Fine and dandy?

Oh my God

Please help me

Knee deep in the river

Tryin' to get clean.

He says "Wash your hands

Get out the stains

But you best believe

Boy there's hell to pay"

     Not the most heart warming song, right? I've had this song stuck in my head for forever, not just because it has a catchy tune, but because it wouldn't leave me alone. I mean, how many of us have done things that we regretted in the past, asked God for forgiveness, then expected him to make everything better? I know I've done it a few times. Or, maybe you've heard pastors screaming that, after you accept Jesus Christ as your savior, everything will become fine and dandy, no problems ever again?
     Well, let me put this as delicately as I can; anyone who believes that is deluded and brainwashed. It doesn't work like that. Just because you're saved, doesn't mean everything's going to be a-okay. Life with Jesus isn't going to be fluffy and heart-warming and fun all the time. No, riding with Jesus means you are going to get dirty, sweaty and maybe really bloody. It is not for the faint of heart.
   
     “The idea that Jesus will make everything better is a lie. It’s basically biblical theology translated into the language of infomericals.” — Donald Miller, "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years."

     So let's start with the first fallacy; because I am saved, I should expect other people to act like Jesus and forgive me.
     When your saved, Jesus does wipe you clean, yes, but the things you did will still have consequences. For example, a man who was cheating on his wife cannot, after apologizing profusely, expect everything to go back to normal. When we are saved by Christ, he forgives and forgets...but man does not. A murderer, after finding Christ, cannot expect a judge to forget his sin, like Christ. He will still pay for his crime, but he is now clean in the eyes of God. Make sense?

     Second; when I'm saved, nothing bad will happen to me.
This is really a no brainer. Just look at Christian martyrs. Thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, are persecuted daily for their beliefs.  Why? We stand for truth. Unfortunately  the world despises truth and is going to try it's very hardest to destroy the messengers of that truth. Dark hates Light. Evil hates Good. Deceit hates Truth. If you preach the truth long enough and loud enough, those deep in denial of their sin will  despise and hates you and, quiet frankly, try to make your life a living Hell.

     That then brings us to the ultimate question; why does God let bad things happen to good people? In short, trials change a person.
     There was this story I heard a few years ago (you may have heard different versions of this) but it was about a potter and his piece of clay.

   
     The first thing needed to be done was the kneading. So the Maker kneaded and rubbed the clay between his hands, pushing hard to ensure the clay was soft enough to use. But as he did so, the clay began to complain.
     "Ow! That hurts! Why are you doing to master?"
     But the Maker only said, "You will see in time," and continued to knead.
   
     Next, the Maker began to mold the clay. He pulled and spun and pushed the clay, who again began to complain, louder then before.
     "Master! You are hurting me again! Why are you hurting me? Did I offend you in anyway?"
     But the Master only said, "You will see in time," and continued to mold.
   
     Next, the Maker needed to paint and cook the clay. He spent a very long time painting the clay and it was very uncomfortable for the clay. After the painting was finished, the Maker placed to clay in the oven. No sooner had the oven door closed, then the clay began to scream at the top of it's lungs.
     "Master! Are you trying to kill me? Why are you hurting me so badly? I thought you loved me!"
     The Maker did not reply, but sat by the oven, a solemn look on his face. The clay continued to scream in pain and fear, for it had supposed that it's master had abandoned it. Finally, the Maker pulled the clay out of the oven. But it was no longer clay. It was a beautiful teacup, adorned with gold and blue designs that shone beautifully in the light. The Maker smiled at his creation.
     "You see," said the Maker to the teacup, "Even though you were made uncomfortable, you were hurt, and you thought I had abandoned you (which I didn't) this was all for you. It helped you become this beautiful teacup. Without all the pain and trials you endured, you would not be the teacup you are today. You would still be a piece of clay." (compare the two pictures for the full effect)

   
     As Robert McKee, creative writing instructor, puts it,
     "Writing a story isn't about making your peaceful fantasies come true… You didn't think joy could change a person, did you? Joy is what you feel when the conflict is over. But it’s conflict that changes a person. You put your characters through hell. That’s the only way we change."
   
     There is no other way. We change and learn through pain. We become better people, we grow closer to God, our faith is strengthened. It hurts, yes, but God does it for your own good. Pain either makes or beaks you.  
     So, I guess I kind of went on a bunny trail and hopped everywhere. However, I hope what I said is clear; God will not make everything better just because you are saved. Get that out of your head now or it will be a painful lesson to learn later.

