This is Memory Day.

How good is your memory? Can you remember what you wore to school a week ago? How about the name of your preschool teacher? Our memory—the ability to recall past events, facts, people, or figures—is an important function we rely on daily.

Sometimes the information we have stuffed in our memory isn’t very useful. We call that trivia. At other times our ability to recall facts and figures is critical. Just try taking a history test when your memory goes blank! Witnesses in court can play a crucial role in determining guilt or innocence as they recount what they saw or heard.

We have all sorts of ways to help our memory. Flash cards help us remember math facts. We have calendars, address books, assignment notebooks, PDAs, and other devices to help us remember birthdays, appointments, and other necessary information. We make lists, set alarms, and even tie strings around fingers so we won’t forget an important errand.

One of the most important pieces of information we can store in our memories is God’s Word. Knowing God’s Word makes us wise, helps us know what to do in every situation, and keeps us from sinning. We are told to write God’s Word on our hearts (Psalm 40:8), to treasure his Word as a precious gem (Psalm 119:72), and to use his Word as a weapon against Satan (Ephesians 6:17).

As important as memorizing God’s Word is, however, it’s just the first step. The Bible tells us that the way to keep from sinning is not only to hide God’s Word in our heart, but also to obey and follow God’s rules (Psalm 119:10). It’s a one-two punch—memorize and obey!

Don’t forget!

I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you (Psalm 119:11).

To do

Celebrate Memory Day by memorizing today’s verse. What other Words of God can you hide in your heart?

Also on this day . . .

Today is National Flower Day. Give someone special a flower!

1685—The great composer, Johann Sebastian Bach, was born.

2001—Nintendo released Game Boy Advance.

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.

Fred “Mister Rogers” Rogers was born on this day in 1928.

Many of us grew up listening to the soothing and reassuring voice of Mister Rogers as he entered his home, took off his jacket and shoes, put on his familiar sweater and comfy sneakers, and welcomed us into his neighborhood.

Fred Rogers devoted his life to the welfare and well-being of children through the power of television. “He was so genuinely, genuinely kind, a wonderful person,” said David Newell, who played Mr. McFeely on the show. “His mission was to work with families and children for television. That was his passion, his mission, and he did it from Day One.”

“I got into television because I hated it so,” Rogers said of his show, which became the longest running program on PBS from 1968 to 2001. “And I thought there was some way of using this fabulous instrument to be of nurture to those who would watch and listen.”

In 2002, President George W. Bush awarded Rogers with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, for his contribution to the well-being of children and a career in public television that demonstrated the importance of kindness, compassion and learning.

As an ordained minister, Fred Rogers took a page from his master and teacher, Jesus. Jesus openly welcomed even the youngest child into his presence. In fact, he scolded his disciples for keeping the children away from him (see Mark 10:14). Jesus had a special place in his heart for children and warned his disciples that anyone who harmed them would be punished severely (Matthew 18:4-6). But anyone who welcomed a little child, he said, would be welcoming him.

That’s a good act to follow—show those younger than you the kindness and care you would give to Jesus.

But when Jesus saw what was happening, he was very displeased with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Mark 10:14).

To Do

Spend some time with a younger child today! Treat him or her to an ice cream, or read his or her favorite book. As you do this, remember Jesus and his love for children.

Also on this day . . .

Today is Rotten Sneaker Day.

Today is Big Bird’s Birthday.

1947—A blue whale weighing 180-metric tons was caught in the South Atlantic Ocean

1999—Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones became the first men to circumnavigate the Earth in a hot air balloon. The non-stop trip began on March 3 and covered 26,500 miles.

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.

The world’s largest chocolate bar was made on this day in 2000.

It’s a chocoholic’s dream and a dieter’s nightmare: a chocolate candy bar weighing in at over 5,000 pounds! It took three days to make, was 124 inches long, 59 inches wide, and 17.7 inches thick. According to the Guinness World Records, it was the largest bar of chocolate ever made.

We are fascinated with the greatest, the biggest, the longest, the fastest, the highest, or the best. Just check out the website for the Guinness World Records. With the click of the mouse, you can discover where to buy the world’s most expensive hamburger, who has the world’s longest beard, or who grew the world’s tallest celery plant. And if that’s not enough for you, today also marks the date in 1994 when the world’s largest omelet in history was made with 160,000 eggs in Yokohama, Japan.

