How happy are we that it is FRIDAY? I know I am! Last night’s sleep was a little restless, so I’m yawning a bit this morning, but I have to say I am loving having it get light out early. It is SOOOO much easier to get out of bed when I can hear the birds singing (loudly – VERY loudly!) and have the sun waking up about the same time I do. It’s just not quite as wrong as getting up while it’s dark and cold out, when snuggling back down seems like a much better idea than getting out of bed. Does everyone have great plans for the weekend? I think we are finishing up the shed project – meaning I’ll help paint, but Hubby is finishing up the shed project. I’d like to think I was a help, and I suppose I was if squeezing fresh lemons to make him lemonade to quench his thirst is helping, but I’ll be honest and admit that except for pounding some nails here and there, or holding a wall now and then, I really didn’t do that much. I also have some kitchen projects I want to get done – you know, things that don’t show but need to be accomplished like organizing the pantry, cleaning out the fridges, etc. Fun, right?
Verse of the Day
May 4, 2018
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Thoughts on the Verse of the Day
Humility is not our culture’s most valued asset or most desired character quality. But, humility is what is demanded — not so much because it’s commanded (though that would be enough), but because we’ve “earned” our need of it. Every year brings another wave of major failures in morality, character, and spirituality. Even on our best days, we all fall short of God’s holiness. Rather than progressing culturally, we find ourselves slipping. Our need to approach God with humility is “earned”! So let’s be humble and call upon the Lord, throwing off our sin and seeking after him!
www.verseoftheday.com
Food for Thought
The bottom line is, praying without ceasing, especially when it is for people who have done you wrong, isn’t easy. God told us to be in constant communication with Him, to pray without ceasing. Over the years I have developed a subconscious way of reaching out to Him throughout the day but in the night I feel like I was told to pray without ceasing for the people who have really been hurting my feelings lately, or making my life difficult. And it’s easy to do, when not faced with their toxic behavior. So, I did pray for them at 3:00 in the morning, but when I am at work, will it be easy? No. It definitely won’t, but I am going to try. Pray without ceasing, for their hearts will be opened, their hurts healed and for them to find peace.
Bird Day – Not to be confused with National Bird Day, which is celebrated on January 5th or International Migratory Bird Day, which is observed on the second Saturday in May. (so that means we get ANOTHER day to celebrate our feathered friends NEXT week!) The truth is that people love birds. Bird watching has become a favorite hobby for millions of people. As a matter of fact some folks say that it is the MOST popular of hobbies. I’m guessing that part of this is because it can be enjoyed by anyone, no matter their age or physical abilities. Since it IS so popular, it makes sense that there would be multiple days to celebrate, but what is the difference between the three days? Bird Day- which is today- is the oldest of the days for celebrating birds. According to the U.S. Library of Congress, Bird Day was observed for the first time on May 4, 1894. It was started by Charles Almanzo Babcock, who was the superintendent of schools in Oil City, PA. By 1910, Bird Day was widely celebrated, often at the same time as Arbor Day. These two celebrations – Bird Day and Arbor Day – focused on conservation and awareness. Then we have National Bird Day, which was set up by bird activists. Their intention was for people to recognize the plight of captive birds, and to draw attention to birds being exploited by the U.S. pet industry. Organizers of this day want people to think about the conditions of birds that are held in captivity – but I must note a couple of things here: 1) to use the word “National” accurately, a holiday must be approved by an act of Congress – which this one was not and 2) though I disagree with capturing birds from the wild and stuffing them into cages, I don’t think that having birds as pets is a bad thing if the birds were born in captivity and don’t know any better – they wouldn’t survive in the wild and for anyone to say otherwise is delusional. And finally there is International Migratory Bird Day which celebrates the amazing journey that migratory birds take each year – twice a year. They travel thousands of miles between breeding grounds in North America and their winter homes in Central and South America. The organizers of this one say that this is a day to both support, and increase awareness of conservation efforts that support migratory birds. They also say that taking a field trip to the woods to look for and watch migrating birds would be a fun idea – and it would be! On each of these days, take some time to look for and watch birds. They are beautiful and quite honestly, it’s a very peaceful thing to do!
Intergalactic Star Wars Day (May the Fourth Be With You) – A play on words is how this celebration got its start, with the creation of it being a complete fluke. In 2005 a German News TV channel N24 interview erroneously translated this famous Star Wars quote. In German “May the force be with you” was incorrectly interpreted as “We are with you on May 4th”. We do believe that if this error had not occurred that someone, somewhere would have created this day.
- Watch any of the great Star Wars movies
- Better still, have a Star Wars marathon, and watch two or three (or 4) of them. (shoot me now – I don’t think I could deal with that many in a row)
- Get out your laser sword and practice for the next invasion from the Evil Empire.
- Send a Star Wars day Ecard- of course they have them!
- Have a Star Wars costume party. (Um, no)
- Learn some Star Wars Trivia, there’s no shortage.
This may not be popular with some folks – and that’s OK – we all have different taste in movies. If I had to choose a space type series of movies, I’d pick Star Trek over Star Wars any day of the week. Quote honestly the Star Wars movies bore me to tears, and some parts actually annoy me. I know, probably an unpopular opinion. I have always loved R2D2 and those fluffy little guys in the forest though. You can find something good in anything!
International Firefighters Day – Firefighters dedicate their lives to the protection of life and property. Sometimes that dedication comes in the form of countless hours of volunteering – many small communities only have volunteer firefighters – and many selfless years working in the industry. In ALL cases it risks the ultimate sacrifice of a fire fighter’s life. International Firefighters Day (IFFD) is a time where the world can recognize and honor the sacrifices that firefighters make to ensure that their communities and environment are as safe as possible. It is also a day to thank them for their contributions! This is a day to remember the past firefighters who have died while serving our community or dedicated their lives to protecting the safety of us all. At the same time, we can show our support and appreciation to the firefighters world wide who continue to protect us so well throughout the year. By proudly wearing and displaying blue and red ribbons pinned together or by participating in a memorial or recognition event, we can show our gratitude to firefighters everywhere. The IFFD ribbons are linked to colors symbolic of the main elements firefighters work with – red for fire and blue for water. These colors also are internationally recognized as representing emergency service.
