I didn’t get this posted this morning because I fell asleep when working on it last nght, so I figured I’d just combine it with the weekend. Sometimes things just work out that way. All in all, I had a good Friday – I went to my new doctor for the 1st time, and it was the most positive experience I have ever had at a doctors’ office. My appointment was for a full hour, he actually listened, and had positive things to say. My numbers are good, for the most part, though I need to keep an eye on my blood pressure, but it was a very pleasant appointment. How often can we say that?
Verse of the Day
February 22, 2019
Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
Thoughts on the Verse of the Day
Isn’t it terrible when one part of a body sends the wrong message to other parts of the same body? This happens with diseases and physical ailments. The results can be disastrous. Paul reminds us that dishonesty in the Body of Christ is just as damaging. Our words must not only be kind, but they must be truthful and beneficial as well.
February 23, 2019
Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.
Thoughts on the Verse of the Day
Parents are careful and tender with their newborn babies even though babies are demanding, messy, and sometimes difficult. When parents aren’t this way with their babies, they are recognized as abusive and dangerous. So if new Christians are newborn children of God, shouldn’t our patience be greater, our words more tender, our understanding more generous, and our care more attentive?
February 24, 2019
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Thoughts on the Verse of the Day
We are set free in Jesus from the most important bondage of all, our fear of God’s judgment. We are liberated from law, which convicts and leads to death. We are set free by the Spirit to not only fulfill what the Law intended, but also to be delivered from the penalty of death that the Law required. In Jesus, and by the power of his Spirit, we are set free to be God’s children… for forever!
Food for Thought
I’ve always wondered, as I watch Moose tear apart a toy, why are dogs compelled to disembowel their stuffed toys? I just don’t get it! You give them a toy, and after about two minutes of sniffing, they go to work on the stitching to start ripping it apart. And it seems that most, if not all, dogs do this. There must be some sort of dog code that says all stuffies must die.
Friday – February 22
Be Humble Day – The intent today is to, well, be humble! It is not a day to brag or boast, not a time to talk about your success or accomplishments, which can be a humbling experienced – how appropriate is THAT? Humbleness is a good thing, a virtue. I know I’d much prefer being around a humble person over a braggart. Practice being humble today and every day – it will serve you well in life. One very important exception today . . . though you can’t brag about yourself, it is VERY important to brag about your kids and grandkids today . . . or any day for that matter.
George Washington’s Birthday – George Washington was born on February 22, 1732. He became commander in chief of the Continental Army in 1775 and fought a long and difficult war for freedom from British rule. The war was finally over in 1781 when the Continental Army, with the help of the French, forced Cornwallis to surrender at Yorktown. Washington was unanimously elected president in 1787 by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia and took the oath of office in 1789. He served two terms of office from 1789 until 1797. He came to be known The Father of Our Country. After the presidency, Washington retired to his home in Mount Vernon, Virginia, where he died December 14, 1799 of a throat infection. Happy Birthday Mr. President.
Skip the Straw Day – I like straws. A lot. I use a straw in my coffee whether it’s hot or cold, and in my icy beverages. People have been slurping their drinks through a tube for a very long time, but now we are being asked to skip the straw to save on landfill and ocean debris. I don’t know who is throwing their waste materials into the oceans, I know it isn’t me or anyone I know, but obviously someone does because there are large sections of the ocean where garbage collects and drinking straws are mixed in with that. This can cause major harm to marine life. They can mistake it for food, try to eat it and get sick or die from it, they can get caught in it while they swim – I saw a sea turtle caught in a bunch of plastic in the ocean, it had died struggling to get free. The story on the news broke my heart! When plastic breaks down it produces bisphenol A (BPAO which interferes with the reproductive systems in sea love. As if that weren’t bad enough, it produces styrene monomer, which is a suspected carcinogen. According to some studies Americans use 500 million straws every day, so for this one day skipping the straw potentially leads to 500 million fewer straws ending up in the landfills and oceans. If it helps, I do re-use my straw for several days, washing it in between uses. I can’t give up my straw for my morning coffee on the way to work or I’ll end up wearing my coffee down my shirt. Just be responsible about where you dispose of them.