If you are looking for the world’s best gift-giver, though, don’t bother looking in the Guinness World Records. You’re not going to find that record there. When it comes to the absolute best, nothing tops what God gives us each and every day. James tells us that “every good and perfect gift” comes from him. God in fact specializes in giving us good things. Take a look at what God gives us: life, food, rain and fruitful seasons, wisdom, and peace. He lavishes upon us grace, love, forgiveness, compassion, kindness, rest, strength, and power.

But his very best gift—the greatest, most spectacular, most amazing gift of all—was his Son. The familiar words of John 3:16 remind us that “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

That beats any chocolate bar—no matter how big.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17, New International Version).

To Do

Write a thank-you note to God today for the gifts he has given to you. Be specific.

Also on this day . . .

1822—The city of Boston, MA, was incorporated..

1831—The first bank robbery in America was reported. The City Bank of New York City lost $245,000 in the robbery.

1953—The Academy Awards aired on television for the first time.

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.

The first space walk took place on this day in 1965.

Imagine you are 200 miles above Earth, orbiting the planet in a spacecraft that is going about 18,000 miles an hour. Your co-astronaut helps you into a pressurized suit, makes sure your oxygen tank is operating properly, and then opens the hatch to the spacecraft. And there you are—ready to embark on your EVA—Extravehicular Activity, better known as a space walk.

Most of us wouldn’t give another thought to the concept of actually walking in space. (To be completely accurate, it’s really more like floating in space.) Astronauts perform this rather routine procedure all the time during space flights. It’s no more incredible than landing on the moon or docking at a space station located hundreds of miles above us in space.

Yet when Soviet cosmonaut Alekse Leonov performed the first space walk on March 18, 1965 high above Siberia, it was an incredible feat. To many people it was unbelievable. And when a human being first stepped onto the surface of the moon four years later, it was like watching the impossible happen. Now we talk about going to Mars, and no one doubts that someday it just might happen.

Sometimes our technology and scientific knowledge make us feel as though we can do anything. Nothing is impossible given enough time, knowledge, and money. But if we’re looking for the impossible to be done, there’s only One for whom everything is possible. He is the one who spoke and the world came into being. He is the one who has power over life and death. He is one who dared to live on this planet as a human and offer eternal life to everyone who believes.

With God, nothing—absolutely nothing—is impossible.

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26, New International Version).

To Do

Think about something you’ve read about or learned about that amazes you. Now think about something God has done that amazes you.

Also on this day . . .

Today is National Buzzard Day.

1837—Grover Cleveland, the 22^nd and 24^th president, was born.

1881—Barnum & Bailey’s Greatest Show on Earth opened in Madison Square Garden in New York City.

1961—Poppin’ Fresh, the Pillsbury Doughboy, was introduced.

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 St. Patrick’s Day

So exactly who is St. Patrick?

Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was actually born in Wales. His name was Maewyn, and he almost didn’t get the job as bishop of Ireland because he was uneducated. In fact, far from being a saint, Patrick grew up a pagan. At age 16, he was sold into slavery by a group of Irish bandits who had raided his village. During his captivity Patrick became closer to God. Patrick wrote, “and the faith grew in me, and the spirit was roused, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers, and in the night nearly the same.”

After six years, Patrick escaped and went to Gaul where he studied in a monastery. During that time, the young man realized that his calling was to convert pagans to Christianity. Patrick’s first wish was to return to Ireland and convert the pagans there. But his superiors sent another man first. Patrick was appointed as the second bishop to Ireland.

Patrick devoted his life to serving Christians already living in Ireland and to converting the pagans. He traveled throughout Ireland, establishing monasteries and opening schools and churches. By the time of his death, nearly the entire country of Ireland had become Christians. Patrick died on March 17^th in 461—the day that has been commemorated as St. Patrick’s Day ever since.

While most Americans celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with shamrocks and wearing green, the real intent of the day was to pray for missionaries around the world. So if you want to wear green today, go ahead. But be sure to take time to thank God for the many men and women who have devoted their lives to spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Then he told me, “The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and hear him speak. You are to take his message everywhere, telling the whole world what you have seen and heard” (Acts 22:14, 15).

To Do

Share with someone today the real meaning of St. Patrick’s Day.