Wait, who?

  Oblivion: The state of being forgotten, especially by the public. 

     What would that feel like? To be forgotten by virtually everybody? I've thought about this quiet a lot, lately. Most people wonder, what kind of legacy they will leave behind when they die, but I wonder, will anyone remember me, much less any "legacy" I leave.
     Do you want to be forgotten? Do you want to be unknown? When someone asks, "Hey, do you know so-and-so?"
     They'll say, "Wait, who?"
     Is that your dream? Or do you want to do something that stands apart from all others? To have an unmarked tomb, or to have a beautiful epitaph?
     You want to be remembered? I thought so. But remember, because of the path you have chosen, you will need to think wisely abut your next steps. How do you want to be remembered? As a first-class criminal? The next mother Theresa? Maybe as the world's strongest person?
   

"Who am I? I could be anyone."

     This is a line from the movie "Rango", in which the main character (Rango) contemplates who he is. He has no goals, no plan for his life, no friends or family, and when suddenly asked who he was, he was speechless. He had friends on Facebook, he was working on plays and novels, he had snazzy clothes...but who was he? Do objects define you? How about your goals? Friends?
     Who are and what are you trying to accomplish, if anything? And don't wait until the last minute to figure this out, because you don't want to be the person who does nothing for half their life, then find out they have 4 months to live and most that time will be in the hospital stuck to an IV tube. A withering skeleton wishing they had done something with their life and they then die a forgotten man, who's last hours were filled with regret and pain for not making something of themselves.

"The unexamined life is not worth living."

Socrates

     Does this hurt? Did I ruffle a few feathers? Good, now go do something with yourself.
Life is sacred, and it is a shame to see anyone throw it away, either because the person did nothing with it, or because the person didn't like life and decided to leave. No one will remember you, or care to, if you don't give them a reason to.

“I maybe here for a short while, gone tomorrow into oblivion or until the days come to take me away. But, in whatever part you play, be remembered as part of a legacy...of sharing dreams and changing humanity for the better. It's that legacy that never dies”

Anonymous

A capitalist super hero?

 
     Okay, so I've been going through a Batman phase (in case you couldn't already tell) It happens every time a Batman movie came out. I like to uncover tidbits and what not's of Batman and I recently had a good laugh over this article. Ridiculous, but highly amusing.

     And then, of course comes the question, how much would it cost to be Batman. Which of course, someone went and found out for us nerds.;P

Are you a Batman?

 WARNING: This post does NOT contain spoilers for TDKR...except for a line from the movie...but that's it I SWEAR.

    
     My mind goes in weird directions some days and they just stick with me. One weird thought I've had is, "Am I a Batman?" And I don't mean, "Do I have the skills to kick criminal butt?" (In case you were wondering, yes, I do.) What I mean is, am I willing to sacrifice things for others, including my enemies?

     Enemy is defined by dictionary.com as "A person who feels hatred for, fosters harmful designs against, or engages in antagonistic activities against another; an adversary or opponent." In other words, enemies are people continually working against you to bring you down. This can count towards, siblings, parents, random people, drug lords, etc. but this only counts if they are CONTINUALLY trying to knock you over or stand in your way. It's a game. Your opponent is working against you to beat you. Not sometimes, ALL the time. That's the difference between a person who OCCASIONALLY annoys you and your enemy. One does it all the time, the other sometimes.

     You probably see where I'm going with this by now. Batman sacrificed everything for his friends AND his enemies...people who hated him and wanted him behind bars. But, there's something deeper then that.
     Are you ready for it? It's pretty heavy stuff? You sure?

He LOVED them. 

 

      That's what sacrifice is.Willing to give up everything, including your life, for people you love and care for. I mean, you cannot sacrifice for someone, if you don't love them. Would you be ready to sell everything you had in order to send money to some guy you hate who burned his house down because he was drunk? Of course not! It all has to do with the heart and whether you truly love that person or not. I ask myself this question daily with everything from "should I share my iPad" to "should I not play a video game today because my sister hasn't all week" to "maybe I shouldn't make meatloaf today since everyone but me hates it". 

    

      It wasn't until recently that I really started to think about how much I was willing to sacrifice. 

