The Establishment of a Christian Nation

 

Christmas arrived and great grandchildren looked forward to an evening or two of riding around neighborhoods to view the exciting light displays. One evening the great grandparents went along. For about ninety minutes, we went in and out of cul-de-sacs and down streets. Toward the end of the journey, I asked my wife if I was crazy or were there only about 10% of the yards with a decidedly Christian focus. She agreed what we saw were mostly Santa likenesses or varying degrees and colors of lights.

Another observation pointed to neighborhoods in subdivisions of higher-than-average incomes: multi-story, brick homes with attic floor space larger than our entire living space, and vehicles with values a quarter of what we paid for our home. In other words, people of means.

So, why do you suppose this vast array of American wealth and blessing kowtowed to secular expectations? I’m not specifically calling out all the Santa lovers. What I am pointing to is the lack of acknowledgement of most Americans in our neck of the woods (well within the Bible Belt) to the most obvious blessings of the grace of God.

There have been discussions concerning the state of the union relative to whether America was ever a Christian nation. First, one must understand the definition of nation. It is not a country. It is not a government. A common social trait defines it. Something like culture, language, religion, to name a few things it can be. Secondly, America’s Atlantic coastal colonies were specifically British during the Protestant Reformation movement. This means we had a common language (still in effect), a common religion (Protestant Reformation Christianity), and many common cultural aspects carried over from the British Isles.

How can we be so certain of the claim to Protestant Reformation Christianity?

The start includes key events. One was Gutenberg’s moveable type printing press, mid 1400s. Previous printing required written manuscripts like the Catholic Church’s versions. Gutenberg ensured Bibles in English could be printed 200 times faster than Catholic manuscripts. An important one for all Protestants was the posting of 93 theses from Martin Luther, a Catholic priest who was also an associate professor at a college, 1513. Another was Tyndale’s translation of Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew languages used in the Holy Scriptures directly from the writings of Biblical scholars and prophets. He translated into Modern English rather than the Middle English often used in prior work by other people.

King Henry VIII determined he would not bend to the Catholic pope’s demand to respect the pope’s instruction concerning a divorce from his deceased brother’s wife. Henry then determined he would be the religious leader of the newly established Anglican Church of England, 1517 era. Henry charged the reformation protestants with heresy, causing the movement of the Puritans and finally the pilgrims’ decision to move to America. During these times in England many bibles were produced. In Henry’s time, the Great Bible was used. In the same era, the Geneva Bible drew a huge following mostly because the creators added many academic notes to the wide margins to assist in understanding the scriptures’ intent. Things like the four or five major instances in the Bible which showed clearly the King was not the highest Authority; God was.

By the time King James took notice in 1604, he demanded a new Bible be printed without all of those notes, hence the King James Bible appeared in 1611. It took a while before it met with acceptance in the colonies.

It appears quite plain there exists any number of reasons why one should consider the British American colonies as a Christian nation. For sure, there were Catholics (Maryland the first to allow it recognized), Jews, and even some Muslims within the colonies, but they were not the vast percentage of religions the Protestant Reformation Christian represented.

There are numerous trails to follow when investigating side roads of this journey in American history. The single worst example is Jefferson’s letter while President to the Ana-Baptists in New England indicating “a wall of separation” existed within our Constitutional Republic keeping the government from taxing any church group to supply funds to a government church as the British were prone to do in England. Perhaps it would have been a more easily understood phrase had he used “a wall of filtration” to show Christianity held the keys to our founding. In that instance, the tenets of Christianity would be the important governmental controls of the men serving in Congress, the Courts, or the Presidency, but the Christian nation (We the People) would forever be held accountable for how those elected servants would govern.

My Testimony of God's Love

 

Testimony of Warren A Johnson

26 Dec 2023

For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13 NKJV

 

My Christian walk hasn’t always been sinless, but my New York pastor of thirty-five years, Robert Engelhardt, brought me to my knees in repentance. My prayer life grew and my confidence in faith solidified. Here in Spartanburg, Pastor Rich Butler of Hope Church, and God’s other servants, encourage the same lifestyle. I ride, blessed knowing who my God is, and He inhabits my being.

May I tell you a story?

On November 8^th, the sunshine fills a cloudless sky. Perfect for a weekday motorcycle ride after a summer of mechanical issues preventing such things. Traffic barely exists, and the leaves drop, but the fair breeze cleans the roads of their litter. Route 276 winds up the mountainside with hairpin turns and short radius bends around the rock outcrops to the Caesar’s Head State Park in North Carolina. The bike I’ve owned for fifty years performs flawlessly. My heart overflows with joy.

After a brief stop at the state park and a photo op, I enjoy the downhill run to Brevard, where I have lunch, fill up my gas tank, and head for home on the back road to Hendersonville. I approach a T intersection coming from the left, where light traffic enters my path of travel. My clear road surface shows no obstacles and I observe the entering cars to be sure they won’t collide with me. In that same stretch in front of me is a hard right turn marked at 30 mph. I’m confident with the bike and my mountain experience, and lean the bike over to take the right-hand curve past the new road construction at the intersection.

The Romans verse comes within the context of Paul explaining faith and the living under it. As my bible says, “They (the teachings) answer questions on how to be delivered from sin, how to live a balanced life under grace, and how to live in the power of the Holy Spirit.” I was about to experience this in real life.

