Oct. 16-23 2024

The Festival of Tabernacles or Tents is called Sukkot and is a Jewish festival almost like our Fall Festivals and Thanksgiving rolled into one holiday. God established these special holy days In Leviticus 23 and He wanted this festival to be joyous, fun, celebration so that the people of Israel would remember His miraculous protection and providence. This festival is a fun and meaningful celebration to remember when God provided and guided the people of Israel out of Egypt and through the wilderness for 40 years. Don’t miss that! He fed them for 40 years. The holiday is timed to celebrate the fall harvest and how God has continued to provide again and again every year. The plan was to “build temporary shelters” or tents and remember what it was like to live both in the desert and yet with God’s amazing blessing and protection. This is a happy time. This celebration is the original fun, food, and fellowship for God’s people.

“Celebrate this as a festival to the Lord for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. Live in temporary shelters for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 23: 41-43

Do you want to make a lasting memory for your family? Then have fun experiencing a modern-day celebration of this ancient Festival.

Suggestions For Your Festival Plans:

1. Set aside Friday night for a fun camping experience. If you hate the outdoors then put up a tent in a room inside your house. You don’t have to travel to a camping area, just use a room in the house or the backyard. If you have small children you should consider letting them build a “blanket fort” with your table and boxes.

2. Buy or borrow a tent and erect the tent in the location that suits you. Believe me, even a tent inside a room in your house will make a memory. A “blanket fort” will be a super memory for small children.

3. Sleep together in the tent or same room. It’s only one night, make it fun.

4. Ask each family member to suggest one favorite food and plan a menu for Friday night, Saturday breakfast, and Saturday lunch from these favorite foods. Make it healthy along with it being fun. Too much sugar might give the results you do not want to experience! Ask each family member to write down something they are thankful for and have them take turns reading it to the rest of the family after each meal. Dads, go first and this will pave the way for others.

5. Ask them for their favorite Christian song and take turns playing the song in a sing-a-long or karaoke night. Celebrate their song.

6. Close each sharing time with prayer to thank God for His blessings. Ask each family member to thank God for at least one thing. Dads go first.

7. Play games and have fun throughout the whole time.

8. Have some surprise snacks and make it fun. This is a celebration not a somber remembrance.

Don Medley

Century Families