Go West Day | JOY for Today

All of us are on a quest for JOY. One of the ways people in early America sought it was to "Go West!" West was the land of opportunity, freedom, and adventure. What is your West today? What are you doing to find JOY?

Go West Day | July 13th Annually

JOY for Today Offerings:

• Did You Know... Five facts about the American West.
• Wolfe Stew Connects To the command to "Go!"
• Bible Verses and Quotes Inspired by opportunity.
• Activity Suggestions: Write ads, identify rules, design hats, discuss questions, and encourage  opportunity-taking.

UPCOMING HOLIDAYS: 

• Give Something Away Day (July 15th Annually)
• National Ice Cream Day (July's Third Sunday)
• Gorgeous Grandma Day (July 23rd Annually)

Did You Know:

1. Horace Greeley is credited with the phrase, "Go West, young man"? Editor of the New York Tribune, Greeley wrote a letter in 1871 to a young man seeking career advice telling him to "Go West!" as this was the place where workers were wanted. Though many now credit it to John Babsone Lane Soule who published it in 1851. See Greeley's letter with transcript at Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. (Encyclopedia.com & Hoosier State Chronicles)
2. Greeley, CO hosts an annual "Go West" Film Festival? In 2024, the festival will be held on November 11-16 and will be the 9th festival. The goal of the festival is to celebrate the genre of western film. Visit Go West Film Fest for more information. 
3. Many songs were inspired by the "Go West" phrase? The Village People's "Go West" describes the west as peaceful, open, and a great place to begin again. You can hear it in the films Can't Stop the Music and The Adventures of Priscilla. Michael W. Smith's "Go West Young Man" was written to encourage listeners to follow God instead of alluring and popular, but evil, choices that are tempting them. Bing Crosby's "Go West, Young Man," invites adventurers to consider the West before other locales. The verses are filled with reasons, often humorous, to support going west like opportunity, cowgirls, hunting, bulls to ride, and justice.  (Song Facts, Old Time Music & Lyrics.com)
4. Many Old West food brands are still stocked in grocery stores? Quaker Oats, Baker's Chocolate, Arm & Hammer, Fleishmann's Yeast, and Pillsbury Flour were commonplace in Old West general stores. While the brands may be the same, the meals were quite different than what you'd expect today. Breakfast was a much more appetizing meal than dinner. At breakfast, you might get an omelet and fried potatoes, but at dinner a calf's head with pudding for dessert. However, we do have the Old West to thank for chili, bacon, and sarsaparilla  (Far and Wide & The Daily Meal)
5. The most popular hat in the Old West was Stetson's "Boss of the Plains"? Many Western movies and TV shows adorn their stars in the 10-gallon hat. In actuality, Stetson's the "Boss of the Plains" was the fashion of the Old West. Waterproof, lightweight, and durable, the "Boss of the Plains" was multifunctional. It served as a water bowl for your horse as well as shade for your neck and eyes. Overtime, people started changing the shape of the hat to meet their needs: Montanan's brims became narrower and Texan's brims wider. (Far and Wide & Ranchlands)

We'd Love to Know:   

Which "Go West" fact most interests you?

Wolfe Stew Connects

Pioneers on the Oregon Trail faced numerous trials. They had to be tenacious, adaptable, and willing to seize opportunity. 

Being a child of the West, I want to believe that spirit of adventure lives within me. Yet, as I look around at my cozy four walls which I rarely leave, I know that spirit of adventure is frequently ignored. For most of us, in 2024, "Go!" is a hard command to follow. Yet when we leave our comfort zones and commit to change, we grow in tenacity, adaptability, and openness to opportunities.

Perhaps that's why when a change needs to happen God gives a "Go!" command.

• "GO! Build an ark." He gracefully prepares Noah for the change that will come over all the earth in the form of a flood so righteousness could be restored to mankind. (Genesis 6)
• "GO! from Sodom and Gomorrah and don't look back." He rescues Lot from the destruction of his hometown. The destruction of the city showed God's people that evil acts would not be tolerated. All who witnessed it were reminded of the need to change from their evil ways. (Genesis 18)
• "GO! to the mountain and sacrifice your son." He tests Abraham to prepare him for a spiritual change that relies on faith. (Genesis 22)
• "Let my people GO!" He commands Pharoah so He can guide His people toward much needed change on the way to the Promised Land. (Exodus 9)
• "GO! to the city and wait for instructions." He tells Paul after blinding him on the way to Damascus. This event is the beginning of complete life change for Paul, from persecuting Christians to becoming a lead apostle. (Acts 9)
• "GO! from your families, from your own desires, and follow me." Jesus tells the multitudes as He explains the change in their hearts that must happen if they are to follow Him. (Luke 14:26)
• "GO! into all the world and tell them about me." Jesus commissions us to work alongside Him to bring change to all the world. (Mark 16;14, Luke 14:23, Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:7-8)

The "Go!" God gives all of us who believe in His name is to make clear the path to the Lord (Isaiah 40:3). We clear the path by destroying all barriers and impurities to His light. It starts within us. As we journey with our King, we tell others about Him, about the change in us, and about the barriers and impurities He wants to remove in their lives. At the end, we experience complete restoration and unification. 

The choice belongs to each of us. But we are asked to encourage one another:

Strengthen ye the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, BE STRONG. FEAR NOT, your God will come with vengeance, even with a recompence, HE WILL COME AND SAVE YOU. Isaiah 35:3-4

We're to remind each other that there is a highway to heaven, He longs to protect you while you walk it, and He is waiting at the end of it to celebrate our homecoming (Isaiah 35:8-10). All you have to do is accept it and "GO!" where His path leads. 