Halfway around this curve in Brevard, out of sight because of the terrain and the flora growing on the inside of the bend, I discover an unmarked railroad track crossing at an impossibly oblique angle to my travel path. Iron rails mean disaster.

With oncoming traffic, the options flee. I jerk the bike upright so I can brake and hope to maintain enough control to avoid certain death in a head-on collision. The bike steering is out of control and I bear into the oncoming lane. A mere split second before smashing into the first car, I realize all my efforts will be for naught, and I remember Who is with me. I say one word. “Jesus.”

The responding paramedic came up to me to ensure I was the victim and there were no passengers with me. I stood calmly alongside the road where two young men assisted me to my feet. I knew my injuries weren’t significant, other than my hands hurt. After doing a quick assessment of me, looking at the bike and car, and back at me, the experienced medic says, “I’ve never seen anybody get up and walk away from an accident like this.”

I stand here today as a living testimony God’s grace exceeds man’s expectations. But you also need to understand even if your life isn’t Biblically perfect, the regular immersion in God’s Word, through the Holy Spirit within you, and under the corporate teaching of a dedicated church group, you have access to God’s redeeming grace.

A Name, a Rock, and a Church

 

Matthew 16:18 NKJV

“And I also say to you that you are Peter (first thing-renamed him), and on this rock I will build my church (second thing), and the Gates of Hades shall not prevail against it (the third thing-it- is the church).”

 

This discussion between Jesus and the disciples took place in Snir, in Northern Israel near Galilee at the Sanctuary of Pan, the pagan god known for causing mischief. It’s where we get the terms: pandemic, panic, and pandemonium. Google has an extensive post about this sanctuary and photos/art of the place as it was known in Jesus’ day.

While on a trip to Israel under the leadership of our pastor in Spartanburg, SC, we visited the site. Here is a photo of the grotto beneath the sanctuary. The rock is some 10-12 feet in diameter and sits on the floor of the grotto. It's at the bottom left center in the photo below.

Photo courtesy of biblewalks.com

Our small group meeting today before the church service we attend spurred a vision. The discussion led by a member of the group compared Simon bar Jonah’s path from the earthly life he’d led up to the point where Jesus renamed him Peter in Snir. The change went from self-centeredness to the one Peter is known for: focus on God, servitude, and forgiveness, amongst other attributes of a Godly way of life.

What occurred to me in a mental image is of an inverted pyramid over this rock. The sequence of things most often interpreted by preachers has Peter being the rock on which the church would be built. However, considering the 1-2-3 aspect noted above, it seems to me there is a separation between the naming of Peter and the rock Jesus seems to be pointing at, namely the one that covers the gates of Hades.

I have no scriptural references to quote. Perhaps you can assist me with that. What I think is there was an earlier time when the Gates of Hades in front of Jesus that day, remained open, and demons traveled in and out (or mostly out) of Hades through this portal. Then one time (perhaps an earthquake?), that large rock fell from the ceiling of the grotto and shut off the way new demons could be released. Hence, there was a limit as to how many demons satan could release into the world.

Christ seems to be indicating His church will bear down on this rock and prevent any more demons from escaping hell. If the church does its job, no number of demons will be able to prevail against God’s will.

It’s the church's responsibility to stand with God’s Word on that rock until his return. It's then we know he’ll make the final elimination of the entire rebellious lot known as demons and angels from hell, along with satan.

 

 https://www.biblewalks.com/Banias

What's That Manger?

What is That Manger?

37) On that last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38) He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. 39) But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, who those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. John 7:37-39 (NKJV)

This morning, while looking at one of the creches my wife displays this time of year, I considered the babe in the manger. Let me tell you what I think I know.

The accommodation for Mary and Joseph was a stable, as in a cave or protected overhang of rock. In it, cattle were fed and watered because there wasn’t a field for them to pasture with a stream running through it. Think downtown Bethlehem.

The manger we’ve come to know now, wasn't a wooden structure then, but rather a carved out stone object. Think about what that scene looked like. Hay strewed about. Cattle standing and chewing their cud while others lie content in their surroundings. But where was their water supply?

Consider what it would mean if an impervious-to-water stone manager was used to water the cattle, rather than to feed them.

Jesus, the Living Water, gets displayed to all who visit by the most fundamental visual of Christ. From shepherds to Wise Men, poor to rich, all who see Him learn from His very first parable. Come to me and drink.

This brings new revelation to me of how John 7:37-39 brings into focus the ministry of Jesus Christ from His birth.

Vigilante, or Not?

 Today I saw a meme depicting the 376 motionless members of the police department at Uvalde during the active shooter casualty event. It also showed the one young man who stood up more recently to an active shooter. 

It's a rather clear picture, even by words, isn't it?

Then I considered what some people may say or think concerning the one individual who took action. I have not read, nor seen video of any of the original documents or videos from either event. I have seen some internet comments and, of course, the noted meme. The following is personal opinion and should not be construed as if I were speaking legally.

Two words came immediately to mind, Militia and Vigilante. Do not get the two confused.

According to the South Carolina state constitution:

ARTICLE XIII.

MILITIA

SECTION 1. Militia.

