Today is Good Neighbor Day.

In the early 1970s, Becky Mattson from Lakeside, Montana, recognized the importance of having and being good neighbors. So she started an effort to make this a national day. Three presidents (Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter) along with many state governors all issued proclamations calling for a Good Neighbor Day.

Finally in 2003 the U.S. Senate passed a resolution to make September 22 National Good Neighbor Day. Here are some ideas for observing it: Bake some cookies and take them over to your next-door neighbor. Smile and wave hello to your neighbors when you see them outside. Do a chore secretly for your neighbors—rake their lawns, sweep their driveways, bring in the trash cans.

Even though this day has been set aside as Good Neighbor Day, the writer in Proverbs makes it clear that we should not ignore an opportunity to help our neighbor. In other words, we don’t need a Good Neighbor Day to help someone out. Whenever the opportunity arises, we should be ready to lend a hand, pitch in, and help out.

And since Jesus pointed out that our “neighbor” is anybody with whom we come in contact (see Luke 10:25-37), then that means we need to extend help to our classmates, the kids on the bus, and even people we don’t know. That means taking the time to explain a homework assignment, bringing home books to a sick classmate, or helping clean up after a project.

Think about it. We are to treat our neighbors as we would like them to treat us. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say, “Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you” (Proverbs 3:28).

To Do

Read the story of the Good Samaritan again in Luke 10:25-37. Think about these questions: Who are my neighbors? How can I be a good neighbor?

Also on this day

Today is Elephant Appreciation Day.

1999—The record for drinking ketchup was set by Dustin Phillips on this day. He drank a 14-ounces. bottle of ketchup through a straw in 33 seconds.

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.

Today is International Day of Peace.

The International Day of Peace was established in 1982 through the United Nations as a day set aside for the entire world to observe nonviolence and peace. Since 9/11, the world’s attention has been focused on terror, fear, and war. But behind the scenes, a worldwide movement for peace has been growing.

Organizers try to involve as many people as possible in observing the day. Videoconferences have been set up with children in countries that have experienced war. The World Peace Flag is raised during a ceremony at UN headquarters. An International Day of Peace Vigil, a 24-hour observance for peace and nonviolence, has been organized in places of worship, in neighborhoods, and communities.

People have worked tirelessly to have the entire world observe a Global Day of Ceasefire on this day. The UN has set a goal to involve as many as one billion people worldwide in peace activities. Their hope is that if “we can create one day of peace, we will realize that we can work together to create a culture of peace, one day at a time.”

Too often we think of peace as merely the absence of any conflict. We think about peacemakers as passive and nonaggressive. But peace does not just happen. We have to work at creating peace. In the Bible, Peter urged believers to “work hard” at living in peace with each other. That meant being active in forming good relationships, in resolving problems before they arise, and working with others to ensure a peaceful home, church, or community.

So what can you do today to make peace where you are? It starts one day at a time, one person at a time. Let peace begin with you.

Turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in peace with others (1 Peter 3:11).

To Do

Make a simple peace pledge. How can you work at peace within your family or among your friends today?

Also on this day

Today is World Gratitude Day.

This is Deaf Awareness Week.

1937—J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit was first published.

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.

Today is National Student Day.

What kind of student are you? When you come home from school, do you: (a) immediately crack the books; (b) grab a snack, watch a few TV shows, and then hit the books; or (c) What? Do we have homework tonight?

When you are given a chance to do extra credit assignments, do you: (a) thank the teacher and immediately get to work; (b) consider how much time is involved and how much you really want to raise your grade before tackling extra credit; or (c) figure anything that has the word extra in it means just that—extra work. No thank you.

When there is something you don’t understand in school, do you: (a) ask questions until you do understand; (b) wait until you see if it’s going to be on test and then ask your best friend to explain it; or (c) figure that eventually you’ll understand it by the time you graduate from high school.