International Respect for Chickens Day – OK, this one is yet another bleeding heart, don’t eat meat, rage against eating chicken. While I do believe that the chicken farms where the poor birds are stuffed into small cages, stacked on top of one another for their whole lives is cruel and horrible, I don’t believe that crying out against chicken as a food source is the answer either. My personal feelings are, when possible for your budget and according to availability, buy free range organic chicken and cage free vegetarian, organic eggs. I am very fortunate to live in a place where there is a wonderful market that often has awesome buy one/get one free sales on free range whole chickens, and sometimes just packages of chicken breasts. It truly makes it more affordable, and is a great time to fill the freezer. Costco has 24 packs of cage free, organic brown eggs for not much also. If you have the ability to have your own chickens for food or eggs, that’s great! Treat them with respect, and they will give your family the gift of wonderful, healthy food. No animal should be treated badly, no matter what, and that includes chickens. God gave us animals for food, not to abuse or exploit. Healthy, happy, free range, organically fed animals will give you healthier food. Though the intent of this day was for the anti-meat agenda to be pushed, the true meaning should be to respect and appreciate the resources God gave us, and treat them accordingly.
Petite and Proud Day – One thing I can honestly say I am NOT, is petite. I do have friends who are though, so to all of my friends who are smaller than 5’4″ tall, this day is for you to be petite and proud of it! Are you tired of people making comments about your small size and calling you half pint, vertically challenged or just plain SHORT? Today is about celebrating your lack of height and all of the advantages it brings. You can squeeze into small spaces, you don’t bang your heads on low ceilings and you can fit into children’s clothing, which could actually save you money! Statistics show that short people live longer than their tall friends, and that’s worth celebrating, right? You may be surprised by how many famous petite people there are . . . these folks are all under 5’4″ tall . . . Nathalie Portman, Kylie Minogue, Michael J. Fox, Seth Green, Amy Poehler, Reese Witherspoon and Eva Longoria. I didn’t know that about some of these folks! Today celebrate being petite in any way you can.
School Lunch Hero Day – Let’s be honest, school lunches are notorious, and have been throughout the years, for being disgusting. It got VERY bad over the previous 8 years, and I think we know what I mean, but it wasn’t the fault of the people on the front lines in those lunch room across the nation. The men and women who plan, prepare, serve and clean up after 10’s of 1,000’s of kids across this country for breakfast and lunch every single school day are heroes, truly. I know I couldn’t do it. So, to all of you, I salute your dedication to making sure that these kids get their meals each day, so they have the fuel to do their school work and move forward in their education. You are truly special people blessed with patience.
Tuba Day – I can’t help it – when I think of Tubas I think of polka. I know! Tubas are used for far more than polka music, but I can’t help it! Tuba Day isn’t for my giggling though – it’s to recognize musicians around the world who have chosen such a big and weight instrument to play. It is an important musical instrument that no concert or symphony should be without! It has a big, deep sound that provides character and depth to a performance. I know that none of want to see a marching band without a Tuba – it would just be so sad! Think about the job the tuba player has . . . he lugs this heavy instrument around, and still has to have the wind to play the instrument. Give a tuba player some deserved recognition.
This Day in History –
1626 – Manhattan Island is sold! Indians agree to the deal in exchange for $24 in cloth & buttons.
1878 – Phonograph is played for the first time at the Grand Opera House.
1934 – Academy of Motion Pictures is founded.
1932 – Atlanta Penitentiary has a new resident after Al Capone is convict of income tax evasion.
1964 – Soap operas “Another World” and “As the World Turns” premiere.
Food Celebration of the Day –
National Candied Orange Peel Day – this one is dedicated to . . . wait for it . . . candied orange peels! hahahaha sorry – I had to laugh at this just a little. So, really, when we eat oranges we throw usually throw away the peel, right? Oh sure, sometimes we may use the zest in a recipe, but for the most part they are tossed out into the compost or the garbage. So, why would we candy it? We know it is edible, but does it taste good? Well, if you are a chef or a baker, then you know just how to use it and what sorts of foods it would be delicious in, but for the rest of us we have very likely eaten it in seasonal baked goods without even knowing it. Candied orange peels are a boiled, sliced, sugar added treat. You CAN eat them by themselves, but most often they are used in holiday cookies, snacks and fruitcake. I have done a lot of baking, but I can honestly say I have never actually used them, and I am curious as to how they would taste in something. I had intended to make something last Christmas that used them, but totally forgot. Maybe THIS Christmas?
National Orange Juice Day – The idea of drinking OJ in the morning stems from the 1920s when California and Florida fruit growers started touting the health benefits of vitamin C, a newly discovered vitamin, in their promotional campaigns. I admit I usually buy my orange juice in jugs from the refrigerator section at the store. The brand Simply Orange is delicious and often on sale. However, when we went on our Alaska cruise a few years ago I was absolutely LOVING the fresh squeezed orange juice every morning at breakfast. Absolutely DELICIOUS!
Oh my! Would you look at this? I am going to be out of the house a few minutes early! I am pretty excited. This being organized thing really works! God bless you and I’ll see you tomorrow!
Celebration lists and information are sourced from the following websites:
www.brownielocks.com; www.holidayinsights.com; www.thenibble.com; www.foodimentary.com and www.verseoftheday.com