      

     July 20. A gunman sneaks into the midnight showing of TDKR in Aurora, Colorado, killing 12 people and wounding 58. Hearing about this the day after the shooting made me sick to my stomach. I thought a lot of horrible things about that man, things I shouldn't have thought. But I was angry. How could this happen? Why? What the heck was he thinking when he stormed into the theaters, armed with three different types of guns and smoke grenades? Such questions will probably never really be answered...and I don't know if I want them to. 

     

     Then I started to think; what would I do if I was in that theater? Would I push my friends and family out of the way and try and get out? Would I drop to the floor, trying to dodge the shooters bullets? Would I stay with my group and help others try to get out? Would I protect someone? Would I be like this young man, ready to lay down my life for the one I loved? My heart tells me I would gladly lay down my life for the people around me. 

     But what if it was someone who I didn't like? What if it was someone you had hurt me in the past and hated my guts. What if this person was my enemy? (personally, I don't KNOW if I have any enemies...I'm kind of oblivious in that way) This isn't so much a question for me as it is for you? What would you do? Do you love your enemies? Do you show them kindness when they spit in your face? From a Christian perspective,they are my brothers and sisters in Christ and my answer is yes. I do. And I am willing to lay down my life for them. 

     In TDKR, Selina Kyle speaks with Batman before he goes to face Bane, the films antagonist. 

     "You don't owe these people anymore," she whispers through gritted teeth, "You've given them everything." 

     After a pause, Batman replies, "Not everything...not yet." 

     My absolute favorite verse in the bible is John 15:13, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." 

     Now, I may not be able to rock the cape and cowl very well;

      But I can be a Batman...

.....or better yet, I can be like Christ, who came into this world, knowing full well he was to be crucified for his friends AND his enemies. Christ, who was perfect in every way, came down and died for me, that I might have everlasting life. If you hate Christ, you are enemy to him and God. But guess what? HE DIED FOR YOU TOO! He sacrificed his life FOR YOU! He has a place prepared for those who have accepted his gift. He has a place for those who know full well why he sacrificed himself. He loves you and he wants you to come home with him when you die. I cannot begin to comprehend that, and you probably won't be able to either. Sacrifice. It cannot be done without love. 

So are you ready? Think you're up to the challenge? 

 Are you a Batman?

A world without children...

     Once upon a time, there was a town that was overrun with rats. The townsfolk had tried everything to get rid of the rats; cats, traps, and exterminators, but nothing worked. They were just about to give up hope, when a stranger entered into the scene and claimed he could rid the town of rats...permanently. Desperate, the people agreed, but promised to pay AFTER the rats were disposed of. With that, the Piper put his pipe to his lips and began to play.
     Soon, rats began to come out, intrigued by the music. They followed the Piper, trying to get to the music. The Piper led them out of the town to a nearby river, where every rats was drowned. However, the people (for reasons unknown) refused to pay the Piper for his work. Angry, the Piper asked agin for his money, vowing he would do horrible things if they didn't pay. Laughing, the townsfolk refused. The Piper put the pipe to his lips and began to play a song. However, instead of rats coming to his side, the village children did instead, and no matter how loud or how much they called, the children continued to pursue to Piper as he strode out of the town. The children and the Piper were never seen again.

      Many historians believe the children died, whether from sickness or drowning in the river, no one really knows. The pied piper was believed to be death, since death was usually decked in pied (motley) clothing. But whether these children died or ran away, we do know one thing; In the year 1384, these words were written, "It's been 100 years since our children left." (Wikipedia.)

What would it be like to live in a world without children? What would it feel like? 

     I recently watched a movie called "Children of Men". It was about a dystopian world being torn apart by war and terrorism. The year is 2027, and the women of the world have been plagued with infertility for 18 years and so the human race is dying out. No children, no future, no hope. That was one of the promotional logos for the movie. The world was one lacking in hope and joy, and it wasn't just because of war, but because the knew that if they died, no one could take their place. The end of humanity is at hand.

      

How close our we to that world? Not necessarily a world of infertility, but a world without children. We live in a world that "empowers" women to "take charge" of their body and go live their dream. Large families are laughed at and mocked for their huge size. We try to build a Utopian society built on the pursuit of choice and "happiness". But what happens when they are gone? What happens when they are taken away?

What if I told you it's already happening?

   
     Mark Steyn discusses what he calls a "demographic death spiral",

     "[There] (Japan) the rising sun has already passed into the next phase of its long sunset: net population loss. 2005 was the first year since records began in which the country had more deaths than births. Japan offers the chance to observe the demographic death spiral in its purest form. It’s a country with no immigration, no significant minorities and no desire for any: just the Japanese, aging and dwindling."