"The militia of this State shall consist of all able-bodied male citizens of the State between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years, except such persons as are now or may be exempted by the laws of the United States or this State, or who from religious scruples may be adverse to bearing arms, and shall be organized, officered, armed, equipped and disciplined as the General Assembly may by law direct."

Emphasis on shall is by me. The consideration is, under law, Shall is not optional as in May. In other words, if you live in South Carolina and are able bodied between the ages of 18 and 45, you ARE the militia, unless ruled exempt.

Vigilante is a group of a different bent. They are defined as a member of a self-appointed group of citizens who undertake law enforcement in their community without legal authority, typically because the legal agencies are thought to be inadequate. (Note: they operate without legal authority. Most notably, they take justice into their own hands by trying, convicting, and executing.)

The legal authority of militia stems from centuries of law before the constitutions of the various colonies came into existence. Once those colonies became states under the US Constitution, they retained all rights of militia organization and regulation because those rights were never part of the national constitution. The only mention of the militia within the body of the US Constitution refers to the right of the President to call up such a force to deal with treason, insurrection, and anarchy. The 2nd Amendment leaves the militia to the people.

Another initial intent of the founders little known to Americans today, requires the legal system of the Grand Jury to request the militia to arrest based upon fact and evidence, sorely lacking in the instance of vigilantes. And the militia has no authority to convict under civil law. That belongs to the courts.

To bring this back to full circle, the one lone gunman acting to preserve life guaranteed by the constitutions of the various states' laws (see right to use deadly force) wasn't acting as a vigilante. His state gave him the right to act to preserve life, as I understand it, through the castle doctrine.

There will likely be more discussion, evidence, legal opinions, and such during the next few months concerning Uvalde and other instances of US Citizens, militia members, and police interacting with aberrant shooters.

The Mistake About White Privilege in America

 

The Mistake About White Privilege in America

 

When someone throws out the white privilege concern, especially those in the United States, they forget our founders’ tenets when they established our new nation. We live in one of the latest structures of government in the world. The grand experiment of the Constitution outlives any other country’s government, especially those of a republic. But the Constitution’s foundation does not depend upon the Federal government. It depends upon the morality and character of a Christian people.

Our founding fathers’ quotes suggest humanity reverts to base behavior without scripture’s aid. It’s also why, even under the Articles of Confederation, the third article of the Northwest Territory Act in 1787 established a method for ensuring there were funds for public schools. Religion, morality and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged. The religion referred to is Protestant Reformation Christianity, which the entire group of English colonies understood. You may also consider the foundation of our university system started in its earliest form as seminaries. Yale, Harvard, William and Mary, and Princeton fall under this program.

The mistake is thinking any one group receives more than another. The majority of world cultures included slavery. There is no question concerning who held slaves. Africans, Hebrews, Mexicans, and native North Americans used slavery to bolster their economies. Many other groups did as well and still do. History shows mankind is anything but kind. Americans today are no different. But does that mean we are incapable of doing good, helping neighbors, supporting storm-tossed communities? No, and the reason is that we have a foundation of Christianity to support our governance.

Christian scripture, known as the Holy Bible, teaches God recognizes no person. The inference is God created all humans in His image. Each one of us reflects the image of God. The problem, of course, revolves around our heart issues. God made us, so He knows the issues. He sent His Son, Jesus, to give us one more opportunity to reestablish a relationship with God. Most of our problems, well all of them, concern our lack of seeking God, and when we find Him, remembering it’s Him who gives us light.

Christopher Columbus enjoyed a charter from Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand to go forth and discover new lands, claim them for the royal highnesses, and evangelize them. He started with the edict and then found gold. Humans seem to have a propensity to get tunnel vision, and Christobol did the same thing. He lost sight of God’s plan and focused on how rich he could get. Christobol failed God and didn’t repent of his sins, those of forgetting God’s plan. He died broken and penniless.

Here in America, scripture concreted our initial foundations. The Mayflower Compact strode ashore with the pilgrims in 1620 and laid the first course for a repentant people. Those foundations supported a wealth of businesses and expansion through the colonies and into the heartland of America. Contrast that with the Virginia experiment. The cavaliers who initiated Jamestown grew up as second or third-born aristocratic sons who had no inheritance. Their lifestyle dictated they were essential and others servants, be it indentured or enslaved people. When the Dutch ship landed in 1609 with the first boatload of enslaved Black people, it supplied the beginning of a vast selection of workers. Their Anglican priest had little influence. The plantation existence focused on the elite’s lavish lifestyle and the slaves bare existence.

We’re talking about European traditions and expectations. The protestant reformation happened in the late 1400s. Columbus brought the Roman Catholic version of Christianity to the New World, after which there were 250 years (1500-1750) of its expansion in the Americas. The English colonies and Protestant Reformation arrived early in the 1600s. By the end of the 18^th century, the people of the United States of America understood their roots. Their foundation supported the structure of the federal government. Protestant and secular men gathered to determine the future of the United States. Their great compromise ended in passing and ratifying the new Constitution. It declared all men were created equal, but it said nothing about achieving equal success. But again, men forgot God. Men, Christian men and secular men, saw the resources of a vast land and determined they’d get their share. All colors and ethnicities of men declared their intents. Many of them administered violence to each other.

