It’s Thursday, which is my Friday, which makes me happy. I’m still getting used to working on Wednesdays and not Fridays, but so far, I like it! I’ll go do my errands tonight, so I don’t have to leave the house during the day tomorrow – ALWAYS something I try to plan if I can. I guess that means I need to get my weekend menu planned! I can take care of that during lunch today. I’m feeling a little giddy about my first full 3-day weekend without having to do anything major.
Verse of the Day
September 13, 2018
Live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.
Thoughts on the Verse of the Day
Unity and harmony are no accident! They happen because of intention and submission. But more than just states of being, they are commanded by God. How do we have unity and harmony? Peter reminds we must have three commitments in our “church” lifestyle — 1) actively share the sorrows and concerns of those who grieve; 2) love each other just like a healthy family loves and values each member; and 3) show compassion rather than arrogance as we deal with the failures of others that hurt us, recognizing that we are vulnerable to sinning and hurting those we love, too.
Food for Thought
I read a very heartwarming story on the news yesterday for our local area. A poor horse had fallen into a deep water filled hole, and the poor thing couldn’t get herself out. Firefighters, EMTs and local Sheriff’s Deputies worked together to rescue her. Now, of course any department would have done it, gladly I would guess, but it was almost like you could see the look of relief on the horse’s face as they worked over and around her, trying to release her from where she was trapped. Poor thing looked exhausted too, but they did get her out, and she will be OK. Good job first responders! Regardless of whether the emergency is earth shattering like the attacks we remember in grief from 17 years ago, or rescuing a stranded animal, they do what needs to be done without complaint or hesitation.
International Chocolate Day – I don’t usually do the international celebrations, but it’s chocolate! It’s sort of a requirement to celebrate chocolate, right? After all, it is one of the world’s favorite flavors . . . possibly THE most loved across 7 continents! The cocoa bean has been eaten by people from as early as 1900 BC and was an integral part of the Aztec and Mayan civilizations and culture. Europeans combined it with milk and sugar, and when the Industrial Revolution started, and mass production was figured out, the fame and cravings spread throughout the world. Even though chocolate originated in the Americas, today the small African country of Cote D’Ivoire produces 30% of the world’s cocoa. I’ve met very few people who didn’t like chocolate (and am naturally suspicious of anyone who doesn’t). I know that most of us don’t need a special day to indulge in the wonders of chocolate, but it also doesn’t hurt to have an actual holiday to use an excuse, right? Now, if you are looking for justification for your indulgence, dark chocolate has many proven health benefits. It is full of antioxidants, which neutralize free radicals produced by metabolism of fat. This has all sorts of positive effects on the body which range from improving cardiovascular health, to preventing chronic disease. It has been shown to reduce blood pressure and oddly enough, to regulate blood sugar! Lastly, but certainly not least, it has been shown to encourage the release of endorphins – which is a feel-good hormone. This may be a good explanation for why it is so widely loved! Celebrate this delicious, decadent and sometimes healthy treat today by creating something wonderfully chocolate as your dessert tonight.
Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day – How fun is this? This celebration encourages kids and teens to get into the kitchen and learn to create healthy meals for themselves and their families! This is awesome! The idea came from wanting kids to take a more active interest in what they eat and get them to do more than pack junk food into their faces. It also promotes family meal times, and family togetherness in the kitchen. This is one that I feel all families with kids need to celebrate with enthusiasm – not just one day a year, but all year long!
National Celiac Awareness Day – This one is so important and thanks to the Senate for passing a US Senate Resolution to benefit celiac awareness every year. This Resolution is the culmination of a lot of hard work for those who suffer with celiac disease. This date was chosen because it honors the birthday of Samuel Gee, MD, a British doctor who published the first modern description of the clinical picture of celiac disease. He is also credited to be the first one to connect celiac disease and diet. Years ago, I was friends with a lady who had celiac disease. I’d never heard of it up til then, and honestly many people hadn’t. It was just starting to creep into our awareness. There weren’t many gluten free foods on the market and honestly, she had a heck of a time eating. Turns out that she was SO sensitive to gluten that she, like many, who suffer from celiac disease has to check even her beauty products – pretty much anything that will touch her skin – or she gets blisters and sores. How awful is that? This is a disease that is still largely misunderstood, and no matter how many new products hit the market, one that is still very difficult to live with in our food focused society.
Positive Thinking – Now here’s a day more of us should really celebrate. Today is all about having a positive attitude. It’s incredible how much power thinking positively holds. Medical research confirms that a positive attitude works wonders at fighting disease and sickness, from the common cold to cancer. People with an “I think I can” attitude are more likely to succeed at work, and in accomplishing goals that they set in life. Here’s an amazing quote that we should all write down and remember each day: “It takes just a moment to change your attitude. And, in that quick moment, you can change your entire day.” – Author Unknown Here’s hoping you have a happy Positive Thinking Day.
Uncle Sam Day – Pretty much everyone who was born and raised here knows who Uncle Sam is, right? He is one of America’s most recognized symbols that appears on everything from military posters to cartoon images to advertising media. There are two theories about how Uncle Sam came about, both dating back to the early 1800’s. The theory most commonly recognized as true goes back to soldiers stationed near Troy, New York during the world of 1812. Barrels of meat that they received were stamped “U.S.”. The supplier was Samuel Wilson of Troy, New York. Soldiers referred to him as “Uncle Sam” as a joke. In 1813 the first image of “Uncle Sam” appeared. In 1961, the U.S. Congress issued a resolution that recognized “Uncle Sam” Wilson, authorizing a monument in his hometown in Troy, NY. The second, less popular theory of the creation of Uncle Sam started in the early 1800’s. Irish immigrants were coming to America, and some people believe that Uncle Sam emerged from these immigrants. In their Gaelic language, the United States of America was “Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá”, abbreviated “SAM”. This date was picked in 1989 when a joint resolution of Congress designated this day as “Uncle Sam’s Day” and was chosen because “Uncle Sam” Wilson’s birthday was September 13, 1776.
This Day in History –
1788 – New York City becomes the capitol of the United States. I bet you didn’t know that!
1943 – Chiang Kai-Shek became the president of China.
Food Celebration of the Day –
National Peanut Day – I love peanuts . . . they aren’t my FAVORITE nut, but I do like them. But wait . . . they aren’t a nut at all! They are technically a legume. So, maybe they are my favorite legume! There’s a place near here where they roast peanuts fresh every day. We bought a bucket – one of those cool metal buckets – for 7 bucks. We can go and refill it for free for a year! Nice, right? There’s something pretty fun about wrapping a bunch of peanuts in some foil and heating in the oven, then sitting and watching TV while shelling them and having a little feast. Yummy!
I’ve been sitting here getting this ready to go and haven’t touched on a single menu idea for the weekend. I’d better get started on at least thinking about that! Have a great Thursday filled with positive thoughts. God bless you and I’ll see you tomorrow.
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Celebration list sources:
www.verseoftheday.com www.brownielocks.com www.holidayinsights.com www.thenibble.com www.foodimentary.com