     As the number of children born every year dwindles, couples, either elderly, unable to have children or they just refuse, are trying to find other ways to satisfy their desire to care for "something". You've seen couples treating their pets like babies right? Apparently, these aren't good enough. (surprisingly *sarcasm*) Some toy makers have begun production of a doll, the Yumel doll, that can speak about 1,200 phrases for those who want a child...and yet don't. I wonder if people would still buy them if they started to have to change diapers...

     All across Europe, the number of children born every year are taking a drastic drop...and they don't show any sure signs of stopping. And it's not just infertility that is to blame. Abortions, contraceptives, or just wanting to put it off because "I'm not ready".  What people fail to realize, is that, as our children begin to disappear, so does our will to live.

     Why are we trying to make a better world? Why do they tell us to clean up our garbage, pay off the national debt and help build a stronger community? For the next generation. Even if you aren't a Christian, everyone feels an obligation to clean up at least a little bit for those coming after. And for those who couldn't care less about it? Well, we're all going to end up like them soon;

     "Without the hope of posterity, for our race if not for ourselves, without the assurance that we being dead yet live, all pleasures of the mind and senses sometimes seem no more than pathetic and crumbling defences shored up against our ruins." (Children Of Men)

      Children bring joy, laughter and smiles. They bring color and creativity. They ask questions adults are afraid to ask and (sometimes) posses wisdom beyond their years. They take work, yes, but so does everything else.
 
     "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate." Psalm 127:3-5

     Unfortunately, many forget this or say its a lie. They refuse to believe that children could ever be a blessing to themselves and others. Jeff Jacoby, in his article, "A World Without Children", ends his paper with this though-provoking quote,

     "A world without children will be a poorer world - grayer, lonelier, less creative, less confidant. Children are a great blessing, but it may take their disappearance for the world to remember why."

Christians and Homosexuality

A friend of mine gave a fantastic speech on Christians and Homosexuality. This speech won first place at the National speech and Debate tournament this year. Couldn't have said it any better, Kasey.

Happy Fathers Day!

You were made to lead us,
To stand strong amidst the fight,
To pull us onward up the mount,
Ignoring its towering heights.

You were made to be brave,
To ignore impending dark,
To laugh despite the toughest odds,
Trained to hit the mark.

Your courage led me onward,
Your strength, it made me tall,
Tenacity helped me learn,
To get up when I fall.

You taught me perseverance,
To never give up hope,
And when the going gets tough,
Get going, don't mope.

You helped me be a leader,
Stay strong in all I do,
To weather hardships, large and small,
And it's all thanks to you.

You taught me by example,
I always looked to you,
Your guidance is what helped me,
To always make it through.

I've never looked at you,
With disdain in my heart,
Or felt some sort of disrespect,
Or loathing on my part.

I've cherished every bear hug,
And enjoyed every poke,
I love the way you laugh out loud,
When you tell a corny joke.

All your imperfections,
Are outweighed by the great
Things you've taught me through my life,
That are forever in my heart.


I thank God for deciding,
To give a dad like you,
To a little girl who needed strength,
Thank God that I know you.

Click it or ticket...or regret it.

   
     Most people don't see this as a gigantic problem. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. I just think this is big enough to talk about. I want to warn you about the frustration, anger and guilt before it's too late to fix it.
     It was sometime in February. The night before, we had a house fire that destroyed our basement, laundry room and most of the front door area. Thank the Lord that insurance is covering that. Anyway, we were staying with some friends until we had a rental to stay in. We went out to eat at McDonald's, still somewhat surprised by our bad fortune last night. We had driven two cars, my parents and three siblings in one, and five people in the other car. I was in the five person car. Our parents sent us ahead, saying they needed to pick up a few things at Walmart.
     Joseph was driving. I'm not really sure what happened, but we ran into some slush on the road. The car swerved a little and Joseph put his foot on the brake. That didn't help. We swerved even more, Joseph trying to gain control of the vehicle. I put my hand over the two younger kids sitting next to me, making sure they didn't fall. They were terrified. To be honest, I was really scared too.
     The car spun out of control and we were flung into the ditch. I closed my eyes, but I kept my hand over my siblings, bracing myself. When I opened my eyes, everything was still, and for a split second, I thought I was still upside down. The car had flipped on it's side ; the passenger side, so the kids were on top of me. They were still screaming, but they were both alive. Thank God.

