On this day in 1751 Edward Willet displayed the first trained monkey act in the United States.

Have you ever seen a trained monkey act? They’re pretty hard to find these days. But maybe you’ve seen the monkeys in a zoo. If so, you know they can be very funny racing around, making weird sounds and faces, and even showing off for the crowd. No wonder we use the expression “monkeying around.” Or maybe you’ve heard someone say, “That’s more fun than a barrel of monkeys.” Or how about—”Monkey see; monkey do”? That refers to the habit of monkeys to copy the actions of humans. Obviously, no one takes monkeys very seriously.

Some people act like monkeys, though. They like to have a good time and always seem to be messing around and goofing off. And they enjoy making fun of everything and everyone. The problem, however, is that no one takes them seriously either. Even if they try to be serious, we think they’re making a joke.

Our passage for today points out that in life we have a time for everything, even a “time to laugh” and a “time to dance.” But our laughing and cutting up should be done at the right time, not all the time. The Bible also says we have a time to be serious, “to cry” and “to grieve.”

We laugh at the wrong time when we joke about God, his Word, and his people, or when we make fun of painful situations, and when we take lightly serious matters. God wants us to enjoy life to the full, to have “abundant life.” But he also wants us to be very serious about what is important.

So have a blast—laugh, joke, sing, and celebrate. But at the right time.

Seriously.

There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven. . . . A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4).

To Do

This week, notice how many of the jokes on television make fun of other people, laughing at their problems, and putting them down. Work hard at not using that kind of humor.

Also on this day . . .

1841—Famous French painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir was born.

1983—The final episode of M*A*S*H* aired. This was the most watched television program in history.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

On this day in 1938, the first nylon bristle toothbrush was made.

Question: When is it time to go to the dentist? Answer: “Tooth hurty!” (Get it? “Tooth hurty” sounds like “two-thirty.”) That’s a lame joke, but what better way to celebrate the first nylon bristle toothbrush?

Do you ever wonder what people did to protect their teeth before toothbrushes? Maybe they used wood or their fingers, or just chewed until their teeth wore out or fell out (Woodn’t chew?—another joke). We know that some ancient people had good teeth, however.

Actually this discussion of teeth is a good reminder of the importance of taking care of our bodies. God has given us these bodies, and he wants us to serve him in the world. You have only one body. You can’t return it to the hospital where you were born and ask for a replacement.

In another Bible verse, Paul says, “Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself” (1 Corinthians 6:19). So that makes it even more important to think about our health.

Taking care of the body involves more than brushing and flossing. Diet, exercise, sleep, and, certainly, staying away from stuff that can destroy you (alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, and so forth) all play a part.

Some young people act like this isn’t important because, right now, they feel good. So they veg out, eat junk food, sleep just a couple of hours a night, and smoke. But eventually all those habits cause harm.

Every year you live is another year of enjoying life and serving Christ.

And remember, be true to your teeth, and they’ll never be false to you!

Your teeth are as white as sheep, newly shorn and washed. They are perfectly matched (Song of Solomon 4:2).

To Do

Buy a new toothbrush.

Also on this day . . .

1821—Mexico declared independence from Spain.

1839—William S. Otis received a patent for the steam shovel.

1968—The discovery of a pulsar was announced.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

On this day in 1685 composer George Frideric Händel was born.

You may never have heard of Händel, but he was considered in England and by many in Germany as the greatest composer of his day. You probably have heard of the Messiah, however, his best-known work, and its famous climax, “Hallelujah,” usually called the Hallelujah chorus. Every Christmas, throughout the world, church and community choirs perform this magnificent composition. It comes at the end, and usually everyone in the audience stands. It’s more than a tradition. They stand to honor the One about whom the choir is singing: Jesus, the Messiah.

For hundreds of years, the Jewish people were awaiting their deliverer, their Messiah. When Jesus came, he said that Messiah was exactly who he was and that he had come to deliver people from their sins. Usually the name “Jesus” is followed by “Christ”—a Greek word that means “Messiah.”