If you answered mostly a’s, then good for you! You are a true student. But really, anyone can be a student—no matter how old. The dictionary describes a student as one who is an attentive learner and sharp observer. You can study anything—from bugs to rap, from computers to the arts. You also can be a student of God’s Word. Psalm 119—the longest psalm ever written—is all about the benefits of studying God’s Word every day.

Here are just a few of those benefits—we’ll be happy (v. 2); we’ll stay pure (v. 9); we will have understanding (v. 34); we will find comfort (v. 50); and we will find guidance (v. 105) and great peace (v. 165). Because of that we should, like the psalm-writer says, delight in God’s Word, meditate on it daily, put it into practice and live by it daily, and hide God’s Word in our hearts.

What kind of student are you of God’s Word?

How can a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the map of your Word (Psalm 119:9, The Message).

To Do

Take the challenge and read Psalm 119. You may want to read it over several days. Or read it aloud with another friend or family member. Underline the verses that mean the most to you.

Also on this day

1881—Chester A. Arthur became the 21^st president. President James A. Garfield had died the day before.

1921—KDKA in Pittsburgh, PA became one of the first radio stations to offer a daily newscast.

1952—James Meredith, an African-American student, was blocked from enrolling at the University of Mississippi by Governor Ross R. Barnett. Meredith was later admitted.

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.

Today is National Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Shivers me timbers! Today be the day that all landlubbers and me hearties join in and talk like pirates. A few pointers are all that’s needed before you be talking like a swashbucklin’ jack. So here you be:

First off, double up on all your adjectives. Pirates never speak of a big ship—it’s always a “great, grand ship.” It’s not a pretty girl—it’s a fine beauty of a lass. And remember, a pirate is never content to just say never. No, it’s “no nay ne’er!”

Next, all me hearties have to drop their g’s when speakin’. Now you’ll get words like rowin’, sailin’, fightin’. Drop your v’s (as in ne’er, e’er and o’er). Final lesson. No nay ne’er say, “I am” or “You are.” Any sailor worth his or her weight in doubloons of gold says “I be” or “you be.” Now put it all together, and mateys, you be fine swashbucklin’, dashin’ buccaneers. No swabbies around here, no nay ne’er!

Now there’s not much use for talking like a pirate (other than to impress your mateys!), but if you want to communicate with other who are different from you, it does help to speak their language. That doesn’t just mean knowing how they talk, but also what their interests are and what they like.

The apostle Paul discovered this as he traveled to different places to share the gospel. Wherever he went he did his best to fit in with those around him and speak their language.

That meant that Paul did what was best for those around him, not just what pleased him. That’s a good lesson to follow when we want to talk to our friends at school about Jesus. Are they into music? Then invite them to a Christian rock concert. They like sports? Speak their language, get on the team, and show them what Jesus is all about.

Arrrrrr!

That is the plan I follow, too. I try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what I like or what is best for me, but what is best for them so they may be saved (1 Corinthians 10:33).

To Do

Go ahead. Talk like a pirate today. Here’s some words you may need to know: ahoy (hey!); aye (yes); matey (friend or shipmate); yo-ho-ho (a good pirate laugh).

Also on this day

1881—James A. Garfield died of wounds from an assassin. The 20^th president had lived for 11 weeks after being shot.

1982—Scott Fahlman became the first person to use : – ) in an online message.

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.

Today is National Play-Doh® Day.

How long has it been since you’ve dug your hands into a great big glob of blue, red, or yellow Play-Doh®? Remember how much fun it was to craft a whole host of creations by squeezing, rolling, and molding the colorful substance in the bright yellow containers? Maybe you even had a Fun Factory, where you inserted the modeling dough into molds and then squeezed out the fun shapes.

Play-Doh brand modeling dough has been around since 1956 when brothers Noah and Joseph McVicker invented the compound. Originally it was designed to be a wallpaper cleaner (don’t try that at home!), but its similarity to modeling clay, without the toxicity or mess, made it a better toy. In fact, Joseph McVicker became a millionaire before his 27^th birthday after re-releasing the product as a toy. Since that time, more than 700 million pounds of the modeling dough have been sold.