Also on this day . . .

1756—St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated for the first time at the Crown and Thistle Tavern in New York City.

1845—The rubber band was invented.

1941—The National Gallery of Art was officially opened by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in Washington, DC.

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 Freedom of Information Day.

Freedom of Information Day is celebrated each year on the anniversary of the birth of James Madison, the fourth president of the United States and chief author of the Bill of Rights. The day’s purpose is to focus on the importance of every citizen’s right to obtain government information in a democratic society.

An important part of obtaining truth about the government was established in 1966 through the Freedom of Information Act. This law establishes the public’s right to obtain information from agencies such as the Defense Department, the State Department, and the Central Intelligence Agency.

As James Madison wrote, “A popular Government without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy or perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own Governors must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives.”

Madison noted that knowing the truth and having knowledge were important elements in a free society. Jesus also taught that knowing the truth was essential to being free. And what is that truth? The Bible tells us that Jesus is truth and the source of truth. John wrote, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17, New International Version). Jesus identifies himself as the truth. “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

As the source of all truth, Jesus is able to set us free from our sins, from the consequences of our sin, and from the deception of Satan. Jesus clearly shows us the way to God—and when we know God, we have true freedom.

Jesus’ perfect truth gives us the freedom to be all that God intends for us to be.

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

To Do

Complete this sentence, “Because I know Jesus loves me and forgives me, I am free to _________.”

Also on this day . . .

1751—James Madison, the fourth president of the United States, was born.

1926—Physicist Robert H. Goddard launched the first liquid-fuel rocket.

1993—France officially declared that ostrich meat was fit for human consumption.

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 the Ides of March.

“Beware the Ides of March,” the fortune-teller warned in Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar, forever marking that day with a sense of ill will and feeling of dread. And for those who know the fate of Julius Caesar on that particularly day, it’s no wonder. (More about that later!)

At that time, the Romans wouldn’t have thought twice about the Ides of March. Even Shakespeare’s audience wouldn’t have blinked at the mention of that date. To the Romans, the Ides of March was simply the standard way of saying March 15^th. In the Roman calendar, every month had an Ides, usually on the 15^th day, sometimes on the 13^th. The Ides was one of three days that the Romans used as reference points for counting other days.

It was the events that occurred on that day, later immortalized in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, that have forever associated the Ides of March with betrayal and evil. On that day, Julius Caesar’s so-called friends and followers assassinated him while he sat on his gilded throne in the Roman Senate. As he lay dying from the many stab wounds he received, historians reported that Caesar looked up at his friend Brutus, and said, “You, too, my child?”

Years later, another leader would be betrayed by another so-called friend. This time the leader would be betrayed by a kiss—a signal that led to the Jesus’ arrest and death on a cross. The “friend”? Judas Iscariot.

Let this day serve as a reminder of the true, real friends in your life. Friends that stick close to you, listen to you, and care about you are valuable. They are worth much more than the dozens of superficial, fair-weather friends, who vanish when life gets tough.

There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24).

To Do

Tell a friend that today is the Ides of March, and then explain what it means. Then tell your friend what he or she means to you.

Also on this day . . .

1767—Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States, was born.

1820—Maine was admitted as the 23rd state of the Union.

1907—Finland is the first European country to give women the right to vote.

1962—Wilt Chamberlain is the first to score 4,000 points in a NBA season.

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.

Albert Einstein was born on this day in 1879.

When Time magazine selected the most important person who lived in the 20^th century, the editors chose Albert Einstein: “He was the pre-eminent scientist in a century dominated by science. The touchstones of the era—the [atomic] Bomb, . . . quantum physics and electronics—all bear his imprint.” Einstein has been hailed as a “genius among geniuses” and the greatest thinker of the 20^th century.

Slow in learning to talk as a child, expelled by one school headmaster, and proclaimed by another as unlikely to amount to much, Einstein went on to develop theories that would change how we view and practice science forever. His work in quantum physics and the theory of relativity, for example, continues to impact how we view our world today.

Great minds and thinkers like Einstein inspire us, and rightfully so. Most of us can’t imagine being that wise. Yet, the truth is that being wise—being able to determine right from wrong—is never out of our reach. You may not be able to come up with the latest or greatest scientific theory, but you can always know what God wants you to do. How? James tells us that all we have to do is ask God, “who gives generously to all without finding fault” (James 1:5, New International Version).

