As I write this, the Autumnal Equinox has arrived.
The first day of fall is a day of transformation at our house. Framing our front door are the black, red, and gold stripes of the flag of Germany and the blue and white diamonds of the flag of Bavaria. Lights decorate our windows, and large colorful leaves hang from our ceiling as if falling. Vibrant autumn-hued garlands of leaves and pumpkins outline our windows. Everywhere, symbols of Oktoberfest abound.
The reason for all this? My wife is a daughter of Germany—from Augsburg in Bavaria—where this time of year all eyes are on the bright lights, rides, and tents of the Oktoberfest in Munich. It has been fifty-five years since my dear Charlotte was last in her native Bavaria. But we decorate to celebrate the opening of the Oktoberfest in Munich and to bring a little of the Oktoberfest to Charlotte.
This time next month, Charlotte and I, along with family and friends, will gather in the northeast Georgia mountains for one of the best Oktoberfests this side of Munich. It is an annual event for us—part vacation and part family reunion. I'll hope my Lederhosen fits for another year, and Charlotte will joyfully get out her colorful Dirndls. We'll dance polkas and waltzes to accordion-heavy oompah bands, and feast on bratwursts and pretzels. (We're not talking bags of Snyders here. We're talking the dinner-plate size soft, hot, and incredibly delicious authentic Bavarian pretzels shipped from Munich.) It is all to let Charlotte touch her heritage … to hold on to that part of her she once called home.
I also have another celebration of another faraway heritage. My body … my life … is an ongoing celebration of my future with my Father in heaven.
Through Moses, God gave the Israelites annual celebrations and events that pictured the coming Christ. I have been given the Bible, the Word of God. It is a picture of my heritage. Its words are my celebration. Its Psalms are my songs. In it are my proper attire, my armor, my wisdom. Inside it are the seeds of my future, waiting to be planted, so that I can be a true ambassador of my proper, genuine, and authentic home. Now that's worth celebrating.
Find a way to celebrate your heavenly heritage.
(Photo courtesy of the author.)
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Kevin Spencer likes to play with words, help others play with them, and is privileged to be a staff writer for Christian Devotions. He lives with his beautiful blessing of a wife, Charlotte, and his amazing collegiate grandson, Caleb.