Over the years, sparkling, scented, and glow-in-the-dark versions of this product have been produced. But the real attraction is how easy it is to sculpt and fashion any number of creations using this soft, malleable dough. Then when you’re done, you simply squish your creation into one large lump and stuff it back into its can to use for another day.

Imagine how much fun God had in shaping us. He had all the colors, the variety, and the shapes imaginable at his fingertips to mold each one of us. Isaiah writes that God is the potter and we are the clay. God forms us and shapes us not only in the way he created us, but also through our experiences and the circumstances in which he has placed us.

He is the sculptor. We are his modeling dough.

And yet, Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We are all formed by your hand (Isaiah 64:8).

To Do

Have some fun with modeling dough today! You can even make your own by using a recipe from www.kinderplanet.com/playdo.htm.

Also on this day . . .

1709—Samuel Johnson, the creator of the first dictionary of the English language, was born.

1947—The U.S. Air Force was established.

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.

Today is Citizenship Day.

This day honoring all U.S. citizens, whether native-born or foreign-born, was originally celebrated on the third Sunday in May as “I Am an American Day.” But in 1952, President Harry Truman signed a bill establishing today as the Citizenship Day, moving the celebration to the day on which the U.S. Constitution was signed in 1787.

The intent of the day is to recognize all those who have become American citizens during the preceding year. The day typically is marked with pageantry and speeches to impress upon these new citizens the privileges and the responsibilities of being a U.S. citizen.

To become a U.S. citizen, you must have lived in the United States for five years. You must be a person of good character, have a basic knowledge of U.S. history and government, and can read, write, and speak basic English. You must be 18 years old, legally competent, and express your allegiance to the United States. You must fill out the proper forms and pass a citizenships test.

It can be a long, hard process, and not everybody who wants to become an American citizen is accepted. That’s why this day is so meaningful to the hundreds of thousands who do become citizens during the year.

But did you know that if you are a follower of Christ, then you are a citizen of a kingdom far greater than America? The Bible tells us that when we believe in Jesus we join the kingdom of God, and we will someday live forever in Heaven. We don’t have to live there a certain number of years, be a certain age, pass a test, or fill out any forms. Our citizenship in Heaven becomes official the very moment that we confess our faith in Jesus Christ.

For that privilege, you receive God’s love and forgiveness, his guidance and protection, and life with him forever. Not a bad deal.

But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior (Philippians 3:20).

To Do

Write down three things you enjoy because you are an American citizen. Now write down three things you enjoy because you are a citizen of Heaven.

Also on this day . . .

1796—President George Washington’s Farewell Address was read before the Congress.

1872—Phillip W. Pratt patented a version of the sprinkler system.

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 1620, the Pilgrims left Plymouth England on the Mayflower.

We typically think about the Pilgrims once a year when Thanksgiving rolls around. And then it’s usually about the great feast they had with the Indians. End of story. But did you realize that the story—and the importance—of the Pilgrims is more than that? The Pilgrims left us a legacy not just of turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie, but of the freedom to worship as we please each and every Sunday.

In 1608, it was apparent to this group that they could no longer live in England and worship as they were told. They wanted to worship in a church that placed its authority solely in the Bible. They longed for the opportunity to choose their own church leaders by a common vote. So they left for Holland in order to live by the principles expressed in 2 Corinthians 6:17: “Therefore, come out from them and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.”

After 12 years, the group decided they had to move again because of the hard life and discouragement that they had found in Holland. Even in Holland, the Pilgrims discovered that they were losing the simplicity and purity of lifestyle and worship that they wanted. So they returned to England, and on this day in 1620, 102 Pilgrims set out for America in search for a better life for their children and for the freedom to worship as they pleased.