"Is everyone okay!?!" Joseph asked, looking around.

     Sammy calmed down a little, but was still really excited. He turned to me, tears running down his face and said," I got the phone! I got the phone!"
     I hugged him, praising the Lord he was okay.
   
     Joseph, since he was closest to the door, climbed out and began helping the other kids out. After the younger two were out, I laid me head against the glass, breathing slowly. I wanted to close my eyes and just wake up from this horrible dream. It's not really a feeling I can explain. Even though it was over, I was still scared.
     Adrenaline is a gift. It helps you ignore the pain and do what needs to be done in certain situations. It helps you push past your feeling of despair and pull yourself out of the ditch. I did. Thankfully, we were not that far from a friends house. So Joseph stayed behind to call the ambulance and our parents and Timothy and I took the younger two down the road. Kim (the friend) was on the phone with our dad as she opened the door.

     "Yeah, they're right here."

     Once inside, we examined the kids for any indications of concussion or broken bones. Nothing, they seemed okay. Luckily, Kim had some younger kids who were playing with Legos, and that seemed to take the younger kid's minds off the accident for a while. I fell into a nearby chair, my legs still shaking. I suddenly felt very tired and wished I could go to bed. I wanted to see my parents...and yet I didn't.
     The ambulance came before my mom did. They checked everybody out, feeling the spine and arms, making us bend our neck. Everyone was fine and the paramedic was very surprised. Why? The reason was enough to make me turn my face away in shame; the younger kids had not been buckled in.
     I wasn't just mortified, I was disgusted with myself and not a day goes by without me thanking God for keeping those kids safe. They should have been hurt, maybe even dead, but God saw it fit to bestow mercy upon me; selfish, disgusting me, who put her own seatbelt on and didn't make sure the kids were. I was the oldest, I was sitting RIGHT NEXT TO THEM!
     Later, after the adrenaline had fully worn off, my wrist began to hurt me. I had to wear a splint for three weeks, a cast for three weeks and then the split on and off for the rest of the month. Sometimes, I have to wear the splint because my wrist bothers me. And you know what? I had expected God to break my wrist, as punishment for my selfish and insistently act. But he didn't. God forgave me...he excepted my apology as enough...and I thank him for that. For his unending grace and mercy.
     I still get scared when I'm driving, and even when I'm not. I still wish I could take that day back and fix what I did. But I have learned my lesson... And you should too.

     They say seat belts save lives. I believe it.

     "Failure to wear a seat belt contributes to more fatalities than any other single traffic safety-related behavior. 63% of people killed in accidents are not wearing seat belts. Wearing a seat belt use is still the single most effective thing we can do to save lives and reduce injuries on America's roadways."(car accidents.com)

     The only reason my younger siblings didn't get hurt is the because God wanted to give us another chance. He wanted us to do better in the future and maybe save you guys from a few injuries...or lives. Take my advice; don't get in the car and think you don't need to worry about it because it happens to "somebody else"...because to everyone else, you are "somebody else".

History Test; Part four

    

 "HBO’s “John Adams,” despite fine drama, excellent acting and impressive production values, is – sadly and unnecessarily – seriously compromised as a depiction of history." (HNN.com)


     When I read those words, my heart sank. I loved the HBO drama "John Adams" and thought it was very well done. Unfortunately, the screenwriters felt it would be more "emotionally appealing" to audiences.
This has been proven true to me over and over and over that people don't like history. From "The Patriot" to "John Adams" to "Braveheart". Countless times, we are told "history" stories and think we have a pretty good grasp of history and historical fiction.

     We have heard of Molly Pitcher, the brave woman who fired the cannon of her fallen comrades in war. Though we would like to believe she is real, she was not; http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1999/summer/pitcher.html

Remember "The Patriot"? Remember all the historical inaccuracies? Probably not; http://www.studythepast.com/patriotreview.pdf

How many of you knew "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" wasn't half as exciting or romantic as the real thing; http://www.historynet.com/paul-reveres-true-account-of-the-midnight-ride.htm

     What has happened to make us want to change history? Why do we feel the need to change true events for a more entertaining story?

     I think I just answered that question.

