Today Jewish people celebrate Purim.

Perhaps you are familiar with the story of Queen Esther—the beautiful, brave Jewish woman who won the beauty contest to become the new queen of Persia. She risked her life to approach the king and beg for the deliverance of the Jewish people from a signed death warrant and certain extermination. Because of her courage, King Xerxes allowed the Jewish people to defend themselves, and the Jews of Persia were able to defeat their enemies and survive. This all happened on March 7 (the 14^th day of the month of Adar of the Hebrew calendar), and to celebrate their deliverance, a new holiday was declared—Purim.

Jewish people today still celebrate Purim. In fact, it is one of the most fun holidays on the Jewish calendar. Traditionally, the day features carnival-like celebrations with plays and parodies, beauty contests, and much feasting. The celebration is sometimes referred to as the Jewish Mardi Gras. And of course, the story of Esther is retold as a wonderful reminder of how God works in all situations—even when the circumstances seem bleak and overwhelming—to protect his people. In fact, Jewish people sometimes refer to these situations as “Purim stories”—meaning a crazy, mixed-up series of events that don’t seem to make sense, but in the end, all work out.

As Christians, we can celebrate that same truth. In the Book of Esther, even though God is never mentioned by name, we can clearly see him at work in the lives of individuals and in the nation itself. We can be sure that God still is at work in our world as well. Even when we can’t understand everything that is happening around us, we can be sure that God is faithful and that he will protect all who belong to him.

But the Lord is faithful; he will make you strong and guard you from the evil one (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

To Do

Celebrate Purim by taking time to read the story of Esther (Esther 1-9).

Also on this day . . .

1854—Charles Miller received a patent for the sewing machine.

1933—The board game Monopoly was invented.

1955—”Peter Pan” became the first Broadway play to be televised in color. The original cast was featured.

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 1950, Silly Putty® was invented.

While trying to produce a human-made rubber material, engineer James Wright came up with a gooey rubber-like substance that had a lot of bounce! While no practical use was ever found for the bounding putty, a Connecticut toy store owner immediately recognized the fun appeal of the stuff and asked marketer Peter Hodgson to help him sell it.

Hodgson believed he had a blockbuster product on his hands and began packaging the gooey substance in plastic eggs, selling them for $1. The only thing lacking was a name. After much study, Hodgson came up with a name that he believed summed up the product perfectly—Silly Putty®!

For more than 50 years and with more than 300 million eggs sold, Silly Putty has become a staple of American childhood. Silly Putty’s greatest appeal, though, goes beyond its bouncing ability. The best part is taking Silly Putty, pressing it onto newspaper, and picking up an imprint of the ink. Then you can stretch and distort the words and pictures into weird and silly shapes and images.

In a way, playing with Silly Putty is a lot like how God works with us. God has pressed into us his very image and likeness (Genesis 1:26). Obviously, we are not exactly like God. But our creativity, our feelings, and our ability to think and reason reflect God’s image. We are made with the imprint of his character—his love, kindness, patience, forgiveness, and faithfulness.

Then the fun begins as he stretches and shapes us through our circumstances and our experiences. Over time, God molds and transforms us into the godly men and women that he has designed us to be. And as we spend more time with God, learning about him, we will become more and more like him!

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18, New International Version).

To Do

If you haven’t played with Silly Putty for a while, go ahead and get an egg! Have fun stretching it and molding it. As you play with your Silly Putty, imagine the ways that God is stretching and molding you right now.

Also on this day . . .

Today is Alamo Day. In 1836, the 13-day siege of the Alamo by Santa Anna and his army ended when the Mexican army of 3,000 men defeated the 189 Texas volunteers.

1475—Michelangelo was born.

1808—At Harvard University, the first college orchestra was founded.

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 1924, Frank Carauna became the first person to bowl two successive perfect 300 games.

The dream of every serious (and even the not-so-serious) bowler is to bowl the perfect game. That means throwing not one, not two, but 12 consecutive strikes. So imagine how Frank Carauna must have felt back in 1924 when he became the first to bowl two perfect 300 games—24 consecutive strikes in one afternoon. Amazing!

Perfection, particularly in sports, has always been a benchmark of the truly talented. For example, Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci earned the first perfect score of 10 in her sport during the 1976 summer Olympics. And she earned not just one 10, but seven. Of the thousands of pitchers who have come through the major league pipeline, only 17 have ever pitched perfect games, allowing no base-runners, no runs, hits, errors, hit batsmen, or walks over nine innings.

