An interesting article caught my eye this morning as I perused the headlines on www.FoxNews.com. It was titled “This Day in History: Feb. 3”; and it went on to observe that this was “The Day the Music Died”. For it was on this very day, February 3, back in 1959, that rock-and-roll stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. (a.k.a “The Big Bopper”) Richardson all died in a small plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa.
This occurrence was then followed by a long list of others that have also happened over the years on this particular day in history. Among them are:
1690: The first paper money in America is issued by the Massachusetts Bay Colony to finance a military expedition to Canada.
1913: The 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, providing for a federal income tax, is ratified.
1930: William Howard Taft, the 27th president of the United States, resigns as chief justice for health reasons. (He would die just over a month later.)
1943: During World War II, the U.S. transport ship SS Dorchester, which is carrying troops to Greenland, sinks after being hit by a German torpedo in the Labrador Sea; of the more than 900 men aboard, only some 230 survive.
1966: The Soviet probe Luna 9 becomes the first man-made object to make a soft landing on the moon.
1994: The space shuttle Discovery lifts off, carrying Sergei Krikalev, the first Russian cosmonaut to fly aboard a U.S. spacecraft.
1995: Discovery blasts off with a woman, Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Eileen Collins, in the pilot’s seat for the first time in NASA history.
2002: Super Bowl XXXVI: The New England Patriots beat the St. Louis Rams 20-17 at the Louisiana Super Dome in New Orleans.
2008: Super Bowl XLII: The New York Giants beat the New England Patriots 17-14 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
2009: Eric Holder becomes the first black U.S. attorney general as he is sworn in by Vice President Joe Biden.
2013: Super Bowl XLVII: The Baltimore Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers 34-31 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in New Orleans.
2019: Super Bowl LIII: The New England Patriots beat the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
As I read this article, I could not help but think of a humorous plaque someone had once mounted on the side of a building in a town where my wife and I had previously lived. It read simply: “ON THIS SITE, SEPTEMBER 5, 1782, NOTHING HAPPENED”.
How’s that for contrast?! In truth, all throughout history, a lot has happened on September 5. In all likelihood, every bit as much has happened on September 5th as has happened on February 3. There are websites that track such facts and will readily verify this.
Of course, the fact that others have been busy making history does not necessarily imply that you or I have been. Rather, it is incumbent upon each and every one of us on each and every day to get up, get going, get busy, and get things done. And if we do, then we too can leave a legacy of accomplishments for the various days of our lives.
But if not, then we stand to leave only a sad testimony to a wasted life. And I can think of few things sadder than coming to the end of my life only to look back and have to say that on most of the days I lived, nothing happened!
In his New Testament Epistle to the Ephesians (chapter 5, verse 16), we are admonished by the Apostle Paul to “make the most of every opportunity”. The same Apostle reminds us in his Epistle to the Romans (chapter 13, verse 11) to consider just how swiftly time is passing, and, as a result, to wake up and get busy.
No doubt Paul had in mind the words of wise old King Solomon so long before, who included this admonition in the Old Testament Book of Ecclesiastes (chapter 9, verse 10): “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.”
In short, we only go around once in this world. This means we only get one shot at life, and only one shot at making a difference.
In light of this, may every single one of us take every single advantage of every single opportunity to do just that!
SCRIPTURE SOURCES: https://biblehub.com/ephesians/5-16.htm;
https://biblehub.com/romans/13-11.htm; and
https://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/9-10.htm.
ARTICLE SOURCE: https://www.foxnews.com/us/this-day-in-history-feb-3.
SEE ALSO: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.
AS WELL AS: https://www.onthisday.com/.
FINAL NOTE: For those humorously inclined, the above referenced plaque can be readily found online and is available for purchase.
This occurrence was then followed by a long list of others that have also happened over the years on this particular day in history. Among them are:
1690: The first paper money in America is issued by the Massachusetts Bay Colony to finance a military expedition to Canada.
1913: The 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, providing for a federal income tax, is ratified.
1930: William Howard Taft, the 27th president of the United States, resigns as chief justice for health reasons. (He would die just over a month later.)
1943: During World War II, the U.S. transport ship SS Dorchester, which is carrying troops to Greenland, sinks after being hit by a German torpedo in the Labrador Sea; of the more than 900 men aboard, only some 230 survive.
1966: The Soviet probe Luna 9 becomes the first man-made object to make a soft landing on the moon.
1994: The space shuttle Discovery lifts off, carrying Sergei Krikalev, the first Russian cosmonaut to fly aboard a U.S. spacecraft.
1995: Discovery blasts off with a woman, Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Eileen Collins, in the pilot’s seat for the first time in NASA history.
2002: Super Bowl XXXVI: The New England Patriots beat the St. Louis Rams 20-17 at the Louisiana Super Dome in New Orleans.
2008: Super Bowl XLII: The New York Giants beat the New England Patriots 17-14 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
2009: Eric Holder becomes the first black U.S. attorney general as he is sworn in by Vice President Joe Biden.
2013: Super Bowl XLVII: The Baltimore Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers 34-31 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in New Orleans.
2019: Super Bowl LIII: The New England Patriots beat the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
As I read this article, I could not help but think of a humorous plaque someone had once mounted on the side of a building in a town where my wife and I had previously lived. It read simply: “ON THIS SITE, SEPTEMBER 5, 1782, NOTHING HAPPENED”.
How’s that for contrast?! In truth, all throughout history, a lot has happened on September 5. In all likelihood, every bit as much has happened on September 5th as has happened on February 3. There are websites that track such facts and will readily verify this.
Of course, the fact that others have been busy making history does not necessarily imply that you or I have been. Rather, it is incumbent upon each and every one of us on each and every day to get up, get going, get busy, and get things done. And if we do, then we too can leave a legacy of accomplishments for the various days of our lives.
But if not, then we stand to leave only a sad testimony to a wasted life. And I can think of few things sadder than coming to the end of my life only to look back and have to say that on most of the days I lived, nothing happened!
In his New Testament Epistle to the Ephesians (chapter 5, verse 16), we are admonished by the Apostle Paul to “make the most of every opportunity”. The same Apostle reminds us in his Epistle to the Romans (chapter 13, verse 11) to consider just how swiftly time is passing, and, as a result, to wake up and get busy.
No doubt Paul had in mind the words of wise old King Solomon so long before, who included this admonition in the Old Testament Book of Ecclesiastes (chapter 9, verse 10): “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.”
In short, we only go around once in this world. This means we only get one shot at life, and only one shot at making a difference.
In light of this, may every single one of us take every single advantage of every single opportunity to do just that!
SCRIPTURE SOURCES: https://biblehub.com/ephesians/5-16.htm;
https://biblehub.com/romans/13-11.htm; and
https://biblehub.com/ecclesiastes/9-10.htm.
ARTICLE SOURCE: https://www.foxnews.com/us/this-day-in-history-feb-3.
SEE ALSO: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.
AS WELL AS: https://www.onthisday.com/.
FINAL NOTE: For those humorously inclined, the above referenced plaque can be readily found online and is available for purchase.