Walk the Dog Day – Spending time with our dogs is always special, but they get such excitement when it comes time for their walk. And today’s walk is extra special since it is Walk the Dog Day! I know that when I used to get the leash out of the closet for Tibbi, when she was alive, she would literally dance in place. Sadly, her arthritis and hips didn’t allow us to go further than about a block before she started hurting and she would start limping. But back in the day she definitely loved her long walks. Moose can barely contain his excitement at walk time. We usually take him out after dark – since it’s winter and gets dark early – so he even has his own blue l.e.d. light-up collar so he can be seen by everyone. A black dog on a dark night is just about invisible otherwise. If you have a dog that is young and energetic enough for a walk, put on those walking shoes, grab the leash and hit the trail! You’ll both be glad you did.
Woolworth’s Day – I saw that this was listed as a holiday on the one website of listed holidays, but not one single article backing it up was out there for me to confirm it. It brings back some really happy memories that I’d thought I’d share. How many of you remember Woolworth’s? It was the best “dime” store (my Grandma used to call it that) EVER. They had a little bit of everything, from clothes, to pets, to rows of lacy handkerchiefs, toys, tools, candy and canned goods – you name it, they had it. The BEST thing about them was the diner. Along one entire all of each store was a long counter top, lined on one side with swivel chairs, with a short order cook and a waitress (who was usually chewing gum as fast as she could chew), in a pink waitress outfit. Mom and I would go to Woolworth’s when I was really young – my brother wasn’t born yet, so I had to be under 5 – and she’d order us a basket of French fries and a chocolate milkshake. Sometimes, if it was payday, I’d get my own, and we didn’t have to share! We would sit there and dip our French fries into our shakes and giggle together. I remember I’d usually be in a dress, and my feet wouldn’t touch the floor, so I’d happily sip my shake, munch my fries, and swing my legs back and forth while I watched everything go on around me. We would finish our snack then go browse the store and leave with a few pieces of candy, or a small toy. I remember walking up and down each aisle. There was so much stuff on all of the shelves, not a spare inch of space anywhere. I would stand there and let my eyes take in everything, carefully reaching out to touch the pretty things, wish for the dolls in their frilly dresses, and watch the fish swimming in their aquariums. I just had a flash of memory that made me stop and close my eyes while I pictured it. I remember seeing a row of little plastic dolls. They were probably just a few inches long and each one wore a different color dress. I liked the one with the pink dress. I counted the change in my coin purse to see if I could get the doll but didn’t have enough. Mom saw me and came over to see how much I had, smiled a gentle smile, took the doll off of the shelf and handed it to me. She made up the difference so that I could have this toy. As a parent, I understand why she did that. She had watched me looking at these dolls over several visits, but I knew not to ask for one because we just didn’t have the money for extra things like this and I already had some dolls at home. It’s funny, I haven’t thought of that moment for years, but as I write this today, I find myself tearing up at the memory. Thanks Mom, for giving me that moment, and all of the other moments throughout the years. That time, and so many others, created so many beautiful memories for me. I was really sad when the Woolworth’s closed up, and all that was left was the memories – but what memories they are. I’ll treasure them always.
Saturday – February 23
Curling is Cool Day – So apparently this sport is something that is considered to be cool. The first time I wrote about this, I could honestly say that I knew absolutely nothing about this sport, and as I get ready to post it again, I can say that I don’t know any more about this now than I did then – just what you see here. Curling is a sport that began in Scotland centuries ago and is played during the Winter Olympic Games. It’s even said that it is considered to be one of the fastest growing sports in America. How can we have never heard of a game that is considered to be one of the fastest growing? Is it a big secret? I realize I don’t read the sports page, but I’m not sure how I missed that! Basically, the game is 4 players on 2 teams who are sliding 8 heavy polished stones across ice towards a target at the other end of the ice. A broom is used to sweep in front of the rock, making it travel further and curl less. The goal is to get your stone closer to the center of the target and the team with the highest score wins. And that explains why I hadn’t heard of it. I’m guessing that the most popular locations to play this game would be colder environments than the one I live in.