Jesus was 100 percent God and 100 percent human. That’s what the Bible teaches. He was a human being, just like you, but he lived a perfect life. He faced all the temptations and pressures that humans face, but he didn’t give in and sin. When Jesus died on the cross, he took the punishment for our sins on himself, in our place. And then he rose from the dead and now lives. And, as Händel’s Messiah proclaims, “He shall reign forever and ever”!

Many people have claimed to know God and to have the truth. And many have encouraged people to follow them. The Bible calls them “false prophets.” Only one Messiah exists, only one Savior—Jesus. Do you know him?

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).

To Do

Get a concordance (that’s a book that lists all the words in the Bible and where to find them), or use an electronic concordance on your computer. Search for the word, “Messiah,” and look up all the verses in the New Testament where it is used.

Also on this day . . .

1836—The siege of the Alamo began.

1874—Walter Winfield patented the game of lawn tennis. He first called the game, “sphairistike.”

1896—Tootsie Roll candies were first sold in stores.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

On this day in 1732, George Washington was born.

Earlier this month, we celebrated Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. Kids used to get both his birthday and this day off from school. But now we have “Presidents Day”—the third Monday in February instead, so you only get one vacation day. But it’s still good to remember these two great presidents, Lincoln and Washington.

Like Lincoln, George Washington was known for his honesty. Supposedly he admitted to his father, “I cannot tell a lie. I chopped down the cherry tree.” Whether that story is true or not, it’s good to be known as someone who tells the truth. That’s a great reputation to have!

The Bible says we should tell the truth, but that’s not always easy. When caught doing something wrong, we want to make excuses instead of admitting what we did. Or in order to impress someone we might make up a story about ourselves. Or to get ahead in school, we are tempted to cheat. Many times in a variety of situations we feel the pressure to lie or to hide the truth. One of the problems with telling a lie is that it leads to other lies and then to more lies, until you’re not really sure what you said to whom—a real mess.

Lying is so common that in court witnesses have to “swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” And when people say something to someone, they have to add, “I promise.”

Telling the truth may hurt (you might be punished, lose a friendship, or get a lower grade), but it will help you in the long run. You’ll become a person with a clear conscience and a good reputation. And most important, you’ll be obeying God.

And that’s the truth!

Do not steal. Do not cheat one another. Do not lie (Leviticus 19:11).

To Do

Today, look for someone who tells you the truth, even if it’s something that’s painful to hear. This could be a teacher who breaks the bad news about a grade, a parent who shares his or her feelings, or a friend who points out something you said or did. Then say something like this to that person: “Thank you for telling me the truth. I really appreciate that.”

Also on this day . . .

This is Be Humble Day.

1889—North and South Dakota, Montana, and Washington were admitted to the Union.

1923—The first successful chinchilla farm opened in Los Angeles, California.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

This is National Sticky Bun Day.

Now this is a great day to celebrate. Yum, yum sticky buns! “Rolled dough, spread with sugar and nuts; then sliced and baked in muffin tins with honey or sugar and butter in the bottom”—that’s how one dictionary described the tasty treat. It sure sounds like good eatin’, almost any time.

But you probably shouldn’t grab one just before shaking hands or working on the computer or shuffling cards or handling your best shirt or bowling or applying make-up or performing surgery. That would be a bad idea—the stickiness would cause a problem.

That’s just common sense. We would feel pretty foolish if we did any of those activities with hands covered in sticky honey or sugar and butter. But sometimes we make foolish decisions in other areas of life. Maybe you’ve heard about someone crashing a car because he or she was reading or watching TV while driving. Occasionally the newspaper will report on a person who ignored warning signs and was seriously injured. There are always examples of people who make unwise choices and end up in trouble..

To get more personal, maybe you’ve done something foolish, like gossip about a friend, lie to your parents, cheat on a test, pretend to be cool or smart, or do something wrong just because other kids want you to. Not only are those actions unwise, they also lead to trouble.

The Bible talks a lot about wisdom (check out today’s verse). Wisdom is like common sense plus. It involves thinking things through, comparing possible actions with what God wants, and then making the right choice.

Wise people know what to do in any sticky situation.

My child, eat honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste. In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, you will have a bright future, and your hopes will not be cut short (Proverbs 24:13, 14).