Because of the Pilgrims’ determination to worship and live as they deemed right in God’s eyes, we now enjoy the freedom of religion. America’s founding fathers saw the importance of religious freedom and made sure that was preserved in the Constitution. We can worship how we please, in whatever church we deem appropriate, without any thought of persecution or danger.

You can thank the Pilgrims for being willing to “earnestly search” for God.

O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water (Psalm 63:1).

To Do

If you can, read more about the Pilgrims. Write down three things that you appreciated most about this group of people.

Also on this day

Today is Collect Rocks Day!

1782—The Great Seal of the United States was impressed on a document to negotiate a prisoner-of-war agreement with the British. It was the first official use of the impression.

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.

Today is Born to be Wild Day!

Since today is Born to Be Wild Day, let’s take a look at the Bible’s “wild boy”. Remember him, the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32? According to Webster’s Dictionary, “prodigal” means reckless, extravagant . . . in a word, wild.

So here’s the situation. A father had two sons. One day the younger son asked the father for his inheritance right away. The father agreed, and the son took off. The son spent all his money on wild living. Soon his money ran out and he had nothing to eat.

The son was so desperate that he begged a local pig farmer to hire him to feed the pigs. But no one gave the son anything. Soon the pig’s food even looked good to him. The son, with all his wild living, had hit rock bottom.

Finally the son came to his senses. He decided that even his father’s hired men were better off than he was. Maybe if he begged his father for forgiveness, his father might hire him. So he headed for home. When the boy was still a way off, the father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to hug his son. The story ends with the father holding a huge party to celebrate his son’s return.

Even though the son had messed up big time, the father still loved him and welcomed him back. That’s good news because we all have our “wild” days—those times when we do what we want to do and forget about God. When we do, the best thing to do is remember that God is always waiting with open arms for us to return.

“We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.” So the party began (Luke 15:23, 24).

To Do

Read the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. Imagine that you are one of the characters in the story (the younger brother, the father, the older brother). How would you have reacted?

Also on this day

1857—William H. Taft, the 27^th president of the United States, was born today.

1928—Alexander Fleming discovered the antibiotic penicillin in a mold.

1982—The first issue of USA Today was published.

1984—Prince Harry of Wales was born.

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 1741, George Handel completed Messiah in time for an orphans’ charity concert.

At age 56 George Handel had given what he had considered his farewell concert. Discouraged and dejected, Handel felt a failure. That’s when a wealthy friend, Charles Jensen, gave Handel a libretto based on the life of Christ, taken right from the Bible. At the same time, Handel received a commission from a Dublin charity to compose a work for a benefit performance.

With the libretto in hand, Handel set to work on August 22, 1741. He became so absorbed in his work that he never left the room of his small London house, rarely stopping to eat. Within six days, he had completed part one. In nine more days, he had finished part two, and in another six, part three. The entire orchestration was completed in another two days. In all, 260 pages of manuscript were filled in 24 short days. Handel’s title for the commissioned work was simply Messiah.

With tears running down his face, Handel recounted that while writing what has become the hallmark of that work, the “Hallelujah Chorus”, “I did think I did see all heaven before me, and the great God himself.”

Handel’s awe-inspiring composition, with its inspiring lyrics and stirring sounds, may be the closest we come on this side of Heaven to experiencing what John—and indeed Handel himself—saw when the doors of Heaven were opened to them:

“Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a huge crowd, or the roar of mighty ocean waves, or the crash of loud thunder: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns” (Revelation 19:6).

It is the victory song that resounds in heaven when Jesus comes to judge the wicked and joins with his bride—the faithful believers from all time.

You won’t want to miss that!

Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a huge crowd, or the roar of mighty ocean waves, or the crash of loud thunder: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns (Revelation 19:6).

To Do

Spend some time today listening to George Handel’s Messiah.

Also on this day . . .

Today is National Cream-Filled Donut Day.

1901—President William McKinley was assassinated.

1999—Walt Disney World closed down for the first time in its 28-year history because of Hurricane Floyd.

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.