St. Patrick's Day | JOY for Today

(Updated 2/23/2024)

Chasing treasure at the end of a rainbow awakens childhood wistfulness leading to JOY for me. Add in silly Leprechauns and a sprinkling of Irish tradition and you have a recipe for JOYful memories. But in the end, we know our true JOY comes from being still.

St. Patrick's Day Offerings:

• Did You Know... Five facts we didn't know.
• Wolfe Stew Connects To chasing rainbows.
• Bible Verses and Quotes About adventure and blessings.
• Activity Suggestions: Leprechaun trap, Irish blessings, research opportunities, recipe links, discussion questions, and family challenge.

UPCOMING HOLIDAYS:

• Spring Equinox (Changes Annually - Generally March 19th or 20th)
• Palm Sunday (Changes Annually - 7 days before Easter)
• Easter (Changes Annually - The first Sunday following the first full Spring moon)

Did You Know:

1. St. Patrick was British? At 16, Irish raiders kidnapped Patrick and sold him to a Celtic priest. After six years as the priest's shepherd slave, he escaped back to England only to return to Ireland years later as a missionary.
2. St. Patrick is falsely praised for ridding the Emerald Isle of snakes? While it's true that Ireland has no snakes (a fact we find fascinating on its own), it was not because they heeded St. Patrick's banishment. More likely, the explanation is geographical in nature: Ireland is surrounded by water with a historically cold climate that is not reptile friendly.
3. The shamrock served as St. Patrick's visual aid in Holy Trinity education? As an indigenous plant that grows abundantly in Ireland soil, this visual aid was easily accessible and would serve as an effective reminder to Patrick's students even after his departure.
4. Leprechauns are cranky cobblers in Celtic folklore? Celtic fairy myths merged into Leprechaun lore, the link being their size. Fairies are known for their magic, which they can use to do good or evil. Leprechauns, with their cranky disposition, are likely to err on the side of evil.
5. Eating corned beef on St. Patrick's day is an American innovation? It served as a cheaper substitute for the traditional ham enjoyed in Ireland.

Read more St. Patrick's Day facts at history.com.

We'd Love to Know:

Any other St. Patrick's Day fact you'd care to share.

Wolfe Stew Connects

The thought of rainbows and the journey to get to the treasure at the end, all the while plagued by sly leprechauns, reminds me of my real-to-life tale. The rainbow I'm chasing is God's promises, the treasure is His kingdom, and the trouble along the way are leprechauns. Rainbows, Biblically, are the sign of a promise to Noah. A promise that God will never again destroy the earth with a flood (Genesis 9:12-16). A flood that God used to RESTART creation.

Yes, it's true: even God chose to RESTART. RESTARTS, while difficult, can be good. You can start over again and there is no limit on how many times you hit the reset button. To encourage you in your RESTART(s), we've made a GROWTH for Today calendar with daily tasks to help you embrace your RESTART. Each day is new, each moment is new, and each breath is good fuel for a RESTART. Know that we are learning to embrace RESTARTS with you.

We'd Love to Know:

Symbols you relate to St. Patrick's day.

Bible Verses and Quotes to Inspire

Verses

• "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21 KJV
• "The rainbow that I have put in the sky will be my sign to you and to every living creature on earth. It will remind you that I will keep this promise forever." Genesis 9:13 CEV
• "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." I John 4:1 KJV
• "So go eat your food and enjoy it; drink your wine and be happy, because that is what God wants you to do." Ecclesiastes 9:7 NCV
• "God the Father chose you because of what he knew beforehand. He chose you through the Holy Spirit's work of making you holy and because of the faithful obedience and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. May God's grace and peace be multiplied to you." I Peter 1:2 CEB

Quotes

• "For that sun, which we see rising every day, rises at His command." - Saint Patrick
• "May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow. And may trouble avoid you wherever you go." - Irish Blessing
• "May you have all the happiness and luck that life can hold - and at the end of your rainbow may you find a pot of gold." - Irish Blessing
• "Imagine if we were all magical leprechauns, and every wish ever made on a four-leaf clover obliged us to help others obtain their wishes." - Richelle E. Goodrich
• "St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time - a day to begin transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic." - Adrienne Cook

We'd Love to Know:

Which verse or quote you would share on St. Patrick's Day?

Activity Suggestions

Embrace Irish culture and lore with one (or two) of the activities below:

Create

• A Leprechaun Trap in this STEM activity from Teacher Created that puts simple machines into action!
• An Irish blessing mini book with appleseeds.org and these steps:
• Fold a paper in fourths to make a mini book.
• Copy a blessing on each page.
• Illustrate the blessing.
• Limericks to laugh at with Addie Williams via Teachers Pay Teachers (FREE!)
• Read Irish Folklore (For kids and adults.)

Research 

• St. Patrick
• Shamrocks
• Leprechauns (For kids and adults.)

Eat, Drink, and be Merry

• Corned Beef and Cabbage traditional recipe from Dinner Then Dessert (Or try roasting the cabbage. It's delicious!)
• Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies at Butter with a Side of Bread (Personal note: I LOVE these cookies. In the Wolfe Stew household, they are affectionately called "toothpaste cookies.")

Would You Rather...

• Find a four-leaf clover or gold at the end of a rainbow?
• Live in a land with snakes but no Leprechauns or with Leprechauns but no snakes?
• Eat corned beef or stew?

If you'd like three "Would you rather..." questions for EVERY day, download our PowerPoint or get it (for free!) at our TPT store.

Family Challenge

Together discuss family traditions and why they matter. What St. Patrick's Day tradition is unique to your family? If you don't have one, work together to come up with something new.

We'd Love to Know: 

What's your favorite St. Patrick's Day tradition?

We’re excited to share one more day with you and wish you JOY for Today and HOPE for Tomorrow.

Fighting the Good Fight with You,

Sample these related posts:

To connect with another Saint.

To read more about rainbows.

To think about financial freedom.

To practice reptile awareness.

To consider a real-life fairy tale.

Find even more JOY for Today in our monthly calendars, holiday, and seasonal posts.