International Sword Swallowers Day – Apparently a sword swallower by the name of Dan Meyers thinks that sword swallowers should be honored once a year just like mothers, fathers and administrative assistants, so for the last seven years, Meyer, who is the president of the Sword Swallowers Association International, has declared the last Saturday of February to be “World Sword Swallowers Day” – a 24 hour period when the world’s 200 or so sword swallowers “sharpen” their skills at the same time. (there are 200 or so sword swallowers? Really?) This year the blade gobblers will gather at different places around the world, including 18 of the 32 Ripley Odditoriums, to perform solo swallowing and a simultaneous swallow at 2:23 pm local time.
Sword swallowing dates back to around 4000 BC. People who practiced this ancient sideshow are face death each time they attempt it, and not just because the blade usually comes within 1/8th of an inch of the heart. Meyers is quoted as saying, “You have to reprogram natural reflexes and retrain your conscious brain to take over”. It is meant to be entertainment, but he points out that sword swallowers have made many important contributions that benefit humanity. For instance, in 1868, a sword swallower assisted Dr. Adolf Kussmaul in Freiburg, Germany, in developing the first rigid endoscopy, and a sword swallower underwent the first esophageal electrocardiogram in Wales in 1906. In both cases, the researchers got the credit, but the sword swallowers’ names disappeared down the esophagus of time, and Meyer just doesn’t think that’s right. “Sword swallowers go unrecognized, but their physical and mental abilities to shut off bodily reflexes is very helpful to scientists studying the inner workings of the body,” he told Huffington Post in an interview.
To emphasize that point, Meyer scheduled World Sword Swallowers Day in February, which is also National Swallowing Disorders Month. This is an “art” that takes from 2 to 10 years to master, so it’s not for the faint of heart, or actually something I personally would recommend anyone do. Seriously, what makes someone wake up one morning, drink their morning coffee and decide, “hey, I think I’ll stick a large, sharp sword down my throat today!” No. I’ll stick with mundane hobbies and leave this sort of thing to those who want to be represented by Ripley’s Believe It Or Not.
Iwo Jima Day (flag raised) – On this day in 1945, American forces launched one of the bloodiest battles of World War II, after invading the Japanese island if Iwo Jima. The U.S. Marines’ 5 week assault, which was the first Allied attack on Japan’s home territory, was the accelerant to the U.S. to build the first nuclear bomb. The hope was that Iwo Jima would be a good staging post to launch an invasion of the main islands, which were 660 miles away. Of the 70,000 Americans hoping to capture this staging post, nearly 7,000 died and 19,000 were wounded. The resistance from the Japanese was so fierce, that out of 22,000 defending soldiers, only 200 surrendered, even though they had no hope of withdrawing or getting help. Almost 19,000 were killed, and nearly 3,000 hid in a series of caves that were in the eight-square-mile volcanic rock, and those men continued to attack Americans for months afterwards. The battle of Iwo Jima was immortalized by Joe Rosenthal’s photo of U.S. troops raising the American flag on the island’s highest point, and was the Marine’s toughest fight. Within a week of conquering Iwo Jima, U.S. forces invaded Okinawa in the biggest combined land, air and sea battle the world had ever seen, this time using mostly Army. In all, 183,000 American soldiers, compared to 156,000 U.S., British and Canadian troops in Normandy, landed on the island 340 miles from Japan’s mainland. Fierce fighting for 82 days left 34,000 American and 100,000 Japanese soldiers dead after the Japanese again refused to surrender. Japan also launched 1,465 Kamikaze attacks, during which the pilots killed themselves by steering their planes towards ships with the intention of crashing into them. In the end, America may have tipped the balance of power, but only after three months of horrible battle on the 60-mile long island. It was feared that if the same level of resistance was put up in a larger area, that the loss of American lives would have been far, far larger. Because of this, a decision was made to use nuclear weapons, and on August 6, 1945, only 21 days after being tested, the first atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. 70,000 people were killed instantly, with radiation and burns killing 96,000 more over time. STILL Japan refused to surrender, so three days later the U.S. dropped another nuclear bomb, this time on Nagasaki, killing 40,000 people in an instant. On August 15, Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s surrender, telling his people in the first radio broadcast ever that “The enemy now possesses a new and terrible weapon.” This surrender came nearly four years after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, which was what led to America’s entry into the war. The loss of life on both sides was such a huge and horrible price to pay.