What seemed like a good thing to Europeans, copying what the Spaniards did in South and Central America, led them on the trail to Manifest Destiny. Even their Christian background couldn’t keep them from using every advantage to advance themselves. Whether it be decimating natives, using up resources, or mandating illegal applications of Constitutional directives, Americans of all walks of life contributed to our degradation.

Still, there were remnants. The Methodist circuit riders saw significant expansion of awakening in the Christian community. Presbyterian ministers brought more revival. America as a nation started to turn back to God. Not white folks. Not black folks. Not immigrants. Americans.

And that’s the point of this post. What happened in American history includes many details obverse to our Christian heritage. But we shouldn’t forget those events, nor should we erase the account. On the contrary, we need to remember every one of the atrocities, wars, and examples of greed. Because when we do remember these things, our nature should take us back to the loving God who saw fit to keep North America sacrosanct until He had a plan for a country to grow in His grace.

America still lacks many of God’s principles. We should remember God doesn’t see persons. He sees reflections of Himself. Each of us has the same opportunities under the Constitution. As God’s children, each of us walks in a privilege of high standing with the Lord of lords. We must stay in touch with Him through His Word, prayer, and repentance to bring His kingdom into our lives.

It’s not an ethnic privilege to be an American, and it’s a mistake to consider it so.

Old, Ancient, or Aged?

 

“Let’s stop using the word “old” to describe ourselves or others. Worn out shoes are old. People age. And like with all fine things, aging brings out qualities to be admired and valued.” I found this statement on my Face Book and it sparked the following.

I believe today’s progressive movement continues its historical philosophy, “if it’s old, throw it away, change it, or don’t use it”. This was certainly the case in 1912 when the 17^th Amendment strong-armed its way into the Constitution. The system was old. It couldn’t possibly be of any value. People were smarter in 1912 than they were in the 18^th century. Look how poorly this system worked in that day. All the politicians elected by politicians were crooked. Change the document. Save the Union!

When in truth it wasn’t the document that needed fixing. The plainly written parchment worked through a great many trials in our nation’s history which included the very writing of it, the startup problems of a new country, continued attacks by Britain and Spain, the Industrial Revolution, huge national growth, and the Civil War, to name a few. It worked because of those checks and balances incorporated within this aging document. It was mankind who elected those politicians to the state legislative bodies. Those people elected the federal Senators. It wasn’t the system that broke, it was humans.

Now, one hundred and eleven years after the 17^th Amendment took effect, the Federal Government is so far out of balance there are death panels to determine who of our aged population receives healthcare, or more to the point, to determine those that will not receive healthcare. Now, federal court judges become activists and use their power to create law. Now, the Attorney General of the US resigns to elude prosecution. Now, a President can throw out the Constitution in favor of his phone and pen.

No, it wasn’t the Constitution broken in the early 1900s. Yes, it had seen some trying times. Yes, the same arguments discussed during the Constitutional Convention were still around. They still are today. But these arguments are not what the delegates ratified, unanimously. The Constitution’s existence up to 1912 performed like the opening statement here. It became more refined. It grew to be admired and respected around the world. It still is, or there wouldn’t be hordes of people crossing our borders in search of the American Dream.

And the basis of that dream stems from the Bill of Rights, otherwise known as the first ten amendments. These, too, are aging gracefully, but they are under attack by the progressives. Make no mistake about it. These Amendments have been around since 1792. That’s two hundred and thirty-four years. That’s way too long to suit progressives. The liberals would rather see you lose these rights, than protect them for the ages.

Stand up, America. Get off the couch on Election Day. Go Vote! Your Bill of Rights will disintegrate before your eyes if you do not.

Christmas and the Declaration of Independence

Initial exploration of the New World offered hope. It turned into riches taken and a failure to remember God for the Spaniard. For the French, a vast land with abundant wildlife and a failure to recognize God. For the English, an escape from the aristocracy and religious persecution. 

At first, the stresses and conditions of the new world offered little hope. Famine, death, attack from natives, and lack of a steady stream of supplies all contributed to the growth of fear. Great Britain sponsored a whole different level of pressure on the British subjects. The Atlantic seaboard colonists began to feel like second-class citizens of their homeland. 

We find the difference for the English settlers’ existence in their Christian principles, most often referred to as religion. Although the Anglican Church of England (a protestant take-off of the Pope’s empire) existed in Jamestown, the protestant reformation Pilgrims thrived. How? By establishing their principles in the Mayflower Compact and living a godly life. They worshipped God through Jesus Christ the best way they knew how. At every turn where it seemed disaster struck, they’d take a knee and offer repentance to God for whatever it was they were doing wrong. God blessed that. They also determined private ownership generated far more blessings than communal farming.

After one hundred and fifty years, a small vociferous group stood up to the giant. They declared why the world should know and understand their decision to break away from England. 

John Quincy Adams, a prominent founding father, made an early summarization of how Christmas and the Declaration of Independence relate. Here is a quote from him on the 61st anniversary of the Declaration.

“Why is it that, next to the birthday of the Savior of the world, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day? Is it not that, in a chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the Gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer’s mission upon earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity and gave to the world the first irrevocable pledge of the fulfillment of the prophecies announced directly from heaven at the birth of the Savior and predicted by the greatest of the Hebrew prophets 600 years before.”

