Project: Leap Day

I decided to target a group of people and ask them how they plan to spend their Leap Day, so naturally I headed to Target.  My results are below and quite honestly (spoiler alert), a little dismal.  You would think that with four years to plan for this we’d all do a better job!

Anyway, I strode down the aisle in Target looking for my first encounter.  I spotted the perfect person to talk to – the American Greetings merchandise distributor.  Who could be better than an official from the greeting card industry?  “Excuse me, do you have any cards for Leap Day?”

“You know, we do not,” she said.  “We really should at least carry a Leap Birthday card, but I can’t offer you a thing.”

Next I decided to go to the DVD area of the store and see how many people were there looking for the movie Leap Year.  There were none – I couldn’t even find the movie.  It was like it leapt off the shelf.  What I did find was a delightful 93-year-old lady named Mildred.  We never talked about Leap Day.  Mildred had her own agenda.  She was shopping for her eight-year-old great-grandson and wanted to know my opinion of the Lego’s she had selected.  Her real goal was to chat with people in stores and that is why she was at Target – her dog, she claims, doesn’t make for good conversation.  She told me I made her day.  I know she made mine.

Still in pursuit of some exciting Leap Day plans, I found a lady buying M&Ms.  I asked her if they were for her Leap Day party and she said, “No, I don’t need an excuse for M&Ms.” She went on and on about M&Ms and chocolate in general.  I like this lady.

From there I went down the beer aisle and found a guy buying a case.  “Oh,” I said, “I guess that’s for your Leap Day party.”  He must have taken me seriously as he informed me that he had people coming into town and was stocking up.

I was coming up empty in my pursuit of Leap Day celebrators so I called my friend Debi.  She is a sure-thing when it comes to celebrating.  I knew it was a little risky this time because she just returned from vacation.  Here’s her answer when I asked her what she had planned.  “Leap Day?  Tomorrow?  I guess I should come up with something.”

I know when Debi is not ahead of me in her planning, I should give up.  So I took a leap into bed and put this blog post to sleep.

But first in the way of parting words of Leap Day wisdom, I will leave you with a few Leap ideas.

• At some point today say, “Leaping Lizards.”
• Play a game of leap-frog with your family.
• Don’t forget to look before you leap.
• Take a leap of faith.  While I was preparing for this blog I had opportunities to talk to people about Jesus.  I tried to begin such a conversation with a guy who was pumping gas next to me.  I don’t think I did too good a job, because he told me a slightly off-color joke before I left.  The funny thing was I know he was being nice.  I may need to take an evangelism course.

Do you have any special Leap Day plans today?  It’s time to jump on them.