To Do

Each time you eat something sweet (sugar on cereal, candy, soft drink, sticky bun, and so forth), think about sticky situations and wisdom. Ask God to help make you wise.

Also on this day . . .

1885—The Washington Monument was dedicated.

1950—The first International Pancake Race was held in Liberal, Kansas.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

In 1998, when she won the ladies’ figure skating competition in Nagano, Japan, American Tara Lipinski, at age 15, became the youngest gold medal winner in winter Olympics history.

Today we’re going to talk about Tara and Tim—two young people who made an impact.

You know about Tara from the information above. As she was growing up and competing, everyone knew she was a rising star, a promising athlete, a potential champion. But to win the gold medal at 15, now that was a shock! The competition was tough, and she was so young and inexperienced. No one expected her to win. Maybe that’s why she did so well. Feeling no pressure, she just went out and skated her best.

Now let’s consider Tim. This young man lived hundreds of years before Tara. He was young too, and few expected much from him. But his good friend and mentor, the Apostle Paul, knew better. He knew that Tim had what it took to be a great leader in the church. Paul even wrote two letters to his young friend to encourage him and to help him do his best. Those letters are in the Bible—1 Timothy and 2 Timothy.

In today’s verse, Paul gives Tim advice that you should hear too. He wrote, “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young.” In other words, just because you are young don’t think you can’t do something great for God—you can! And then he added, “Be an example.” So, not only can you make a difference by what you do but also by how you live.

While some people are tempted to underestimate the young, some great Christians have been quite young. They made a difference for Christ. You can too!

Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you teach, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. (1 Timothy 4:12).

To Do

Think of how you can be a better example in “what you teach,” “the way you live,” “your love,” “your faith,” or “your purity.” Then take one step to make the change.

Also on this day . . .

1872—The Metropolitan Museum of Art opened in New York City.

1872—Silas Noble and J.P. Cooley patented the toothpick manufacturing machine.

1962—John Glenn became the first U.S. astronaut to orbit the earth.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

In 1913, Cracker Jack put prizes in their boxes for the first time.

Don’t you just love surprises? Good ones, that is. A card with cash from your aunt . . . a visit from an old friend . . . a good grade on a test when you thought you hadn’t done very well . . . the chocolate center in a piece of candy . . . a random act of kindness.

The makers of Cracker Jack knew that, so way back in 1913 they put prizes in their boxes to help sell their caramel-coated popcorn and peanuts snack. It worked! Kids (parents too) liked the snack, but they loved the surprise prize. Since then, people think “prize” and “surprise” when they hear “Cracker Jack.” Even today, the bag proclaims, “Prize inside! Whad’ya get? There are new surprises waiting for you. So open a bag and enjoy.”

“Surprise” is a good word to associate with Jesus, too. He was constantly saying and doing things that were unusual and unexpected. People thought they had him figured out, and then he would say something like, “The first will be last and the last first,” or “The least in this world will be the greatest in my kingdom.” And in today’s verse, he proclaimed that he had come to “give life in all its fullness.” Another translation of this verse says that Jesus came to give life “more abundantly.” “Fullness” and “abundantly” are like having a bucket that is totally full and overflowing. So abundant life is having extra life, life “overflowing,” like getting a surprise prize in the box.

Today, many people think they know all about Jesus. They think following him is just religion. In fact, it’s totally different because it’s “life overflowing.” Think of the life Christ offers as “life with a prize inside!”

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness” (John 10:10).

To Do

Buy a few bags of Cracker Jack. Give them to friends and say, “Jesus is like a Cracker Jack bag—he gives life with a prize inside. Open a bag and enjoy.”

Also on this day . . .

1473—Nicolas Copernicus was born.

1878—Thomas Edison patented the phonograph.

1985—The Coca-Cola Company introduced Cherry Coke.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

In 1930, Elm Farm Ollie became the first cow to fly in an airplane.

OK, this is a stretch, but imagine you’re Ollie, the first cow to fly in an airplane. You’ve returned to earth and are back in the herd (go along with it now), trying to explain your experience to the other cows—Daisy, Bessie, Mookie . . . the whole gang. All they’ve ever known is the farm, the barn, and the field. And every day’s schedule looks the same: get up, give milk, eat grass, return to the barn. But you’ve traveled much farther and have seen much more. How would the other cows respond?