This Christmas season presents another opportunity for America to understand its roots. Another day for individuals to take stock of their spiritual lives and reconnect with God. Jesus came not to rule the world but to save the lost that they might be the children of God. It’s our birthright to accept Him and fulfill the prophetic call on America. 

Make no mistake about your life, which has an eternal existence beyond this earthly realm. Our founders understood it. Their existence depended on it. Consider the foundations of our Constitution and what the Declaration of Independence has done for you. Give America a chance at a reprieve from God’s wrath. Accept His call to you. 

A Christmas Biography

 My parents traveled a lot. One fall, when mom carried me, they determined a trip to their hometown took precedent. In the old days, the journey took several hours. Nowadays I suppose they would make it in thirty minutes, what with the road system improvements and all.

By the time they decided to go, the streets were full of travelers. It slowed them down. Mom’s pregnancy didn’t seem to be an issue. I tossed and turned, but nothing strange for an unborn. When they reached the small farming community, they found an entire village homecoming. Everyone’s cousins showed up.

Dad’s family owned a wonderful house, and he hadn’t mentioned he and mom were coming. It created a bit of a tizzy. It came down to a small area out back in a horse paddock office. It was comfortable under the circumstances. Now and then, a horse snickered. Even the chickens seemed happy to have someone stay the night.

Dad, always the provider, pulled the food out of his go-bag, and they settled in for a quiet evening.

Mom’s water broke in the early morning hours, and not too long after, I slid into a new world. My strong voice complemented my well-proportioned body, small as it was. Dad found some sheets in a closet to help clean up the afterbirth and amniotic fluid. I didn’t know those words back then. Mom suckled me, and I enjoyed my first meal. It wasn’t long before I fell asleep. They laid me in an opened bureau drawer.

News spread quickly. It wasn’t long before all the neighboring farmers and ranchers stopped by to pay their regards. They’d seen the light of the barn glowing. It led them to me. A couple of days later, more visitors from a university showed up. They even brought me birthday presents. Mom and dad were astounded at their generosity.

So many people heard about my arrival that I have newfound brothers and sisters who help me celebrate my birthday, even today. Perhaps you are one. Love, Jesus.

Merry Christmas

Democracy or Constitutional Republic?

 

I am not the author of this post below. However, there is a discussion concerning factions, our constitutional republic, and democracy in any of its forms. I post this here so I can link to it in Twitter. You may find this interesting, as it was written or at least attributed to Professor Tyler in 1787.

HOW LONG DO WE HAVE?

This is the most interesting thing I've read in a long time. The sad thing about it, you can see it coming.

 I have always heard about this democracy countdown. It is interesting to see it in print. God help us, not that we deserve it.

How Long Do We Have?

About the time our original thirteen states adopted their new constitution in 1787, Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinburgh, had this to say about the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2,000 years earlier: 'A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government.'

'A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury.'

'From that moment on, the majority always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.'

'The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years.

'During those 200 years, those nations always progressed through the following sequence:

1. from bondage to spiritual faith;

2. from spiritual faith to great courage;

3. from courage to liberty;

4. from liberty to abundance;

5. from abundance to complacency;

6. from complacency to apathy;

7. from apathy to dependence;

8. from dependence back into bondage'

Professor Joseph Olson of Hemline University School of Law, St. Paul,  Minnesota , points out some interesting facts concerning the 2020  Presidential election:

Number of States won by: Democrats: 19 Republicans: 29

Square miles of land won by: Democrats: 580,000 Republicans: 2,427,000

Population of counties won by: Democrats: 127 million Republicans: 143 million

Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by: Democrats: 13.2 Republicans: 2.1

Professor Olson adds: 'In aggregate, the map of the territory Republican won was mostly the land owned by the taxpaying citizens of this great country. Democrat territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in government-owned tenements and living off various forms of government welfare...' Olson believes the United States is now somewhere between the 'complacency and apathy' phase of Professor Tyler's definition of democracy, with some forty percent of the nation's population already having reached the 'governmental dependency' phase.

If Congress grants amnesty and citizenship to twenty million criminal invaders called illegal's and they vote, then we can say goodbye to the USA in fewer than five years.

If you are in favor of this, then you’ll probably not like any of my posts. If you are not, then pass this along to help everyone realize just how much is at stake, knowing that apathy is the greatest danger to our freedom.

It’s this apathy which Haversack History, my speaking venue found here, addresses and is why I encourage all Americans to get to the polls. It is the only way the silent majority will be heard.

waj

Are you a Taxi Driver?

The below text was forwarded to me in an email. I am not the author of it. It was dated 092020. This should make you think. It did me.

 I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes I honked again. Since this was going to be my last ride of my shift I thought about just driving away, but instead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked.. 'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.

After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940's movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets.

There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard

box filled with photos and glassware.

'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman.

She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.

She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her.. 'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated.'

'Oh, you're such a good boy, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address and then asked, 'Could you drive

through downtown?'

'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly..

'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice.

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have any family left,' she continued in a soft voice..'The doctor says I don't have very long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.

'What route would you like me to take?' I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm tired.Let's go now'.

We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico.

Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move.

They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

'How much do I owe you?' She asked, reaching into her purse.

'Nothing,' I said

'You have to make a living,' she answered.

'There are other passengers,' I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug.She held onto me tightly.

'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said. 'Thank you.'