National Dog Biscuit Day – This is a day especially for our dogs – and though I know there are a lot of pet related holidays, they are our babies, so they are worth all the fuss. The saying “Every dog has his (or her) day” really fits today, especially if they are treated to their favorite tasty treat. I made Tibbi some peanut butter treats once – they were ok, and she seemed to like them. My problem is not to make too many. Without things like preservatives – which of course I don’t put into things that I bake – they tend to go bad quickly. I’ve always quadrupled people cookies, so I did doggie cookies . . . and well, they got gross rather quickly. Don’t make big batches! If you don’t want to make your own nummies for your furbaby, the upscale pet stores these days have some fantastic treats – some look like people cookies and cakes, complete with all of the beautiful decorations. There used to be a store in Seattle where I got special goodies for Tibbi all the time – Three Dog Bakery. They’ve moved now, and I think I can still get their products online, but it’s not the same as being there in person, sniffing all the fresh baked goodness and coming home with some that are fresh out of the oven. I even ordered her a complete Thanksgiving feast from them once, and it was delivered by Fed Ex the day before Thanksgiving. She devoured it – we had to actually give it to her in small doses or she would have made herself as stuffed as the people were. Bottom line is that our furbabies deserve treats because they give us so much love. I’ve never made fresh cookie for Moose, so maybe I should give that a try today. If you don’t make your own, maybe plan on making a stop by your favorite dog bakery today. Your pet will thank you with extra loves and hugs.
Open that Bottle Night – This is not an official holiday . . . at least it’s not YET. For wine lovers though it is a reason to open that special bottle of wine you’ve been saving for a special occasion. We all own that one bottle, waiting for a day that never seems to come. In February of 2000 Dororthy Gaiter and John Brecher started “Open That Bottle Night” so they would have a night for people to have a real reason to open that special bottle and wait not a moment longer. And here’s where I tell about what I think was a bad joke – but it really happened. My ex-in-laws were saving a special bottle of champagne for when they won the lottery. Truth be told it was a very cheap bottle of sparkling wine that likely didn’t cost them more than $5.00, but their whole thought process was that they’d stay positive, play the same numbers week after week, and eventually they’d win and open that bottle. One day my ex-father-in-law came bursting in the door, shouting and laughing, grabbed that bottle and some glasses, popped the cork, poured a glass and handed it to my ex-mother-in-law. She jumped to the same conclusion the rest of us did – they’d WON, they’d WON! Yeah, they won alright. They won $100 in a scratch off. He’d gotten tired of waiting and just wanted to open that bottle. Too bad this wasn’t a holiday back then! May have saved him the fight of his adult life. Anyway, I need to look in our wine cabinet to see what’s there. I know there’s at least one I’ve been wanting to enjoy with my hubby. Maybe there’s one in yours too?
Single Tasking Day – Are you a multi-tasker? I’ve always considered myself capable of accomplishing many things at a time, making the day very productive. I don’t know that I’d be able to deal with a job that didn’t have me doing many things at once, and I’d probably consider it to be a little boring! Well, for those of us who struggle to hold ourselves back, this is the day to try. Single Tasking day is an annual holiday meant to encourage people to slow down and just take care of one thing at a time. Many people are overworked, underpaid and over stressed, and there is just not often enough time to get everything done in a day. The thought of doing one thing at a time probably, at least to some people, sounds like perfection. There are even some researchers that have said the multi-tasking lowers productivity and slowing down to do one thing at a time could mean less stress and fewer mistakes. Give it a try and let me know how it goes!
