As we close out the chapter of 2023 and open a new chapter for 2024 — First I would like to say “Thank You” to all of my loyal readers and supporters and also to the new ones that have just come aboard our Destiny ship. With most of the country in a deep freeze although in Florida it was quite chilly this morning at 55 degrees. If any of you snowbirds are thinking of Florida for the winter you might want to fly further south like Miami’s way where it is currently 69 degrees. Right now in Land O’ Lakes, it’s 62 degrees with an expected high of 72.

Now that all of the confetti and fireworks are out of the way…Would you believe there are 583 special days of awareness and observances to celebrate this month? You couldn’t attend this many parties if you wanted to. So you’ll just have to rummage through all the confetti and fireworks debris to see which ones you can RSVP. There are so many monthly celebrations such as National Birth Defects Prevention Month, National Book Blitz Month, National Braille Literacy Month, and National Thank You Month. Thyroid Awareness Month, National Sunday Supper Month, National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, National Staying Healthy Month, and National Poverty in America Awareness Month. For the complete celebratory list please visit the cleaning crew if you can get through the dust storm!

In honor of Jesus Christ The Baptism of the Lord is celebrated January 8, then there’s Take a Missionary to Lunch Day, January 14, World Religion Day January 15, and National Religious Freedom Day January 16. and National Bible Sunday and Week of Prayer for Christian Unity January 18 something America needs right now. We writers had to pay homage to JRR Tolkien Day on January 3, the same day if you have a complaint and wanted to fire off a letter to your local government official is National Write to Congress Day. For the food connoisseur, today is National Spaghetti Day. followed by National Shortbread Day on January 6, National Pizza Week begins January 8, National Bittersweet Chocolate Day, January 10, and Carver Day for my Peanut Lovers Club on January 5.

Some federal holidays you might want to keep in mind are National Missouri Day, January 4. Panama’s Martyrs’ Day on January 9, National Arkansas Day on January 11, Remembrance Day on January 12, Korean American Day on January 13, Ratification Day on January, Civil Rights Day, Idaho Human Rights Day, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day are all celebrated on January 16.

A Little January Trivia. January was named after the Roman god Janus. The god Janus had two faces which allowed him to look forward into the coming year and backward into the past year. The original Roman calendar only had 10 months. January and February were not included but were later added. Then Julius Caesar added a 31^st day to the month that completed it to the full month of January we practice now. It is the first of seven months that contain 31 days.

I pray this year takes you safely over the troubled seas of life and when you find port it is in the place of your destiny. As you search through your telescope of hope with faith in your heart may God grant you joy and peace. May He give you the courage to do all that He asks of you on your journey. And makes you brave enough to not do what is not of Him. I also pray that He shows you how to sail in grace and embrace His love for you even more so that you will be able to find your destiny’s shore with all its many treasures. These and other blessings I ask in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Happy New Year!

© Rhema International 2024. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission, from this blog’s author and/or owner, is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rhema International.