Hello, Reader.

Once October hits, I feel like the year really picks up momentum, don't you? We're there, already, and so I'm sharing a few resources today for lesser-known October holidays.

But I'm simultaneously feeling pressure to work on Christmas plans, as well. No use waiting until the last minute, right?

Free resources for you this week:

• Oct. 1 - International Music Day – try Musical Discussion Prompts or Instrument Word Find​
• Oct. 6 - Come and Take It Day: this Texas history flag protests governmental overreach
• Oct. 9 - World Egg Day: celebrate by baking egg casserole, some egg muffins or a quiche​
• Oct. 11 - Pastor Appreciation Day: pray for your pastor and send him a thank you note​
• Oct. 12 - Columbus Day: our Columbus coloring page memorializes the childhood poem
• Oct. 20 - National Youth Confidence Day: try our tips for Raising Capable, Confident Kids​
• Oct. 21 - Check Your Meds Day – our free printable Medication Chart makes this job easy!
• Oct. 25 - Mother-In-Law Day: if you're dealing with difficult in-laws, try these tips

What I'm reading this week:

I normally don't read cookbooks cover to cover, but I made an exception for Beat Cancer Kitchen by Chris & Micah Wark. That's because the recipes are packed with footnotes and research as to how individual ingredients have been linked with improved immunity and lower incidence/recurrence of cancer. Also, it's been fun to note all the unusual flavor combinations, such as fresh strawberries and jalapeños or collard greens and apricots. I've tried some of the more basic recipes in the book and really enjoyed them. My success on that front makes me more interested in attempting others.

On the podcast this week:

Loving Life at Home: Episode 118 ​A MOTHER'S JOB DESCRIPTION​ I came across 1 Thessalonians 5:14 in my Bible reading recently, and it dawned on me that – although this verse is something all believers should be doing – it provides a particularly apt job description for mothers. It reads: “We urge you [to] admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” Listen Now

Progress on last week's goals:

I finished many of the items on last week's to-do list and made decent progress on the remainder: I ✅ finished unpacking from our trip, ✅ reduced my inbox to fewer than 50 messages, ✅ attended my daughter's volleyball tournament in College Station, ✅ finished making another Christmas stocking, ✅ recorded another podcast episode, ✅ submitted a swag bag freebie for the upcoming​Homeschool Teaching Summit, and ✅ decorated my bedroom tree for fall.

I also ✅ started (but ❌ didn't finish) stitching my felt leaf garland, ✅ started (but ❌ didn't finish) writing my yearly Christmas letter, ✅ started (but ❌ didn't finish) remixing my newest audiobook, and ✅ mostly recovered (but ❌ not 100%) from my recent illness.

Personal goals for this week:

• complete clerk training
• attend Grandparents' Lunch with grandson
• finish stitching leaf garland
• finish rough draft of Christmas letter
• attend another volleyball tournament
• take my youngest thrifting in Dallas
• upload audiobook version of Glad Tidings to Amazon
• clean out gift cabinet
• organize gift bags
• inventory Christmas gifts

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1. Say a prayer for me & my family 🙏
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Thanks so much for all your help! I'll be back next week with more links, reviews, and resources. If you have any special requests, hit reply and let me know. 😊