Until your trip, you were just like them. But your point of view changed, and you saw things you never imagined—treetops, homes, cars, highways, and land to the horizon. Your life will never be the same.

That silly story is close to what humans experience. We spend our lives on this planet. Some people never travel out of the country in which they are born, and some people don’t even leave their hometowns! That’s all we know. But God is much bigger than our world—and far beyond. He sees all the people of the world all the time. He also sees everything beyond our tiny planet, throughout the universe. So when he tells us about life, the future, how to live, or anything else, we ought to listen carefully. We should try to see life from his point of view.

God says, for example, that this life is not everything. He offers eternal life in heaven with him, if we have given our lives to his Son. He says that we can trust him for the future. And God tells us about all of this in his Word, the Bible.

So try to see life from God’s point of view, and trust him in everything.

Jesus turned and looked at his disciples and then said to Peter very sternly, “Get away from me, Satan! You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s” (Mark 8:33).

To Do

The next time you’re in an airplane or on the top floor of a tall building, look down at everything below. Then think of how God sees everything.

Also on this day . . .

1930—Clyde Tombaugh discovered the planet Pluto.

1987—The Girl Scout organization changed the color of their uniforms from green to blue.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

This is Random Acts of Kindness Day.

A “random act of kindness” involves doing something nice and good for someone else, even a stranger, for no particular reason. Such kind acts catch them by surprise and brighten their day. An adult, for example, might pay for someone’s gas (big bucks) or another driver’s toll on the tollway (pocket change). The random action doesn’t have to be big and expensive; the thought is what counts. This can be really fun when the act is done in secret, and the person receiving the kindness never learns who did it.

Usually we worry more about ourselves than others, and we’re quick to point out when we have experienced something bad and “undeserved.” So when someone is especially kind, considerate, generous, and helpful to us, we feel good about ourselves and about life. Then we may even pass on the kindness to someone else.

This idea isn’t new—check out today’s verse. Christians are to be kind and imitate Christ.

Actually, this whole idea of a random act of kindness reflects the Golden Rule. Remember that verse? Jesus said, “Do for others as you would like them to do for you” (Luke 6:31).

So just consider how you would like to be treated, and then treat another person the same way. Who do you know who would appreciate a kind act? Maybe your mom, dad, brother, sister, neighbor, friend, classmate, or even a stranger. Be more like Christ as you pass on the kindness.

Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you (Ephesians 4:32).

To Do

Do a random act of kindness today. If you wish, tell a friend or two about this day, and perform some kind act together. And make sure that your kind act is something the person doesn’t expect. Let it be a surprise.

Also on this day . . .

This is Championship Crab Races Day.

1876—Julius Wolff was credited with being the first to can sardines.

1934—The first high school automobile driver’s education course was introduced in State College, Pennsylvania.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

This is Do a Grouch a Favor Day.

We don’t know who made this up, but it’s a good idea. Doing a favor for a grouch might just brighten his or her day. And if it happens more than once, the grouch might not be so grouchy.

A grouch seems always to be in a bad mood. Everything is negative to him or her. On a partly cloudy day, grouches see the clouds, not the sun. Can you think of any grouches in your life? Remember Oscar the Grouch from Sesame Street. He lives in a garbage can, for goodness sake—no wonder he has a bad attitude!

Grouches aren’t fun to be around. Wouldn’t you rather hang with positive people, who see the good and make you feel good about life and about yourself? Maybe you have a friend like that . . . or a relative . . . or a teacher . . . or a person at church.

But wait a second. What about you? Do you think people call you a grouch? If so, consider things you might do to become a more positive person. A good start would be to list all the good in your life and to thank God for those blessings. Then try to look for at least one good thing every day to thank him for.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8).

To Do

Take this day seriously and do someone a favor. Help someone who’s feeling grouchy to feel better.

Also on this day . . .

1946—The first commercially designed helicopter was tested in Connecticut.

1968—Detroit, Michigan declared this to be Aretha Franklin Day.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.