Is St. Patrick's Day a real holiday?

So the question remains of whether St. Patrick's Day is a real holiday. In America, we capitalize on every possible day to either get a day off of work, buy candy, or if you're my wife to buy decorations and decorate the house very festivally. I do love the decorations, but I definitely don't need the candy! Whether it is a "real" holiday is unsure, but it is a milestone of the verse that says "Go Ye into all the world and preach the gospel." You see St. Patrick's day is credited with bringing the Christian faith to the pagan country of Ireland, which according to Answers.com, drove out all of the false Druid gods. As I was reading the description of this day it struck me how our Christian lives need to resemble St. Patrick's day. Not for the green shamrock hats or pinching your co-worker who wore red instead of green, but because we are to be taking the gospel to as many different peoples and nations as we can. We should be God's hands and feet in driving out the false gods of our world. Many of us are the only God some people in Kent County will see. I have been doing a Bible study on worship recently and one phrase that really hit me was, "Worship invites God's presence!" What a powerful statement. We are actually inviting God's very presence into our midst when we worship Him. Then it scared me to think how on sunday mornings as we "worship" Him, some can stand there with a blank face or even a scowl. What does that say about God's presence in our lives?! If I were in heaven standing in God's presence I would be anything but blank faced. Why should my worship each day be any different! I pray that we never forget the fact that we are leading people into the very presence of our Lord each time we take the stage. Let's Worship our Lord each day with a happy heart! God Bless!