Why Do We Have Leap Year?

How Leap Year Came to Be

It’s an interesting factoid that 260 years ago, Britain and its American colonies opted to wipe 11 days off their calendar between Sept. 2 and Sept. 14 to catch up with the calendars used by the rest of Western Europe.
Since 46 B.C., the known world had been flipping calendars implemented since Julius Caesar, called the Julian calendar. But its solar year was literally off kilter by 11 minutes (kudos to whoever figured that out).
Because Pope Gregory XIII’s biggest concern was that Easter was shifting ever so slightly away from the spring equinox each year, he introduced his own calendar, which we still use today. According to History.com:

“The Julian calendar included an extra day in February every four years. But Aloysius Lilius, the Italian scientist who developed the system Pope Gregory would unveil in 1582, realized that the addition of so many days made the calendar slightly too long.
He devised a variation that adds leap days in years divisible by four, unless the year is also divisible by 100. If the year is also divisible by 400, a leap day is added regardless. While this formula may sound confusing, it did resolve the lag created by Caesar’s earlier scheme — almost.”¹

That keeps everything on an even keel, so to speak, even though there’s still a slight discrepancy of 26 seconds.

Make Your ‘Leap Day’ Count

At any rate, we have an extra day, but here’s the beauty of it: For all the days you didn’t do all the healthy things for yourself that you know you should do — and really want to do — Leap Year gives you that chance.
Although you likely won’t be able to do anything you’d like, you might think of it as your golden opportunity to spend at least part of Feb. 29 living intentionally and positively, for yourself and the people in your life. Here are some fun ways to do that, inspired by the number 29.
Try doing just one or two, and this will be a day not wasted!

1. On the 28th, go to bed 29 minutes early.
2. On the 29th, get up 29 minutes early.
3. Drink 29 ounces of water.
4. Take 29 slow breaths through your nose.
5. Spread your feet, stretch upward slowly and touch your toes. Do this 29 times.
6. Send a funny email to 29 people you know would appreciate it as much as you.
7. Meditate, daydream or pray for 29 minutes.
8. Exercise for 29 minutes.
9. Make a list of 29 people who’ve helped, inspired or encouraged you. Resolve to tell them. Soon.
10. Ride your bike for 29 minutes.
11. Check your kitchen and pitch 29 unhealthy items.
12. Spend 29 minutes more with the people you love than you normally do.
13. Smile 29 minutes every hour of the day — or for at least 29 minutes
14. Call a friend and talk about them as much as they want to for 29 minutes.
15. If the weather is nice, spend 29 minutes outside.
16. Drink another 29 ounces of water.
17. Make a list of 29 to-die-for vacation spots. (You don’t have to actually go.)
18. List 29 things you’re grateful for.
19. Go through your closets and pick out 29 items to donate or give away.
20. Pop 29 grapes into the freezer and share them later.
21. Take a 29-minute nap or just spend that time relaxing with your eyes closed.
22. Create a playlist of 29 of your favorite songs.
23. Leave work 29 minutes early so you can “smell the roses” on the way home.
24. List 29 positive things you’ve learned throughout your life.
25. Take 29 calm, controlled breaths through your nose — again.
26. Straighten or put away 29 items to neaten your space.
27. Spend 29 minutes in a warm, sudsy bath, complete with candles and soft music.
28. Go to bed 29 minutes earlier than usual — again.
29. In your head, list 29 positive things about your day      .Source 

To contact me you can email: Donna@DonnaSchuller.com

Real Health?

I am convinced that all health begins on a spiritual level

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."  
2 Timothy 1:7 

So what is real health?  I believe with all my heart that true health means you are constantly seeking the balance between the health and wholeness of your soul and spirit, your physical body, and your emotional self.  Do all three line up perfectly all the time?  I don't believe they do except maybe once in rare while:  when we are free from stress, responsibilities, any worry, or any sickness.  In my life, that's not very often yet even so I still strive for complete and real health by: 1) praying every day and by making decisions that line-up with what my faith in following Jesus means to me.  2) Taking care of my body by eating real food , free of chemicals and preservatives (I do love ice cream) and 3) exercising 5 days or more a week.  4) Keeping my emotions in check by examining what I am responsible for and what is other people's "stuff." If I'm not careful I can project on others where I am really struggling with something myself.  Projection can get me in all kinds of trouble!

Not being in touch with one's self in any of the three areas I mentioned above can lead to a permanent imbalance and in some cases can lead to addictions of many kinds.  Things that we do that may turn into habits as we attempt to escape the pain or reality of life.  Drugs and alcohol are just to name a few things that we can abuse to try to cover-up our own faulty thinking.
  I like to quote the great psychologist and concentration camp survivor Dr. Viktor Frankl.  He said, "I can't control what people do to me.  The only thing I have control over is how I react to what they do to me."  This while being imprisoned and nearly starved to death in Nazi Germany.  He is one of my heroes.

 

 It's way too common to try to blame others for our failures and shortcomings in life.  It's also epidemic to abuse and use any number of things to cover-up.  Good news= any of us can change starting today if we want to.  I would like to help you if you need someone to help. 
If you would like a copy of my husband's book, "Dump Your Hang-Ups Without Dumping Them On Others"contact me and I will personally send one to you.  If you would consider a donation of any size so we can continue to minister to hurting people that would help us help others.  Go to RobertSchullerMinistries.org Click on the "donate" button found on the right side of the homepage. 

If you or anyone you know needs help overcoming addiction from drugs and/or alcohol go online to SchullerHelp.org or call 800-361-2524 now and someone can help you.

 

Donna@DonnaSchuller.com