National Inventors' Day | JOY for Today

Think of all the inventions that bring you JOY! Name one you would not want to imagine life without. God is good. We are surrounded by so many wonderous, marvelous things and blessed beyond measure. In all the marvel of this world, let's not take the true source of JOY for granted.

JOY for Today Offerings:

• Did You Know... Five we didn't.
• Wolfe Stew Connects To overcoming distraction.
• Bible Verses and Quotes About inventing.
• Activity Suggestions Invention, research, writing, and discussion opportunities.
• Last Year's Post: Pizza Day (February 9th Annually) 

Did You Know:

1. A calligraphy college course led to early Macintosh success? Steve Jobs, inspired by these classes, helped create a computer with beautiful typography that allured many purchasers and altered typefaces indefinitely. (Mental Floss, Calligraphy Museum and Smithsonian Mag)
   
2. It took 11 years for Tetris' inventor to receive royalties on it? Inventor Alexey Pajitnov created the game as test software for a computer while working for the Soviet Academy of Sciences. The game instantly reached popularity, starting with the small population who used the computer it was designed for (Electronika 60) and spreading to a rights conflict between Nintendo and Atari within four years of its creation. But, because of squabbles regarding ownership and creation rights, Pajitnov waited 11 years to start collecting money on this still popular video game. (CNN)
3. The record holder for patents has over 3,500? Yoshiro Nakamatsu, who began inventing in a converted backyard bomb shelter, received his first patent in eighth grade for a new type of water heater. A well-known invention of his is the floppy disc, although contested by IBM, and he holds patents on several unexpected inventions including a wig that can be used in self-defense, spring loaded shoes to help you jump, and a pillow that keeps you awake while driving. (Mental Floss, Wikipedia, and Smithsonian Mag)
4. A patent exists for a machine that simultaneously washes your clothes and dishes? The patent holder, Margaret A. Wilcox, most notably invented the car heater, but she also invented a combined cooking and water-heating unit. (Mental Floss and Wikipedia)
5. A fifth-grader's molecule model is published in scientific journals? Clara Lazen created the model for the then undiscovered tetranitraoxycarbon molecule. Her teacher sent it off to a chemist, and now it appears in scientific journals. (Mental Floss and Humboldt)

We'd Love to Know:

Which of these facts most surprised you?

Wolfe Stew Connects

From creation last week, to invention this week. To me, they seem like two sides of the same coin. Yet, we might separate one from the other. Creation begins with nothing, seeks to communicate, and is emotionally or spiritually driven. Invention begins with a problem, seeks a solution, and is intellectually or scientifically driven.

We, humans, have fostered some truly amazing inventions. Really fascinating devices that transform life as we know it: the wheel, written language, computers, wi-fi, AI, etc. But my question, my struggle, is though they seek to simplify our lives might they really be complicating them?

We can do more, and we're expected to.

We can do it on our own, so think we have to.

We can learn anything we want, so reject the school of struggle.

We can access a limitless variety of items, so are less content with the ones at our fingertips.

We build a tower, so we can deny our need for God.

Yes, we live in a world of possibility. Just please don't let it shift your focus from the one and only thing that truly matters. There is beauty in simplicity. Remind yourself of that with every breath that fills your lungs. Breathe knowing your creator, the one who breathed life into you, is your steady and firm foundation. His truth roots us in love; in Him we lack nothing.

In response:

1. What invention (thing meant to make your life easier or more enjoyable) is distracting you from The Father? Might you redirect its purpose to align with His will or is it something you might be better off without?
2. GROW in uplifting others by joining us as we start looking into Proverbs 31:11. Or engage in last year's growth opportunity and learn to RISE to change.

Bible Verses and Quotes 

Bible Verses

• "This is all that I have learned: God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated." Ecclesiastes 7:29 GNT
• "Is there anything of which one can say, 'Look! This is something new'? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time." Ecclesiastes 1:10 NIV
• "So I will continue to amaze them by doing powerful and amazing things. Their wise men will lose their wisdom. Even the most intelligent among them will not be able to understand." Isaiah 29:14 ERV
• "But as it is written, 'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.'" 1 Corinthians 2:9 MEV
• "Put all things to the test: keep what is good." I Thessalonians 5:21 GNT

Quotes

• "Human subtlety will never devise an invention more beautiful, more simple or more direct than does nature because in her inventions nothing is lacking, and nothing is superfluous." - Leonardo da Vinci
• "I do not think there is any thrill that can go through the human heart like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of the brain unfolding to success." - Nikola Tesla
• "We should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours; and this we should do freely and generously." - Benjamin Franklin
• “I guess that's just the life of an inventor: What people do with your ideas takes you totally by surprise." - Stephanie Kwolek
• "Believe in the power of truth...Do not allow your mind to be imprisoned by majority thinking. Remember that the limits of science are not the limits of imagination." - Dr. Patricia E. Bath

We'd Love to Know:

Which verse or quote connects with you?

 

Activity Suggestions

Construct, write, research, discuss, or display in celebration of National Inventors' Day! Download a printable version at our TPT store.

The Mr.'s Suggestion:

Make a device that runs off a potato battery.

Follow the directions at Instructables or Science Buddies for the potato battery. The inventive part? That's up to you!

The Mrs.' Suggestions: 

Study Inventors

• Use one of these research sites:
• Scientist and Inventor Biographies at Ducksters
• "Great Inventors" YouTube series by Adventure Academy
• List of Notable Inventors at Wikipedia
• Inventions and Science article collection at History.com
• To answer these prompts:
• What problem did the invention solve?
• Describe the process taken.
• Would you consider it a successful invention? Why or why not?
• Is the invention still in use today? If not, what is the closest variation to it we do use?

Host an Invention Fair

• Officially through Invention Convention Worldwide
• Unofficially with the help of Education.com's tips on hosting a science fair.

Write Your Opinion

• Pair inventions and have students develop a statement, paragraph, or essay with convincing arguments as to which one is better and why.
• Prove, through argumentation, that an invention of their choice is the best invention of all time.
• To stretch critical thinking, make a list of unusual inventions and randomly assign them to students. Give them a limited amount of time to prepare and share reasons that support the importance of their assigned invention.

Discuss "Would You Rather..." Questions

• Invent something that promotes creativity or efficiency?
• Draw plans for new ideas you never create or always create inventions based on someone else's design?
• Live without computers or wheels?

These questions are unique to this post. If you would like three "Would You Rather...?" questions for every February day, download this Wolfe Stew PowerPoint. 

Take on the Family Challenge

Ask everyone to name an invention that everyone in the family uses on a regular basis. Then, choose one to go without for a week. At week's end, discuss successes, failures, and opinions regarding its use in the future.

We'd Love to Know:

What you would make for an invention fair?

We’re excited to share one more day with you and wish you JOY for Today and HOPE for Tomorrow. Come back next week for...Singles Awareness Day!

Your Partners in JOY Finding,

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