A Holiday Hiatus

CBN.com -- Did you realize that the month of August is the only month out of the year where there is actually no national holiday celebrated?  

I don’t know about you, but sometimes it just feels good to take a break from all the "Happy’s" and "Merry’s" for a time, even if it is only for 31 days.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not some kind of holiday scrooge, not by a long shot. In fact, my family has accused me of having a string of lights and a set of decorations for every conceivable holiday on the lunar calendar. Not to mention all the anniversaries, bon voyages, first communion, and all the “just thinking of you” remembrances.

It’s enough to make you consider hiring a personal greeting card secretary, just to ensure that it all gets done.

Do you realize that there are thousands of national holidays that we are not even aware of?  Just to name a few, there’s National Hug a G.I. Day (March 4)...

National Handshake Day (June 28)

National Talk like a Pirate Day (February 7)

National Whiner’s Day (December 26)

National No Diet Day (May 6)

National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day (April 18)

(And my personal favorite)

National Chocolate Covered Anything Day (September 5)

Admittedly, these (and many more) are all some very humorous reasons to celebrate, and you can be sure that not all of them are recognized world-wide. 

But I guess my biggest struggle lies with the whole notion of having to do things out of some sort of obligation, or because a certain day dictates that I should, instead of doing things from a heart of genuine desire.

I know in my personal walk with God how much He loves it when I simply tell Him (for no apparent reason) how very much I love him.  When I purposely freeze-frame everything in my life that happens to be vying for my attention at that moment, and quietly whisper, “I love you Lord!”

That on-purpose pause for an affectionate exchange has nothing to do with anything that He has done, or anything that He has promised to do for me in the future. It's just a spontaneous, out of the blue, expression of love for Him.

So for the remaining days of August, we can all take a breather from the invitation to celebrate a specific holiday, and instead do something totally off the cuff, something entirely unplanned. The unscheduled, unrehearsed, uneventful encounters can so often become the most rewarding experiences we ever have.

"Take me away with you—let us hurry! Let the king bring me into his chambers. We rejoice and delight in you; we will praise your love more than wine. How right they are to adore you!" (Song of Solomon 1:4)