February Celebrations

Today is Groundhog Day, the day we find out if Spring will arrive, or delay. Have a happy one. Here’s hoping for an early spring.

The 12^th is Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday. Our family celebrated by baking a cake with one Lincoln penny inside. Whoever found it (without swallowing it) would have good luck all year until that birthday rolled around again.

What I didn’t know then was that Charles Dickens was born on the exact same day and year. The two men are an interesting pair. Both faced extreme challenges in different nations and social settings yet followed parallels that raised both from poverty to greatness that forever changed their nations!

Lincoln won a war he’d hoped to avoid and freed a people. Dickens wrote novels arousing social consciousness to spotlight problems and change things like child labor laws, prison reform, and more. Along the way, he penned immortal lines. Here are two of many: “Please Sir, I want some more.” And “It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.”

Lincoln learned to read and write using a stick and charcoal on slate but became a lawyer and eventually president of the United States. He defended States rights to minimize Federalism.

February 22^nd includes more historic greatness with George Washington’s  birthday. My home state has a town named “George, Washington!”

Valentine’s Day is February 4^th , turning our thoughts to roses and chocolates—good for all of us.

We have much to be thankful for. Historic leaders who strengthened their nations by preserving freedoms, and/or writing to identify to grappling with problems to change them.

Meanwhile, my novel, Books  Afloat, did release on Amazon in print and Kindle on Jan. 12th. It stayed in the top 100 New Christian Historical Releases during the 30 days counted, which thrills me. If you read it, I’d love your feedback, and even better, also a review posted on Amazon. Thanks for considering!

In whatever area our background or giftings lie, let us do the same. Happy Ground Day to all. Happy Birthday to the great men in our history, and Happy Valentine’s as well.

Which of the February dates is your favorite? Please tell us why.