     Ever since the art of storytelling was invented, people have yearned to entertain with stories of nobility, romance and excitement, whether true or fictitious. Ever since Hollywood, we have wanted to tell stories how WE want to tell, whether true of fictitious.
     I have been a huge fan of Joan of Arc ever since I was a little girl. I have read tons of books and papers on her, so when I heard they had made a movie of it, I immediately jumped at the prospect, begging my mom to let me see it. While I waited for her to make her decision, I decided to look up a few reviews on it. I was heartbroken. Apparently, the acting was bad and so was the story. They completely ruined the character of Joan and her story and faith. Why? Because it wasn't "exciting" enough or the screenwriter thought his idea was better then what actually happened. Same thing happened with Beowulf. Beowulf is one of my favorite poems and I wanted to watch the movie. But, of course, the screenwriters thought their idea of an adulterous, low down "hero" was better then the upright, Christian man Beowulf was in the poem.

     For some reason, people tend to feel like it is an "obligation" to twist facts in order to entertain audiences'. After all, history is "boring",

    "If one were to adhere to historical accuracy all the way, you'd probably have the most boring two hours on earth, but firstly it's entertainment and we've taken license with history to make it more compelling." Mel Gibson talking about "The Patriot"

     Firstly, I think something is wrong with us if we don't find the American Revolution "exciting". Exciting as in, 'I'm not bored'.
     Second, is entertainment an excuse to exchange truth with lies? Yes, twisting facts and presenting them as "history" is lying.
     Third, if you don't want to make a two hour boring movie, don't make a movie!

     Remember that quote I had at the beginning of this series?
     “Do not let our posterity be deluded with fictions under the guise of poetical or graphical license.” John Adams (Stern, hnn.us)

     In other words, don't even think about changing history for what seems more exciting, entertaining or romantic. And guess what? It's not just our Founding Fathers who wanted us to remember history as it happened.

     "And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out of Egypt, out of the house of bandage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten." Exodus 13:3

     In the next couple of verses, Moses goes over with the people the feasts of Passover, saying they must remember what the Lord did for his children.

     "And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the Lord did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt. And it shall come be for a sign unto thee upon thy hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the Lord's law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand the Lord brought thee out of Egypt. Thou shalt keep this ordinance in his season from year to year." Exodus 13:8-10

     That's a problem we lack today. We don't REMEMBER. We failed at teaching our children what we accomplished during the American Revolution...what God accomplished. And it doesn't stop with the birth of our nation. Even before then, we didn't tell our children. Don't believe me? Riddle me this, how come the bible has survived our these hundreds of years, but our history is still screwed up? Because Christians knew God's word HAD to be remembered and they took it upon themselves to see this done. They taught their children, they taught their friends. They remembered and they shared it.

     We need to remember what happened. Today, of course, it's a little easier too. We have TV, camera's, etc...But no excuses. Don't leave it to the "professionals". You do it. You tell your children. It is your responsibility, your God-given duty to ensure we remember. Do not forget.

And for the record, I never liked "The Patriot".

Bibliography

St. George Jr., William R. "The Patriot; Movie Review." Study The Past. Web. <http://www.studythepast.com/patriotreview.pdf>.

Stern, Jeremy. "History News Network." History News Network. HNN. Web. 27 Oct. 2008. <http://hnn.us/articles/56155.html>.

Goodbye cruel world!

Yes, I am leaving blogger.:( But I am joining Wordpress.:) The link to it is http://thegoodthebadthecurious.wordpress.com/ Happy Reading!
EDIT: Okay, nevermind. Worpress was too difficult for me to understand.;P So, I'm staying on this site...if you guys have any comments about the design, let me know.

History Test; Part Three

     “And I hereby further declare all indented servants, Negroes, or others (appertaining to Rebels) free, that are able and willing to bear arms, they joining His Majesty's Troops, as soon as may be, for the more speedily reducing the Colony to a proper sense of their duty, to this Majesty's crown and dignity.”

     -- Lord Dunmore's Proclamation

     Whoa whoa…wait a minute. Lord Dunmore? Lord Dunmore was appointed as a Royal Governor of the Colony of Virginia…meaning, he was on the side of the British. But, the British were the bad guys and were against freedom. America was the “Freedom Fighter” giving freedom to colonists and slaves alike…right? Haven’t we been told, in history textbooks, school and movies that America was the one who offered to free slaves? After all, America is “land of the free”.