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light.. Behind me, a door shut.It was the sound of the closing of a life..

I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day,I could hardly talk.What if that woman had gotten an angry driver,or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?

On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.

We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.

But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY

WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID ~BUT~THEY WILL

ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM

FEEL.

At the bottom of this great story was a request to forward this - I deleted that request because if you have read to this point, you won't have to be asked to pass it along you just will...

Thank you, my friend...

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.

Memorial Day, Past and Present

 

“That this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ … And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.” Joshua 4:6-7 (NKJV)

The men garbed for war clambered over the rocky ground, their eyes constantly moving left and right, searching for the first sign of trouble. They weren’t under orders to move quickly, but under the circumstances, few of them cared to linger. They overtook the priests who stood nervously in the center of the path. Before the priests could leave their position, Joshua must construct a monument to honor God. The people of Israel passed over to the other side, and God released the waters of the Jordan.

“Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ then ye shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’; for the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up from before us, until we had crossed over, that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you might fear the Lord your God forever.”

In today’s ever-broadening worldview, it’s difficult to remember why we have memorials. Political correctness says forget about our heritage. Instead, they urge us to think globally, tolerate everyone and everything, and forget about God’s part in America. Our heritage becomes shrouded in fog, and we lose sight of the meaning of things or events, such as Memorial Day.

When a Christian worldview still affected our government, Memorial Day served to remember how others fulfilled God’s plan. The biblical principles of duty, honor, and patriotism built character in Christians and even directed the unchurched. It created Americans’ knowledge of right and wrong and a passionate response when evil manifested itself.

Some of the people responding to the call to arms did so reluctantly, some, however, with a focused purpose. No matter what their personal position was, go they did. And in so doing, many of them laid down their lives for family and friends back home—Americans who hoped for the nation’s future.

America’s past lies in the deaths of those who laid down their lives in defense of freedom and liberty. Our present honors our past by our act of remembering those heroes. Our future lies in the hope Christ demonstrated when he laid down his life so you and I could once again be called a friend of God.

Let us now, as a unified body of Christ, stand silently. Let us build a spiritual memorial in our hearts to show our children this Memorial Day exists to honor those who died in service to our country. They died so we have the freedom to accept God’s love—died so we always remember to glorify God.

A Missing Worldview

 

The enemy of Christianity works tirelessly to counteract the Gospel. Think of all of the things humankind subjects themselves to, and we find a list applicable to us, too. Today’s penetrating worldview demands your confirmation of secular wisdom. Take the Chinese virus, for instance.

Do this. Do that. Don’t show your face. Don’t get together with family. For heaven’s sake, don’t go to church.

Paul points out some principles we should all live by, but Christians especially.

“Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations—‘Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,’ which all concern things which perish with the using--according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.” Colossians 2:20-23

Paul continues in Chapter 3:5 (remember the Bible wasn’t written in Chapter/verse, but rather in solid blocks of text) to explain how the Gospel of Jesus relieves us from the burden of things of this earth. “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

How much better would our health, society, culture, and knowledge be if we focus on our heavenly example given by Jesus Christ?

An Original Start

Writers write, but how they put those words down has changed over the years. I started this journey in the mid-nineties. I didn’t have a computer. Here are the first 124 pages of my first novel, A Pheromone Affair. The first writing includes a backstory chapter not in the book. Maybe a prequel...

Copyright 1997

A Pheromone Affair is not available at this time. It is under reconstruction for re-release with its companion books under The Pheromone Chronicles.

If you'd like to be notified of the release dates, please sign up for the blog notices by entering your email address in the slot provided on the column to the right.

Birthing the Baby

 In order to place this on my Amazon Author page, I must repost it here. You may like to review it if you've read it before. Otherwise, I trust you'll enjoy the analogy.

Ashley Clark posted a take on writing based upon the painful experiences of the labor process during the birth of her son. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWritersAlley/~3/_8YVR7A04K4/surviving-labor-of-writing.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email

 I am not experienced in that side of the deal, but I’ve been around a few births. I have been exposed to the process by which nurses and OB GYN staff determine the quality of health of the baby during the process known as Electronic Fetal Monitoring (EFM). So, with the idea churning around in my brain, I thought I’d birth it for you here. If you are interested in learning more about the technical side of this and you have a smart phone, find an app called EFM Guide. It will explain the terms and physiology of what’s occurring at any given time on the fetal monitor.

            The first thing to learn concerns the process of EFM. No one has x-ray vision. No one can see your creation, your story. It will only come to fruition if you let it out. However, with the proper monitoring, one can tell the overall health of it. So, the first step is to apply the belly band around the mother. This device connects to the fetal monitor and shows patterns that can be understood through observation. And, since birth is as much about the mother’s health as it is the child’s, we will also connect the mother to a heart monitor that will also take her blood pressure, pulse rate and breathing rate. By discerning the increase in stress of the mother, we’ll know to look for like stress in the baby and whether or not the baby, like the mother, can recuperate from periods of stress.

            Although there are millions of people attempting to birth books, the ones that I see becoming successful are the ones plugged into a venue that exposes their efforts to ones of greater knowledge and skill. This is the importance of writers’ conferences. Get plugged in. Dare to put your efforts up for observation. Let the pros discern your status. It’s for your own health and that of your creation.

