Following on from the month of war you cannot go into April without mentioning THE DAY. All fools day is thought to stem from many different sources. It could be the change of calendar way back in the 16c, moving New Years Day to the 1st of January. Those that clung to the old date of the 1st of April were considered fools. Another is that many cultures over the centuries have had a festival for fooling about around the end of March early April, these include the Roman, Hindu and Jewish religious calendars. Spring fever can be another reason attributed to the April fools day, given that late March early April is the time for Mad Hares.
As we come out of the dark and dreary months the sun begins to hit our faces and we tend to get a bit silly. However we like to look at April the 1st and how it came about, I can’t help feeling we do not do enough messing about and having fun.Jesus said that “I promise you this. If you don’t change and become like a child, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven”.
Having three energetic kids I can testify that they like to have fun (usually at my expense) and it’s good for us all to let our hair down. Did you know that it takes more muscles to smile than it does to frown – that to me is a free face lift – and a smile helps to produce endorphins, the hormone that makes us feel better. Jesus also said he came to “give us life in all abundance” and what can be more abundant than a good laugh. I am grateful that April the 1st does not land on a Sunday this year because I think I might have been in for some messing about.
Love, Jason, The Man in the Manse.