On this Day, in 1870, the National Weather Service was established.

Take a quick look outside. Is it clear or cloudy? Sunny or snowy? Wet or dry? Coolish or warmish? And here’s a question for you: Does the weather match the forecast for today?

Weather affects everyone—some people much more than others. Farmers, for example, need sun and rain in the right amounts at specific times of the year. Pilots have to fly around or above storms. Those who fish, sail, and do other water activities keep their eyes on the skies. And no athlete wants the game cancelled because of inclement weather.

The weather can affect a person’s mood, too. How do you feel when the day is dark and cloudy compared to bright and sunny?

What frustrates many is that we have no choice. Weather is what it is, and we have to accept it and deal with it.

We can’t choose a lot of things. Besides the weather, we can’t choose our families, our basic physical and mental characteristics, the laws of the land, and many of the events around us.

But we can choose our attitudes. We can choose to be positive and pleasant, even when everything doesn’t go our way. We can choose how we act toward other people. We can choose to move closer to God rather than away from him. We can choose to obey and believe God and trust him for the future.

In today’s Bible passage, Moses is about to leave the Israelites, turning over the leadership of the nation to Joshua. So in this final speech, he challenges the people to make the right choices. Imagine yourself in that crowd, hearing these final words from this great man of God and leader. What does it mean for you to “choose life”?

Meet Moses’ challenge. Regardless of the weather or anything else, make choices today that honor God.

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendants might live” (Deuteronomy 30:19).

To Do

For one day, keep track of things and events that you can’t control. Make a note of how those things affect your attitude. Each time you write one down, think about making a positive, God-honoring choice.

Also on this day . . .

1773—William Henry Harrison, the 9^th president of the United States, was born in Charles City County, VA

1895—W.G. Morgan invented volleyball.

1964—The Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show.

1997—The Simpsons became the longest-running prime-time animated series. The Flintstones held the record previously.

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.