            Now that you are attached, so to speak, we’ll look at a few of the terms and what they mean to the baby. Fetal heart rate (FHR) refers to the predominant average rate displayed on the graph. The issue is that a baby in the womb experiences many influences that will change their pulse rate. For instance, the baby may not like mom’s diet and the rate goes up. Mom may bend over and apply pressure to the baby and the rate goes down. There are any numbers of things that will change the rate. That rate is likely to be anywhere from 90 to 200 beats per minute (bpm). Contractions put immense pressure on the baby. What we’re looking for is the average baseline rate, generally expected to be around 140, ranging from 130 to 150, during rest or normal times.

            Think of it this way. You experience any number of things throughout your day. Some of you may even have an hour by hour calendar so you know exactly when to write, when to do chores, when to go to the store, etc. If you don’t write during the proposed time, your baby suffers. If the cat plops on your computer key board, the baby suffers. If the older child falls off the porch rail, everything goes haywire until the emergency is under control.

            Accelerations is a term applied to the FHR. When the baby is excited, its heart rate increases. If the increase is over twenty bpm, it shows on the graph as an upward swing of the FHR. Accelerations are expected to decelerate as evenly as they accelerate. What you see is activity measurable by rate and time. An increase of fifteen bpm over a period of twenty seconds will show the peak at ten seconds and a return to baseline FHR at twenty seconds.

All babies experience accelerations during the birthing process. Yours will, too. One day you’ll zoom through pages of text, moving right along on the plot and character development, and then it’s back to the grind. But that’s good! Realizing that writing comes in spurts allows you to go with the flow and realize that there will also be the work associated with normal activity.

In the same vein, decelerations occur. This pattern on the chart is the obverse of accelerations. This time the monitor shows a depression of the FHR. It is always a sign of stress. Whereas an acceleration can happen from fun things, like receiving Brussels sprouts for lunch, decelerations occur from stressful things, like contractions mentioned previously. Again, stress is a part of labor, but the key is how well the baby recovers. We look at how low the FHR drops, how long it takes to get to its lowest rate, and whether or not it recovers to baseline FHR in the same time span. This pattern, equal time going into the depression and equal time coming out of it, is normal for babies.

Most of you know that writer’s block will slow you down. Most of you have overcome the illness. One way or the other you have taken steps to recover, whether it’s writing something else (like a blog) or brain-storming with cohorts, the issue is that when your story is depressed, you don’t let it stay that way. You get on with it. That’s normal life to a writer, so I’m told…

Accelerations and decelerations generally occur in association with the mother’s health. If mom’s heart rate goes up, chances are there will be a response from the baby and it will chart accordingly. If mom’s blood pressure changes significantly due to an event, the baby will be stressed, too. However, the OB folks also have terms like Early and Late Accels and Decels. These events occur, generally, because of events that are not obvious. These events are watched with a closer eye on the chart to determine if they are a) regular, b) predictable (able to tie the pattern to a cause and it repeats), c) whether or not they can be relieved.

Sometimes when we write, stuff happens. Stuff outside of normal or the occasional emergency discussed earlier. Most of you have had these experiences: bad health reports relating to significant diseases, loss of a loved one, hard economic times. Each of these will have an effect on your writing. That’s why Hemingway always wrote in the morning. He knew that he’d be drunk by early afternoon and that all writing ceased at that time. I’m not advocating you plan that well for early decelerations, but you get it.

The last thing I think is important for you to know about this FHR monitoring is a major problem when the actual birth is occurring and it’s known as Shoulder Dystocia. The term dystocia simply means something abnormal. There are many causes for this, but the inclusion of the word “Shoulder” gives us a clue here. When the baby starts down the birth canal, the preferred position is with the head preceding everything else. The baby also rotates so that the shoulders end up with one toward the belly and one toward the spine with the baby facing either the left or the right side of the mother. This is the best position, considering the shape of the pelvic bone girdle through which the baby will pass. On the top of that pelvic girdle is the pelvic arch bone.

The problem comes when the baby’s shoulder closest to the mom’s belly catches, or hangs up on, the pelvic arch. Here’s the mom in heated battle with contractions going on, breathing heavily labored, she’s pushing to expel the baby and WHAM. The shoulder dystocia thing happens. The external sign observed by the OB folks is that the head “crowns” (the top of the baby’s head is exposed through the vagina and is usually a sign of imminent delivery), but then it gets sucked back up into the birth canal (turtling—like a turtle pulling in its head). Holy smokes! Emergency! The birthing staff starts doing many things at this point. The FHR monitor is removed. The mother is placed in a number of positions to assist in relieving the pressure and to assist the baby in acquiring a better position for delivery. Someone will usually start by applying full body pressure on the pubic arch to try to effect a change in the girdle shape. Often the mother is placed on her hands and knees to change the pressure points. All of these efforts are done to ensure that the baby comes out as quickly as possible at the right time.

What we know about writers is that unless they are being carefully tended by observant staff, they will experience shoulder dystocia of an incomplete or unpublishable work. I’ve experienced this. I wrote my first novel about twenty years ago, but didn’t really have the interest in continuing with the writers’ conference route. Life changes, work experience, the economy and any number of other excuses kept me from pursuing the dream of publication. Then one day someone offered to publish it for three hundred dollars. What a pittance to pay for a book I could hold in my hand instead of looking at the manuscript in a box in the closet. I jumped.

