A song comes to mind when I wrote "It's a New Day."
The song by Michael Buble called Feeling Good (Mr. Buble has one of those accent marks on the second syllable but I don't know how to put it there. If you don't know him his last name is pronounced Boo-Blay with accent on second syllable). Here's the video (it's not a new song but it sure is a good one):
What St. Patrick's Day means to my family is a great Corned Beef and Cabbage meal.
Well, as I wrote above, it's a new day.
Because on the Cheyenne River Reservation, there is no corned beef to be had.
And there's no cabbage.
There isn't a big need for these items up here (well, I'm sure cabbage is available sometimes). So, we're having a psuedo-corned beef and cabbage meal (roast beef, potatoes, carrots and coleslaw mix fried). And we'll have an Irish Apple Cake. My family won't care that much. It will still be good.
What a glorious March God has blessed us with. If don't know St. Patrick's story it's a good one to know. Click here to read about him. In Ireland this is a religious holiday. In America, it's a party. We could put those two things together. Jesus Himself loved to have a good time. His critics called Jesus "a gluttonous man, and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!" (Luke 7:34).
Sometimes we Believers get a bit too stuffy. And sometimes we can end up like the Pharisees, Jesus's critics -- we think if people are doing certain things (whatever we disapprove of) then there is no way they can go to heaven. It isn't about what we do. We aren't here to be spiritual police. Jesus isn't trying to keep people out of heaven. He made the way simple -- Believe in Him. Grab hold of Him and don't let go. Believe His words and act on them. Turn from the life you're living and embrace His way of life. He calls to us all -- to the weary, the burdened, the stepped-upon. He says, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and YOU SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light." Matthew 11:28-30
We aren't called to do the Holy Spirit's job. We are called to proclaim His word, the love people into the kingdom. Easter is coming when we celebrate Jesus's victory over death and sin and the enemy. Praise God. Invite someone to church.