There’s no doubt. Perfection, whether in sports, school, or other areas, is hard to achieve. And when it comes along, people take note.

So what does it mean when Jesus says, “But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48)? Perfect? How can anyone be perfect this side of heaven? God knows that we will never be flawless in this life. But we are to aspire to be as much like Jesus as possible. That means we need to mature as Christians. We need to keep growing in our faith through Bible study, being with other believers, prayer, and loving others as Jesus does. It also means keeping ourselves away from sinful values and activities and doing all we can to keep growing as Christians.

How can we do that? Thankfully, we don’t need to rely on our own strength. Through the Holy Spirit, God gives us the power and the energy to keep growing in our faith.

Perfect!

We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ (Colossians 1:28, New International Version.

To Do

Think of one task that you face today or this week. How could you use God’s power and strength to face it? Ask him for help right now!

Also on this day . . .

1770—”The Boston Massacre” took place, when British soldiers fired on a crowd of people in Boston, MA, killing five people.

1845—The U.S. Congress appropriated $30,000 to ship camels to the western U.S.

1994—The world’s largest milkshake was made, containing 1,955 gallons of chocolate, in Nelspruit, South Africa.

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 Courageous Follower Day.

Leaders are the ones who take the greatest risks, and who shoulder the responsibility for the success (or failure) of a venture. But where would these great leaders be if they had no followers? For example, how far would Christopher Columbus have sailed without his shipmates? What if no one followed General George Washington as he braved the cold, dark waters of the Delaware River that fateful Christmas Eve? And what if no one heeded the call to liberty by patriots such as Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, and others? It takes courage to follow someone into uncharted waters, unknown territories, or into the face of life-threatening opposition.

Peter, James, and John faced all these uncertainties—and more—when a relatively unknown carpenter from Nazareth stood on the shores of the Sea of Galilee and asked them to “Come, be my disciples” (Mark 1:17). The three, in fact, put down their nets, left their families and only known source of income behind, and followed. At the time, they didn’t know where this leader would take them. Even during the three years they spent with Jesus, they still had questions about who exactly this man was, what his (and their) mission was, and where he was taking them. Still they followed, willing to risk everything.

Do you have what it takes to be a courageous follower? Are you willing to follow Jesus when it means befriending the unpopular kid at school or refusing to follow the crowd? You may have questions about where Jesus is leading you, but you can be sure that following him is the right choice. It’s worth the risk!

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men” (Mark 1:17, New International Version).

To Do

Be a courageous follower of Jesus today! Dare to go against the crowd. Be bold in telling others about him.

Also on this day . . .

Today is National Pound Cake Day.

1789—The Constitution of the United States went into effect.

1877—Emile Berliner invented the microphone.

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 1931 “The Star Spangled Banner” became the national anthem.

“The Star-Spangled Banner,” one of the most well-known national anthems, was originally written as a poem. During the War of 1812, Francis Scott Key and a friend were sailing down the Chesapeake Bay when the British began their attack on the city of Baltimore. Key and others with him watched the bombardment of Fort McHenry, which continued for two days. Through those long nights, the group was able to catch glimpses of the huge American flag—42-feet long—specially made to be big enough so that the British would not miss it.

When at last the shelling stopped, Key anxiously peered through the early morning fog to see if the flag was still flying. And so he wrote on the back of an envelope the poem he called “Defense of Fort M’Henry.” As Key later said, “Then, in that hour of deliverance, my heart spoke: ‘Does not such a country, and such defenders of their country, deserve a song?’”

As Key was inspired by the heroic defense of his country, so too were the psalm-writers inspired by the acts and blessings of God. Just listen to some of their stirring tributes: “I will sing to the Lord because he has been so good to me” (Psalm 13:6); or “But as for me, I will sing about your power. I will shout with joy each morning because of your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety in the day of distress” (Psalm 59:16).

When we are aware of all that God has done for us, all the blessings he showers upon us daily, all the ways he guides, cares, and loves us, then we too will have to ask, “Does not such a God deserve a song?”

He does!

Sing about the glory of his name! Tell the world how glorious he. (Psalm 66:2).

To Do

Go ahead! Sing a song to God today—either one you know, or be daring and write your own.

Also on this day. . .

1845—Florida became the 27^th state.

