Happy birthday, Canada!
On July 1, 1867, Canada became a country with the passing of the Constitution Act, 1867, (aka the British North America Act, 1867). Today, Canada Day is celebrated with lots of parades, barbecues, concerts, and fireworks (rather like America’s Independence Day a few days later).
“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.”Psalm 95:1-2
In 1986, the Bad Axe Historical Society (in Michigan) created Log Cabin Day to encourage people to enjoy and preserve old log cabins.
The holiday is intended to celebrate traditional, small, rustic log cabins, not the large, fancy log houses you can sometimes find today.
You can celebrate log cabins today by staying in one, visiting a museum log cabin, or perhaps playing with a set of Lincoln Logs. Or, if you’re me, you can agree that log cabins are really neat, but be grateful for your own house (whatever type it is) . . . and indoor plumbing.
“By wisdom a house is built,
and through understanding it is established;
through knowledge its rooms are filled
with rare and beautiful treasures.”Proverbs 24:3-4
Today isn’t exactly a food holiday, but it’s close enough to set your menu! June 29 is Waffle Iron Day!
The waffle iron, and, thus, the waffle were invented quite a long time ago. In fact, a late 14th century manuscript actually contains a recipe involving eggs, flour, salt, wine, and cheese, cooked between two griddles.
We also have artwork from the early 1500s depicting waffles. This one is from a much larger painting called Battle of Carnival and Lent by Pieter Brueghel the Younger. The men in it are playing dice for the waffles (I still don’t get the waffle hat. Maybe it’s a carnival thing.).
Nope. I was wrong. This is my kind of waffle iron. 🙂
Frances I, king of France from 1494-1547, is said to have loved his waffles. He definitely had his own personal waffle iron, made from silver. That’s my kind of waffle iron!
“Eat honey, my son, for it is good;
honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.
Know also that wisdom is like honey for you:
If you find it, there is a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off.”Proverbs 24:13-14
Molly Pitcher Day is held in honor of a hero of the Revolutionary War, who is actually probably a combination of several real stories as well as several legends. Several women followed the army about, especially during training, to act as water girls, bringing a cool drink to keep the soldiers healthy.
In addition, they brought water to the artillerymen to cool off the inside of the cannon barrel between shots and to soak the end of the ramrod. Tradition holds that soldiers would shout “Molly! Pitcher!” whenever they needed more water (since Molly was a very common nickname at the time).
Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley is the most likely candidate for the original Molly Pitcher. In June 1778, she was bringing water to the soldiers during the Battle of Monmouth when her husband was injured. Immediately, she took over his job swabbing and loading the cannon until the battle was over. For this, George Washington honored her as a non commissioned officer, and she became known as Sergeant Molly.
Legend also holds that during the battle, a cannon ball flew between her legs and tore off the bottom of her skirt. Her response? “Well, that could have been worse.”
Margaret Corbin also has a very similar story. On November 12, 1776, her husband was killed at Fort Washington, and she took over his place at the cannon until her arm got seriously wounded. She was nicknamed Captain Molly.
“Be strong,and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.”
2 Samuel 10:12
Helen Keller was born June 27, 1880, and, at 19 months old, a terrible sickness left her both deaf and blind. When she was six, Anne Sullivan arrived and Keller began her education. At 24 years old, she became the first deaf-blind person to receive a Bachelor of Arts. She also became a political activist and a famous speaker (yes, it’s true!), and she even published 12 books.
In 1980, when Keller would have been 100 years old, President Jimmy Carter proclaimed Helen Keller Day as a national holiday. If you haven’t read/watched The Miracle Worker, go do it. Seriously. Go.
“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:13
June 26 is National Canoe Day! Now, I’ve honestly only been in a canoe a handful of times, but each time has been really great (except for the time I accidentally dunked a new teacher when I was in junior high — long story!). Now, however, I live near the Au Sable River in Michigan, home of the Au Sable River International Canoe Marathon (120 miles overnight, 14-19 hours, no stopping), and, let me tell you, you live here, you learn about canoes.
Of course, given how much I enjoy canoeing , that’s not much of a hardship.
National Canoe Day isn’t about winning a race though, unless you really want to. It’s a day for all of us, skilled and not so much to get out on the water and enjoy canoeing. Just make sure to grab the sunscreen, or you’ll hate yourself tomorrow!
“There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.”Psalm 46:4
P.S. Although most of the days I write about here are in the U.S. or global, the “national” in National Canoe Day actually refers to Canada. In fact, in 2007 a CBC radio vote named the canoe as one of the Seven Wonders of Canada.
On June 25, 1967, the Beatles performed “All You Need Is Love” in a TV special seen by close to 400 million viewers. The song was the UK’s contribution to the first ever live global television link, Our World, and quickly became a favorite worldwide.
Global Beatles Day commemorates this event, pays homage to Beatles music in general, and, according to GlobalBeatlesDay.com, also honors “their promotion of peace and love, of truth and youth, and of the expansion of human consciousness.” It’s definitely true that the Beatles had a huge impact on the world – music, thoughts, . . . and hairstyles. 🙂
“This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.”
1 John 5:2-3
To my regular readers: I’m sorry! I am alive, just slow. Here’s today’s very late post.
June 24 is known as St. John’s Day, since Luke 1:36 lets us know that John the Baptist was about six months older than Jesus, and many people celebrate Jesus birthday on December 25. Many cultures have quite a celebration starting the day before, on St. John’s Eve, especially in Eastern Europe.
Since the date is so close to the summer solstice, many of the traditions seem to have worked their way into Christianity from much earlier pagan midsummer celebrations. The common denominator in most of these celebrations is a great bonfire. Other traditions include gathering herbs and flowers (including, in some areas, the illusive and magical fern blossom), singing, dancing, and practical jokes. In fact, some cultures often spend some of the next day in water fights and other pranks involving water, in what is probably a nod to the “baptist” part of St. John the Baptist.
“In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”Matthew 3:1-3
Fun fact: The song “Night on Bald Mountain” by Modest Mussorgsky was originally titled “St. John’s Night on the Bare Mountain.” It was probably inspired by the short story “St. John’s Eve” by Nikolai Gogol, about a man who found the magical fern flower, but was cursed by it.
Every year on the fourth Saturday in June, families across the U.S. grab their lanterns and bug spray and head outside. It’s the Great American Backyard Campout!
Of course, you don’t have to stay in your backyard; parks and campsites both near and far are also great, but I always like to make things simple. That, and I always prefer having access to a proper bathroom!
“Shouts of joy and victory
resound in the tents of the righteous:
‘The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!'”Psalm 118:15
June 21, the summer solstice for the northern hemisphere, is also known as World Music Day. The celebration started in France in 1982 as Fete de la Musique, which simply means Music Festival. Maurice Fleuret, the Director of Music and Dance, founded the holiday when he discovered the statistic that in 1982 five million people in France and one out of every two French children played an instrument.
The holiday calls for people everywhere, professionals and amateurs, to take to the streets and play music, as well as give and attend free concerts of any musical style. In fact, there is a French slogan for the holiday, Faites de la musique (which, I’m told, sounds identical to Fete de la Musique if you actually speak French) that means “make music.” Sounds like fun!
“Praise the Lord with the harp;
make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully, and shout for joy.”Psalm 33:2-3
A Year of Holidays 