this really necessary?" The answer to that is, because we haven't yet gotten the job done in reaching our community for Christ. We must do whatever it takes to get the Gospel to where the people are. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:22, "I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some". While this week's activities are not those of the typical Baptist church's "Revival Campaign", many will hear the Gospel, through the ministry of Team Intense.

There are numerous people in our community who would never attend a traditional church service, but would flock to this place to see such a performance. They will witness a man and a woman breaking baseball bats, tearing phone books in half, busting bricks and cinder blocks, ripping license plates, and bending steel rods into a pretzel. But more importantly, while there, they will hear the Gospel presented in power and clarity. Thousands of folks around the country have given their lives to Christ as a result of the ministry of Team Intense.

I hope that every member of Westmoreland Baptist Church will support this evangelistic effort, with their prayer and attendance. Invite all your friends, co-workers, fellow students, to come to the program with you. Don't expect deep theological exegesis of the scriptures. That is not what Mitch and Kathy do during these crusades. But they do share the greatest theological truth ever communicated - "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so."

Hope to see you all every evening, today through Wednesday, at 6:00 PM. That's Westmoreland Baptist Church, 3401 Hughes Street, Huntington, WV.

Happy October!

The calendar indicates that today is the first day of October. I like October. It is my favorite month of the year. It was the 8^th month of the old Julian calendar and is now the 10^th month of the Gregorian calendar. October is one of seven months that contains 31 days. Where I live, October is synonymous with cool crisp autumn days, breathtaking clear blue skies, and colorful falling leaves. In the southern hemisphere, however, October is the harbinger of spring (their equivalent of our April).

The kids have been back in school for over a month and are settled in to their academic work and school functions, as summer activities of amusement parks and camping, and beach vacations slip slowly into their vaults of happy memories.

For sports fans, October is a cornucopia of activity. It is a month when major league baseball winds up its long season with its playoffs and World Series. Football and Soccer are well underway in October, and Basketball fans rejoice due to the beginnings of high school and college practices, and the NBA season tips it off this month.

It is the last month of peaceful living before the hustle and bustle of the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons are upon us. There are no huge national holidays (Independence, Memorial Day, Labor Day, etc) in October, but as you can see from the list below, provided by Wikepedia, October is a pretty big month around the globe.

• Children's Book Week (England) – First Week of October
  


• National Day (China, People's Republic of) – October 1
  


• Dashain in Nepal
  


• Independence Day in the Republic Of Cyprus – October 1
  


• Independence Day in Nigeria – October 1
  


• International Day of Non-Violence – October 2^[1]
  


• German Unity Day (Germany) – October 3
  


• Proclamation of Portuguese Republic (Portugal) – October 5
  


• International World Teachers' day – October 5
  


• Armed Forces Day in Egypt commemorating the Yom Kippur War – October 6
  


• Independence day in Croatia – October 8
  


• Leif Erikson Day - October 9
  


• Free Thought Day – October 12
  


• National Day of Spain – October 12 (Discovery of America)
  


• Thanksgiving (Canada) – Second Monday of October
  


• Health and Sports Day (Japan) – Second Monday of October
  


• Columbus Day (Most of United States) – Second Monday of October
  


• World Food Day – October 16
  


• Alaska Day - October 18
  


• Constitution Day in Niue – October 19
  


• Apple Day – October 21
  


• Remembering the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 – October 23
  


• United Nations Day – October 24
  


• Day of the Romanian Army – October 25
  


• National Day of Austria - October 26
  


• Independence Day in St. Vincent & the Grenadines – October 27
  


• Independence Day in Turkmenistan – October 27
  


• Navy Day (United States) – October 27
  


• Ochi Day (No Day) in Greece – October 28
  


• Republic Day in Turkey – October 29
  


• Halloween – October 31
  

And there is a special day for me. Tucked quietly in there between Constitution Day in Nuie and Apple Day is the day I discovered America in October, 1950.

I love October, and I hope you have a good one. All 31 days of it!