I want to walk next to you on that trail to heaven. As we walk, we'll sing praises together from an overflow of the JOY and gladness in our hearts (Isaiah 35:17). 

Let's "GO!" towards heaven! Let's get to Jesus! That's the pilgrimage I'm on, the change I need, what about you?

In response:

1. Identify where you crave change or need growth in your life. What might a "GO!" response look like in these areas? Write out the first step and commit to taking it. As you "GO!", know you're not alone: Jesus is walking right beside you.
2. Join us as we study Isaiah. Isaiah 34 paints a scene of devastation, isolation, and hopelessness for those who deny God. In contrast, a beautiful scene of restoration and promise unfolds in Isaiah 35 for those who choose Him. The chapter ends with a highway to heaven that is guarded by God and ends in eternal JOY. This path is the one on which we're called to "GO!". Answer the call; your time is now.

Bible Verses and Quotes 

Bible Verses 

• After Lot had gone, the LORD said to Abram, "Look as far as you can see in every direction - north and south, east and west. I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession. And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted! Go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you. Genesis 13:14-17 NLT
• And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Mark 16:15 NASB
• Make good use of every opportunity you have, because these are evil days. Ephesians 5:16 GNT
• During my many travels, I have been in danger from rivers, robbers, my own people, and foreigners. My life has been in danger in cities, in deserts, at sea, and with people who only pretended to be the Lord's followers. 2 Corinthians 11:26 CEV
• These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Hebrews 11:13 KJV

Quotes

• "The West is a great place of infinite possibilities and untamed beauty." - John Muir
• "Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." - Will Rogers
• "Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway!" - John Wayne
• "Life is getting up one more time than you've been knocked down." - John Wayne
• "It ain't dying I'm talking about, it's living. I doubt it matters where you die, but it matters where you live." - Gus McCrae in Lonesome Dove

We'd Love to Know:

Which verse or quote fits best with your idea of going west?

Activity Suggestions

Inspire the western spirit of adventure in your learners.

Make an Advertisement 

Encourage people to come to your town! Include:

• Unique opportunities
• Entertainment options
• Environment description
• Social scene details
• Five of your favorite things.

Use your hometown's website and visitor information page for inspiration.

Play "I'm Going West and I'm Bringing..."

There are endless ways to play this rule-identifying game. The basic steps for gameplay are as follows:

1. Sit in a circle on the floor.
2. Choose a rule for how to complete this phrase but DO NOT SHARE it. You can choose a learner to make the rule, or you can choose the rule.
3. Start with the rule-maker who:
1. Says: "I'm going West and I'm bringing..."
2. Finishes the phrase according to the created rule.
3. Then says, "And I can go."
4. The person to the rule-maker's right:
1. Says: "I'm going West and I'm bringing..."
2. Finishes the phrase in an attempt to guess the rule.
3. Waits for the rule-maker to tell them if they:
1. Can go. (They answered according to the rule.) 
2. Cannot go. (Their answer did not fit the rule.)  
5. The game ends when everyone who is playing is able to go. No learner ever sits out. It helps learners who have not yet figured out the rule to hear examples of answers that fit the rule.

Rule examples:

1. They can only bring things that a pioneer would actually bring to the west. (i.e. A flashlight would not work, but a candle would. An elephant would not work, but a horse would.)
2. They can bring anything that starts with the same first letter of their name. (This was the rule we would normally begin with. It's great for icebreakers too!)
3. Make up your own rules. The possibilities are endless! Use constraints on size (smaller than a shoebox), material (made from wood), environment (found in this classroom), word length (shorter than 10 letters) and more to make your rule.

Design a Hat

• Read Boss of the Plains: The Hat that Won the West by Laurie Winn Carlson; illustrated by Holly Meade or "How John B. Stetson Gave America the 'Cowboy Hat'" (Specifically "The Boss of the Plains" section) from Free Range American to learn how John B. Stetson created the "Boss of the Plains" hat to meet the needs of the environment.
• Design a hat that meets the needs of your local environment. 
1. List the challenges people face in your local environment. 
2. Brainstorm solutions to each problem. 
3. Sketch a hat that solves the problems of your local environment.
4. List the materials needed for your design.
5. Build a model hat.
• Craft one of these:
• Cowboy Hat: Use cereal box and aluminum foil to craft this cowboy hat with Tiny Beans.
• Pioneer Bonnet: Use paper and yarn to make this bonnet with Free Kids Crafts.
• Native American Headband: Use construction paper and features to make a headband with First Palette.

Discuss "Would You Rather..." Questions

• Wear a boss of the plains hat or a headdress?
• Tell tales around a campfire or hunt buffalo?
• Work your own land or manage a storefront?

If you would like three "Would You Rather...?" questions for every July day, download this Wolfe Stew PowerPoint or get it (for free!) at our TPT store.

Take on the Family Challenge

Share your family history with your children. What opportunities did your ancestors take that helped shape your family today? What opportunities can you take today that will help to positively direct your family's tomorrow?

We'd Love to Know:

What "Going West" looks like in your life.

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

Your Partners in JOY Finding,

Sample these related posts:

To "GO!" to the gates where opportunities await.

To "GO!" and find JOY-building opportunities for others.

To "GO!" on a hike and remember God is at your side.

To "GO!" on an African safari with your learners in a picture book.

To "GO!" and wonder in God's creation.

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

*Image Credit: Monument Valley by Kasabubu at Pixabay.