Tootsie Roll Day – Tootsie Rolls . . . just the thought brings up so many childhood memories. Even now as a grown-up I find them to be curiously addictive and can’t bring a bag into the house or I won’t be able to stop eating until it is empty. For candy that isn’t quite taffy, but not the expected texture of chocolate, they just sort of hit a spot that satisfies the sweet tooth, don’t they? You could close your eyes and have someone put a bit of a Tootsie Roll into your mouth and most people would know instantly what it was, without even being told. The smoothness and cocoa flavoring are unique and unmistakable. According to Tootsie Roll Industries, Leo Hirshfield, an Austrian immigrant, opened a small candy shop in New York City, producing the first individually wrapped penny candy from a recipe he brought with him from Europe, on February 23, 1896. He named the sweet treats after his five-year old daughter, Clara. Her nickname was Tootsie. How sweet!
Sunday – February 24
Academy Awards Night – Seriously don’t care.
Forget Me Not Day – This one is so simple, and so sweet. It is a day intended to remind people to get in touch with family, friends and loved ones – especially those who you haven’t seen in awhile. Nobody wants to be forgotten, so let’s do our best not to forget others.
This Day in History –
Feb. 22, 1879 – Frank Woolworth opens the first “Five Cent Store in Utica, N.Y.
Feb. 23, 1874 – Walter Wingfield of Pimlico, England, patented the game of lawn tennis.
Feb. 23, 1896 – The Tootsie Roll rolls into stores in America.
Feb. 23, 1945 – U.S. Marines raise the America flag in Iwo Jima.
Food Celebration of the Day
Friday – Feb 22 –
National Margarita Day – Ole! I don’t know about you, but I’d think that a better time of year for Margarita Day would have been in the heat of summer when an icy cold, refreshingly tart Margarita would be the perfect end to a scorching hot day, however the people who started this holiday obviously thought that February was a better idea. So, who am I to argue??? This picture is from my son – who sent it to me today in honor of this celebration. How nice! Did you know that the world record holder for the largest margarita is Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville in Orlando, Fla.? It was made with 5,861 gallons of blended spirits. Margaritas are great, but let’s face it – they would be nothing without the tequila! Here are some interesting tequila facts:
* “The Guinness World Record for the most expensive bottle of tequila ever sold was the Platinum & White Gold Tequila bottle, which went to a private collector in 2006 for a whopping $225,000.”
* “To be classified as tequila, the spirit must contain at least 51 percent blue agave.” * After the agave hearts have been mashed to a pulp, some tequila-makers continue to press it with their hands and feet.
- Perfect Margarita
- Fruit Kebabs with Margarita Dip
- Coconut Margaritas
- Pink Lemonade Margarita
- Frozen Mango Margarita
- Ultimate Blue Frozen Margarita
Saturday – Feb. 23
National Banana Bread Day – In the 1960s, you could pick up banana puree at the market. These days, we know to use up those bananas that have seen fresher days for homemade quick bread.
- Banana Bread
- Chocolatey-Peanut Butter Banana Bread
- Maple Walnut Banana Bread
- Banana-Blueberry Bread
- Marbled Chocolate Banana Bread
- Cake Mix Banana Bread
- Banana Bread Oatmeal
Sunday – Feb 24 –
National Tortilla Chip Day – Tortilla and crunchy tortilla chips go well with everything, and truly that means everything. Just a few decades ago Americans seldom ate Corn Chips and Salsa. Its popularity has grown immensely. Today is a tribute to that rising popularity of one of America’s favorite munchies. Did you know? The corn chip recipe was brought to the U.S. from Mexico by Texas businessman Elmer Doolin. Celebrate today with a handful (or a bowl full) of tasty tortilla chips and your favorite salsa or dip. Here are some recipes from www.food.com to give you extra tasty ideas for your celebration today.
Homemade Tortilla Chips (Baked!)
Hot Corn Dip With Crispy Tortilla Chips
I hope everyone has a great weekend! We are going to have date day – since it’s our anniversary weekend – and enjoy our time together. God bless you and I’ll see you on Monday.
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Celebration list sources:
www.verseoftheday.com www.brownielocks.com www.holidayinsights.com www.thenibble.com www.foodimentary.com