1847—Alexander Graham Bell was born.

1923—The first issue of Time magazine was 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 Old Stuff Day.

It could be that scruffy bit of blanket that you have carried around since you were a toddler. Or maybe it’s the love-worn Teddy bear with the torn ear and the missing eye. Or it could be that stack of treasured “art” from preschool featuring the stick people with big heads and mismatched faces. Whatever your secret stash may be, we all have old stuff that we just can’t part with lying around in the closet, a desk drawer, or in the basement.

To be sure, old stuff can become quite valuable, like antique furniture, vintage cars, and jewelry that have been passed down from generation to generation. But when it comes to that old pair of jeans with the holes, or the ratty sweatshirt, old stuff is, well, just old. It’s valuable only to the owner. And eventually, there comes a day when the old has got to go!

Spiritually speaking, we also can carry around a lot of old stuff—old habits, old attitudes, and old sins. And unless we get rid of that old stuff, our lives can become quite cluttered and sometimes even messed up. The good news is that Jesus offers us a chance to get rid of the old and become totally new! It’s true. As Christians, we are brand-new people on the inside. We are not the same anymore. When Jesus becomes our new Master, we have new attitudes, new habits, and a new way of living.

Why not celebrate Old Stuff Day by taking an inventory of yourself? Are you still holding on to old habits that aren’t very Christ-like? Maybe you have an old attitude that you know needs to be changed. Ask Jesus to help you get rid of that old stuff and bring in the new!

What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! (2 Corinthians 5:17).

To Do

Get a sheet of paper and on one side write “Old” and on the other side, “New.” List the old attitudes, habits, and behaviors that you had. On the other side, record what has been new since you began following Jesus.

Also on this day . . . .

Today is National Banana Cream Pie Day.

1904—Dr. Seuss (actual name Theodor Seuss Geisel) was born.

1976—Walt Disney World logged its 50 millionth customer.

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 “Captain America” appeared for the first time in a comic book in 1941.

One of Marvel’s biggest comic book successes and the top-selling superheroes of all time was Captain America. He debuted just prior to America’s entry into World War II, and was a symbol for the wave of public spirit and patriotism that followed Pearl Harbor. Captain America had agility, strength, speed, endurance, and reaction time superior to any human.

But the biggest attraction of this superhero was that Captain America wasn’t born with great power—it had been bestowed upon him as a gift. This champion of freedom started out as Steve Rogers, a scrawny young man who had been rejected by the Army as unfit for service. Then he was given a “strange seething liquid” that turned him into a superhero with extraordinary strength and power. It could happen to anyone—even an ordinary person.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we’re much like Steve Rogers. Spiritually speaking, we’re scrawny, powerless, and unable to save ourselves. But God offers us salvation through his Son, and the power of his Spirit living in us. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are strengthened and given all we need to accomplish what God has in store of us. And the best part is that this gift can be given to anyone.

So how can we have access to such a gift? All it takes is a faith that says, “I confess I’m a spiritual weakling. I need a superhero—a Savior—and I accept Jesus as my Lord.” Becoming a Christian means that you can look forward to eternal life in heaven.

That’s much easier than downing a glass of “strange seething liquid,” wouldn’t you agree?

“And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven” (Luke 24:49).

To Do

Create your own superhero. Give him or her a name, spiritual powers, and a mission. Imagine that this superhero is you!

Also on this day . . .

Today is National Pig Day.

Today is Whuppity Scoorie Day—the Scottish Noise Festival welcoming spring

1872—Yellowstone became the first National park.

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 1912 the first parachute jump from an airplane was made.

Imagine being the first person to jump out of a plane, trusting your life to a parachute. Think of your questions: “OK, how does this work?” “What happens if I pull the cord and nothing happens?” “How ‘bout I go second?”

Leaving the safety of the airplane would take faith, but you’d jump if you had confidence in the person who made the parachute, the one who prepared it, and your instructor. Of course asking questions would be good. You would be foolish just to take someone’s word that your jump would be safe. For example, what if a complete stranger said, “Let me strap this parachute to your back and take you up in a plane. Then, when we get real high, you jump out of the plane, pull the cord, and land safely.” No doubt you wouldn’t go. Why should you trust that guy?

You’ve heard often that the Christian life is based on faith. That means trusting God, that his Word is true and that he will do what he says. It doesn’t mean we just “jump” without asking questions or checking everything out. Eventually, however, the moment of truth arrives and we leap.

