Hello, Reader.

October is speedily coming to a close, which means Reformation Day is right around the corner. Not only is October 31 All Hallows Eve, but it also marks the date Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the door of the Wittenburg Castle Church in 1517.

I have homeschooling friends in Dallas who hosted a Reformation Day dinner party every year. We'd gather together to eat, sing Luther's hymns, and watch a biopic of his life. It was a wonderful way to make history come to life for our kiddos.

It's been nearly three decades since we moved away from Dallas or attended in our friends' annual party, but we still participate in many of the same traditions -- and have added a few extras of our own, which I'm sharing in this week's link list. Enjoy!

Free resources for you this week:

• ​Five Solas Coloring Page: salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone....
• ​Reformation Day Quiz: test your knowledge of Martin Luther's life with this trivia test
• ​Here I Stand Printable: scriptural support for Luther's famous words at Diet of Worms
• ​German Heritage Word Find: search for Luther and other German people, products, and dishes
• ​A Mighty Fortress Lyrics: from Martin Luther's rousing hymn
• ​Remembering Reformation Day: more ideas and links for marking this important day in history

What I'm reading this week:

I didn't finish any new books since my last newsletter. With all the traveling we've done recently, I fell behind on my One-Year Bible Reading Plan, so that is where my reading time has been focused this week. But I did read an article my daughter-in-law shared in our family chat this morning about the awe-inspiring phenomenon captured in the photo pictured here. What I originally assumed was a solar eclipse is really "The 'Spark of Life' that Formed Your Inward Parts." The article is fascinating and worth the few minutes it takes to read, so I wanted to share, too. 😊

What we're eating this week:

Our kids outdid themselves preparing German fare for our family's Oktoberfest potluck last night. I haven't collected all their recipes yet, but here are links to what I made: Hot German Potato Salad and Easy German Red Cabbage.

Both were scrumptious, even without any of the added sugar the recipes called for. I especially liked the potato salad. I served the crumbled bacon on the side so the vegetarians among us could enjoy it as much as the omnivores, which they all did most thoroughly!

On the podcast this week:

The episode I recorded this week is not quite ready to post, so here's another from the archives:

Loving Life at Home: Episode 104 ​GIVING THANKS THROUGH HARDSHIP​ A reminder that we need to count our blessings, even when we are going through difficult times.... Listen Now

Progress on last week's goals:

I finished most of the items on last week's to-do list. Namely, I ✅ taught a co-op class on study skills to homeschool high schoolers, ✅ decoupaged a candle holder with pressed flowers, ✅ straightened some (but ❌ not all) of my boys' bathroom cabinets, ✅ recorded a new podcast episode (but ❌ did not finish editing it), ✅ hosted a bridal shower for a friend, and ✅ hosted our family's first annual Octoberfest potluck.

The only thing I missed doing completely was ❌ babysitting grandkids, but that's because their parents' plans changed, not mine. 🙃

Personal goals for this week:

• edit and post Episode 120
• clean out the remaining cabinets in my sons' bathroom
• film a promo clip for a friend's new devotional book
• help hostess a baby shower for another friend's first grandbaby
• work the polls 6AM-8PM on election day
• record 5 more years of Christmas letters for our kids
• buy/ order stocking stuffers for kids and grandkids

If you enjoy this newsletter and would like to support my work, there are five ways for you to do that:

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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. 😊