HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!
Yep, the Collins' are Irish! And since I married into the Collins' family, I like to pretend that means me too.
Here are a few St. Patrick's day facts you may or may not know:
1. Who the Heck is St. Patrick?
St. Patrick was actually born in Scotland in the late 300's. At the age of 14 he was captured by a raiding party and taken to Ireland where he was forced to be a slave until the age of 20. During his captivity, he learned to turn to God through prayer. He is quoted as saying, "The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the same. I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain." St. Patrick finally escaped after having a dream in which God told him to leave Ireland by going to the coast. There he found some sailors who took him home to his family. A few years later, he had another dream that the people of Ireland were calling out to him begging him to teach them about God. St. Patrick studied to become a priest and then returned Ireland where he taught and converted many. He died on March 17th!
2. Why Shamrocks?
St. Patrick was known for using the 3-leaf clover (or shamrock) to teach the people about the trinity.
You can also use the Shamrock to teach your family about the Godhead:
more Article of Faith Cards HERE
The shamrock has three separate leaves that are joined together on the same stem. Similar to how Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are separate beings but are united and work together “as one” Godhead.
Here are some Articles to reference that would be great to teach your family this concept (HINT- This would make a great FHE):Articles of Faith: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost AND
In These Three I Believe.
3. What about 4-leaf Clovers?
They are for Good Luck. Sir John Melton wrote, "If a man walking in the fields find any four-leaved grass, he shall in a small while after find some good thing."
Did you know it is estimated that, on average, there are 10,000 three leaf clovers for every instance of a true four leaf clover!
4. Why Catch a Leprechaun?
Leprechauns spend all their time busily making shoes. They store away all their coins in a hidden pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. If ever captured by a human, the Leprechaun has the magical power to grant three wishes in exchange for their release. Leprechaun are no taller than a small child, with a red beard and always wearing a hat.
5. Do I want to Kiss the Blarney Stone?
The Blarney stone is a bluestone built into the Blarney Castle in Ireland. According to legend, kissing the stone endows the kisser with the gift of the gab in other words, great eloquence or skill at flattery.
6. Why do I get pinched if I don't wear GREEN?
This my friends is an American tradition, not Irish. The concept behind the whole idea is that wearing green makes you invisible to the leprechauns who are know to pinch anyone they can see. So if you're not wearing green, you get pinched to remind you of this 'tradition'.
On a SWEETER note, here are some of my favorite Treats to make and eat on St. Patrick's Day!