Besides becoming a Christian, this applies to other decisions along the way. Let’s say you’re reading the Bible and you see where God wants you to turn over a relationship to him or to take a certain action. So, by faith, you do it. Not knowing the eventual outcome, you trust God and obey him.

How strong is your faith in God? Are you ready to take the leap?

What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see (Hebrews 11:1).

To Do

Get an old hymnal and look up the hymn “Trust and Obey.” Read it aloud, or, if you know it, sing it.

Also on this day . . .

1940—A basketball game was first televised (Fordham University vs. the University of Pittsburgh, from Madison Square Garden in New York City).

1979—The horse playing Mr. Ed on TV died.

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 Pancake Day.

Pancakes for breakfast! Who doesn’t love a stack of hot flapjacks, smothered in butter and syrup or fruit or sprinkled with sugar? But have you every eaten a cold, plain pancake? It’s tasteless and unappetizing. Piping hot and covered with toppings, and the combination works!

That’s the case with many food items. We add sugar or other ingredients to improve the taste. So it’s no wonder that we can approach other areas of life the same way. We may think, “I don’t care for this class, but if I can sit next to my friend, then it might be bearable,” or “I don’t care for my outfit, but if I add this touch of color, then it’ll be OK.”

Some take it a step further, thinking, “My life is rather bland, so I’ll spruce it up a bit.” Or, “I probably should be a better person. I’ll add a little God, a bit of Jesus. Then I’ll be better, well-rounded, and get to heaven too.” But in our spiritual lives, that doesn’t work.

We can’t just sprinkle a little spiritual sugar on our lives. Instead we must be completely changed, “born again.” That would be like a pancake becoming an omelet—a dramatic change would have to occur. No wonder Nicodemus had to ask Jesus to explain what it means to be born again. Becoming a follower of Christ means praying and turning over our lives to him. Then the Holy Spirit comes and lives inside and changes us from the inside out.

So enjoy your pancakes. But remember, becoming an omelet requires transformation.

Jesus replied, “I assure you, unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

To Do

The next time you eat out for breakfast, order pancakes. Before pouring on the syrup, take a bite. Then thank God for making you completely different from the inside through his Spirit.

Also on this day . . .

This is International Polar Bear Day.

1974—People magazine was first issued by Time-Life (later known as Time-Warner).

1999—Colin Prescot and Andy Elson set a new hot air balloon endurance record when they had been aloft for 233 hours and 55 minutes. The two were in the process of trying to circumnavigate 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.

On this day in 1919 the Grand Canyon in Arizona was established as a National Park by an act of the U.S. Congress.

Covering 1,217,403 acres (or 277 miles), the Grand Canyon is immense, averaging 4,000 feet deep, 6,000 feet at its deepest point, and 15 miles wide at its widest point. This awe-inspiring natural formation is home to many rare and specially protected plants and animals. Over 1,500 plant, 355 bird, 89 mammalian, 47 reptile, 9 amphibian, and 17 fish species live in the park. This place is amazing, and a person will be blown away by the view.

More impressive than the Grand Canyon, however, is our Creator who made it. The Bible explains that God created the heavens and the earth. That’s why we can see his touch in the natural beauty that surrounds us—a sparkling waterfall, a bright sunrise and glowing sunset, the lush green forests, the majestic mountains and mysterious deserts, the wide variety of plants and animals of every imaginable shape and color. Many who stand at the rim of the Grand Canyon break into song, proclaiming, “How Great Thou Art.”

Sometimes we get so caught up in the daily routine, looking down at our problems, or inside at our struggles, that we forget to look up and around at the surrounding wonder. Check it out—God’s fingerprints are everywhere.

Each butterfly, earthworm, spider web, grass blade, drop of rain, petunia, wispy cloud, sparrow, squirrel, snowflake, and breeze should remind us of our Creator. And, as he said, the highest and best of all his creation is people . . . like you.

Our God is truly grand!

So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed (Genesis 2:1).

Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! (Isaiah 65:18).

To Do

Look for evidence of God in his creation. Each time you see something, thank him for what he has made and for making you.

Also on this day . . .

This is National “For Pete’s Sake” Day as well as National Pistachio Day.

1846—William “Buffalo Bill” Cody was born.

1930—New York City installed traffic lights.

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.