It was the wrong thing to do. Yes, I have a book to hold. Yes, I had friends buy it. Yes, I gave many away and some even said they liked it and want to read the next one. It was premature and should have hung up on the way out! Now I know better. Now you do, too. Don’t get anxious. I have since learned that God has my best interest at heart and He directs my path, if only I will follow him instead of getting in front of him. Thanks to many, I know I’m on the right path to publication, but it’s likely to be nine months from now.

Haversack History Moving Forward

 Thank you for stopping by today.

It's been too long since I moved from New York to South Carolina and new cards were in order. The word in church today said get involved. Get active. Do.

So, here you have it. Haversack History presentations bring a light, enjoyable, and friendly view of an early US citizen of the 1792 period. Through stories and examples you'll gain insight into America's founding with snippets not often discussed.

Churches, homeschool associations, civic groups, and schools have enjoyed these programs of forty-five to sixty minutes. We can travel, so don't let our location stop you from finding out our many options.

And it doesn't hurt to sign up to our blog where you can receive the latest news about where HH is headed next. You can also communicate special requirements to fit your curriculum.

Plus, you can find out more information by going to the HH tab on this site in the header line above.

Brown Evergreens

My friend, J.D. Wininger asked the question, "Where do you look for God?" J.D. reminded me of a time when I saw God in many common place things. Here's an example.

On one Sunday after worship, the church showed a video promoting a bus trip to see the Christmas Show at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The video showed Christmas trees. It wasn’t my fault those trees urged me to look at the large white pine outside the windows over the pulpit. Fall in the Catskills brings color everywhere. So what’s the big deal about the pine tree?

Everyone knows we call them evergreens. Deciduous trees like maples, oaks, and cottonwoods branches reach up in yearning, but an evergreens configuration points to God. They’re a constant reminder of where to turn when you have an issue. This week they are not all green. They have brown needles, primarily on the ends of the branches where new growth occurs. Like the broader leaves of the hardwoods, the pine needles also fall to make room for new growth.

The sermon spoke about the difference between being saved and doing works. The message came from Matthew 14 where Peter climbs out of the boat at Jesus’s word, “Come.” There was work involved in Peter’s faith, yet, while in the process of such work, he failed according to Jesus’ remark. “Oh ye of little faith, why did you doubt?” It seems Peter believed well enough, but even the strongest faith of the twelve (eleven others stayed in the boat!) failed to succeed.

When I saw the pine tree with its brown needles it reflected the failures in my life. But those failures were based upon what I did, in the past, with little faith. Every time those needles fall, creation for more room of productive needles occurs. The process always intends to get closer to Him.

Stop and take a look with me at those brown needles. Use them not as reminders of things past, but as harbingers of new opportunities to put your faith to work, always with Him in mind.

Pilgrims Progress

 A long time ago, in a land far away...

Here's a post not many had the opportunity to read.

Suite T- The Author's Blog: A Pilgrim’s Walk (southernwritersmagazine.blogspot.com)

Perhaps you'd enjoy reading it.

Good Friday Dogwoods

 

An interesting legend involving the dogwood tree involves Christ crucified on the wood from one. It’s not true because there were no dogwoods in Israel during His time. Still, the legend persists because of the flower characteristics. Four white petals, each with a reddish spot, signify the cross and the nails.

Our dogwood, likely planted in 1958 when our house was constructed, blossoms this time of year in South Carolina. Its maturity ensures a large crown of majesty and this year was to be no different. We looked forward to enjoying the show.

This year it’s different. Last night the temperature dropped to below freezing and all of those little buds about to declare God’s gift to us, perished. Here’s a photo from this morning where the temperature is still not above forty degrees F.

I look at this photo and wonder if God is giving us one last warning. America, the land of the free and home of the brave, seems to have forgotten the greatest gift of a free choice. It wasn’t about being independent. It wasn’t about exhibiting aberrant behavior. It wasn’t about discarding the law. It was about being dependent upon God, Jesus our savior.

Plants show wonderful recovery from atmospheric and natural causes of injury. Trees can survive up to two years of leaf loss, either through drought or infestation. Fire, on the other hand, destroys any possibility of recovery.

I pray on this day of remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice we take the time to acknowledge God’s sovereignty in our lives and recall how our nation was founded on Judeo-Christian principles. Some of those principles found in the Bible include God’s correction for a people wandering far from His love, many times with fire and brimstone. May God grant the United States one more time of reprieve. One more chance to turn the tide. One more opportunity to turn to Jesus and accept the legendary love of God by observing the flowers of the dogwood.

God, repeatedly...

 30 March 1863

"...rest humbly in the hope authorized by the Divine teachings, that the united cry of the nation will be heard on high and answered with blessing no less than the pardon of our national sins and the restoration of our new divided and suffering country to its former happy condition of unity and peace."

There are those who realize history repeats itself. There are those who realize the trials of history stem from a rebellious lot falling away from the Spirit of love, peace, and a sound mind guaranteed by God if only we'd go back to Him.

This passage from Abraham Lincoln should sound like it came from your preacher last Sunday, or yesterday. Read it today and consider how far we've fallen. Then pick yourself back up and get back on the trail of God's love. Never been there? See John 3:16.