Photo is by Oscarkari from Pixabay
Our photo today is used in connection with the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus – (more in the Thought at the end of the page)
On This Day
On January 9th 1909 Ernest Shackleton as part of the British Nimrod Expedition created a record for travelling the furthest South to a latitude (88°23′ south)
On January 9th 1982 Catherine Middleton who married Prince William in 2011 and became the Duchess of Cambridge, was born in Reading, Berkshire, England.
On January 9th 2007 Apple Director Steve Jobs announced the launch of the iPhone.
Birthdays Today
Ray Houghton (Irish Football Legend) is 62
Sergio Garcia (Golfer) is 44
Kate Middleton (Princess of Wales) is 42
Leo Cullen (Leinster Rugby Coach) is 46
Saint For Today
The Saint for today Jan 9th is Saint Adrian
Significance Of Today
Today Jan 9th is International Choreographers Day. It is a day to pay attention to and show appreciation for those people who help the rest of the world enjoy, share in and be entertained by dance. The BBC programme Strictly Come Dancing is one of the most popular family TV programmes and just shows the appeal of dance by so many people today.
Interesting Quote For Today
“In a society that worships love, freedom and beauty, dance is sacred. It is a prayer for the future, a remembrance of the past and a joyful exclamation of thanks for the present.” ~Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Did You Know
Did you know that dancing reduces stress and tension for the mind and body. Studies by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute have shown that dancing also prevents heart disease in particular.
Video for the week:
To mark the Epiphany I have uploaded the following video. A new video is posted here each Wednesday
Thought For The Week
You are a child of God, you are wonderfully made, dearly loved and precious in God’s sight” ~Psalm 139
On Sunday we celebrated the Baptism of Jesus. It is always in early January just after Christmas and its meaning is often lost as we adjust our lives back into routine again. January can be a quiet month especially when we compare it to the hectic energy of December. January may be quiet, but it invites us to new beginnings no matter how small. This is at the heart of any baptism.
No one is in doubt about how special any baptism is but over time it has evolved into a once off event. Once the box of baptism is ticked it seems to have no relevance or meaning for anybody. But the effects of our baptism last a lifetime. Our baptism is lived out each day.
It reminds me of the work of an artist and how any painting is like a baptism. An artist patiently takes their time to create their masterpiece. They will use lots of brushes varying in size, but it is the smallest ones that always bring out the finer details.
It is the same in life. Big sweeping changes in life are rare. God always invites us to work with the smallest of brushes. All the small bits and pieces add up to something special. Our baptism is also similar. It is lived out each day. Like an artist working with a small brush, it is the small brushes that bring out the best of the painting. Our baptism brings out the best in each of us. They all add up to something special and of course that special is you.
The Thought For The Week is updated each Monday