Godly wisdom goes beyond just knowing facts and information. It is the ability to make the right decision in difficult situations. It is choosing what God wants instead of what we want. And it comes from learning God’s will by reading his Word and then doing it.

Want to be known as a wise person? Ask God for wisdom. Then do what he tells you!

If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking (James 1:5).

To Do

In what areas of your life do you need wisdom? Take time right now to ask God for his wisdom.

Also on this day . . .

Today is National Potato Chip Day. Have a bag!

1794—Eli Whitney received a patent for his cotton gin.

1914—Henry Ford announced the new continuous motion method to assemble cars, reducing the time it took to make a car from 12 ½ hours to 93 minutes.

1943—Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first President to fly in an airplane while in office.

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 Genealogy Day.

Where do your ancestors come from? Where do you fit on your family tree? Are you related to some famous person in history? Maybe you haven’t given much thought to questions like this, but thousands of people spend countless hours trying to discover the answers to the secrets hidden in their personal family trees.

Genealogy, the record of members of a family, is the second most popular hobby in American today—right after gardening. Genealogy is fun and educational, and everyone can join in, no matter how old. It’s like a mystery—you never know who you might find belonging to your family.

Genealogies were important in biblical times. In numerous places in the Bible, you will come across long lists of names tracing biblical family trees. (For example, see Genesis 4, 5, 1 Chronicles 5, 6, Ezra 10.) It’s often tempting to skip over these passages as just a long list of dead people, but genealogies were critical to the Jewish people. Why? For one thing, family trees were helpful in tracing priestly or royal descent. The genealogies also showed how God was at work through families in the Jewish nation. (Remember the promise of a great nation had been given to a family—Abraham’s—and passed down from there.) The New Testament has two genealogies that trace Jesus’ family tree, showing that Jesus was related to all Jews (Matthew 1:1–17) and that Jesus was related to all humankind (Luke 3:23–38). Both Matthew’s and Luke’s genealogies establish without a doubt that Jesus is the Messiah and the Savior of the world.

Go ahead and read one of the two New Testament genealogies. If you are a follower of Jesus, then guess what? You belong to Jesus’ family tree as well!

A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1, New International Version).

To Do

If your family hasn’t done so, take some time to make a family tree as far back as you can go.

Also on this day . . .

1781—The planet Uranus was discovered. In 1930, the planet Pluto was discovered.

1887—Chester Greenwood of Maine patented earmuffs.

1951—The comic strip “Dennis the Menace” appeared for the first time in newspapers across the country.

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.

The Girl Scouts organization was founded on this day in 1912.

More than 90 years ago today, Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low gathered 18 girls from her hometown of Savannah, Georgia and held the first Girl Scout meeting. Juliette’s vision was to form an organization that would help girls develop physically, mentally, and spiritually. The girls hiked, camped, played sports, learned first aid, and served others. Within a few years, the group was organized officially as Girl Scouts, Inc. Today the group has a membership of more than four million girls. More than 50 million women in the United States today were once Girl Scouts.

At the core of Girl Scouting is the Promise. The Girl Scout Promise is the way members agree to act every day toward one another and other people. At every meeting girls affirm their commitment to the principles of Girl Scouts with these words: On my honor, I will try: To serve God and my country, To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

At the heart of this promise is service and helping others. In much the same way, Christians need to put their faith into action by serving and helping others. James puts it this way: “Faith that doesn’t show itself by good deeds is no faith at all—it is dead and useless” (James 2:17).

Our good deeds are an outward expression of our commitment to God. How do we show others what is in our hearts? By cleaning our room without being asked. Helping a classmate at school with homework. Volunteering to do the “dirty jobs” at church. Collecting canned food for the hungry. Deeds of loving service affirm our faith in Jesus.

Let your good deeds shine for God!

In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father (Matthew 5:16).

To Do

Put your faith into action with a good deed at home, at school, or in your neighborhood.

Also this day . . .

Today is National Baked Scallops Day!

1789—The U.S. Post Office was established.

1894—Coca-Cola was sold in bottles for the first time.

1904—After 30 years of drilling, the tunnel under the Hudson River was completed, connecting Jersey City, N.J. and New York City.

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.