The Pumpkin Patch

According to Noel Piper in her book Treasuring God in Our Traditions, a traditions can be defined as:

• A planned habit with significance


• The handing down of information, beliefs, worldview from one generation to another by word of mouth and by regular repetition of example, of ceremony, and of celebration.


• For a Christian, tradition is laying up God's words in our own hearts and passing His words to the next generation.

One tradition we have is to go to Huber's farm with Steve's family each October. This tradition began 13 years ago (before I was in the family!). After a dinner at the restaurant (thanks Roger and Sharon), we return to his parents house for a pumpkin hunt on their 10 acre farm. This year each grandchild could find 14 pumpkins. They even provide wagons for all the grandchildren to pull their loads. Following the pumpkin patch, we eat chili, drink hot chocolate, and to the delight of our children-snack on what seems to be an infinite amount of cookies, chips, candy, and cupcakes. Our children start asking about this day when the leaves first begin to fall in early September...and the day always exceeds their expectations. This planned habit has great significance in their eyes.