     “A few American slaves, for their service to the rebels were rewarded with liberty, but the operative word is few. For the most part, slaves who fought for the rebels remained the property of their masters. Anglo Americans were fighting for their freedom, but not for the freedom of their slaves. Those who sided with the British were told, more or less, that they were manumitted and would be given land and self-government. They had a better hope for freedom with the British than they had with Americans.” (History.org)

     Their were a few slaves who join the Continental army, and some were blessed with freedom once the war was over, but not many.

     In the movie, “The Patriot” a slave by the name of ‘Occam’ enlists in the Continental army in place of his master, Benjamin Martin. Later, as Occam is waiting at the camp, he spies a notice posted up for all to see:

     “By order of GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON and the CONTINENTAL CONGRESS, all bound SLAVES who give minimum ONE YEAR SERVICE in the CONTINENTAL ARMY will be GRANTED FREEDOM and paid a bounty of FIVE SHILLINGS for each month of service.” (The Patriot)

     For those of you who were unaware of this, the idea that George Washington (a man wise beyond his years) and the Continental Congress (made up of many intelligent men) would offer freedom to slaves so early in our nation’s beginnings, is a stupid and foolish idea. Think about it; America, an infant nation at war with Great Britain, decides to free all slaves if they join the continental army, hoping, that just maybe, slave and plantation owners would NOT get upset and rebel? Uh…no.

     “Had Washington and the Continental Congress truly offered freedom for a single year of service…slaves by the tens of thousands would have rushed to sign up. This would have seriously disrupted Southern society…” (Raphael, pg 177)

     Another problem; who would pay the slave owners? I mean, if the Continental Congress was offering freedom to slaves, didn’t that mean slave owners should be compensated for those lost workers?  

      “It has been estimated that between the years 1775 and 1783 the state of South Carolina was robbed of twenty-five thousand negroes, valued at twelve million five hundred thousand dollars.” (Raphael, pg 179-180)

     My math skills are pretty bad, but that estimates about five hundred dollars PER SLAVE. Imagine if slaves really had been offered freedom and had left their masters. Lets see…in 1775, an estimated 450,000 slaves were in the 13 colonies. So if each slave was about 500 dollars, the Continental Congress would have had to reimburse slave owners a total of 225,000,000 dollars. America, in the beginning, could not afford to pay slave owners for their slaves.

    “…but to free slaves without compensating their masters would surely have provoked an outright rebellion among Southern whites. The union would have collapsed at the very beginning had Washington and the Continental Congress followed the plot line of ‘The Patriot’.” (Raphael, pg 177)

     But...why? What was the purpose behind this myth? I think Samuel Johnson, English writer and dictionary writer, answers our question very well with his own question,
     "How is it that we hear the loudest yelps for liberty among the drivers of Negroes?"
    It seems ironic, that the colonies, who were fighting so adamantly for freedom and liberty, didn't want to let the slaves go. That was a generalization; a logical fallacy. Excuse me and let me amend my previous statement; not everyone wanted to keep slaves 'slaves'. The reason it wasn't put in the constitution in the very beginning, was because many of the founding fathers were unsure whether slavery was morally right or wrong and knew that, by freeing these workers, they would face great southern economic hardship.
     Today, slavery is viewed as "the epitome of evil" and is a pretty touchy subject to be discussing. (Slavery, contrary to what many believe, is not wrong. I will discuss this in a later post.) So why would we want to tell our children about America's daring fight for freedom and but also tell them about the hundreds of slaves still in bondage? Does that make sense? No...so, instead of telling our future generations what really happened, why don't we tell them a fabrication of what we wished happened. Does that make sense? Uh...no.

Bibliography

Dobyns, Lloyd. "Colonial Williamsburg." Fighting... Maybe for Freedom, but Probably Not : The Official History Site. History.org, 2007. Web. 20 May 2012. http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/autumn07/slaves.cfm.

Raphael, Ray. Founding Myths: Stories That Hide Our Patriotic past. New York: New, 2004. Print

Happy Mother's Day!

     Dad asked me to write a poem for church about a week ago. Of course, I procrastinted and put it off, saying, "Oh, I've got time. I can do this. Don't worry." It wasn't until two days ago that I actualy started writing it. *blushes*Anyway, happy Mother's Day to my mom and all the wonderful mom's I know. (You know who you are)

Mothers sometimes frown at kids,

They dislike how they play,

“These children do not appreciate,

How we put our dreams away.”

“They do not care for us one bit,”

The mothers snort and huff,

“They do not know how much we work,

They do not care enough.”

Mother’s, if you ever thought,

Such disruptive things, then STOP!

Let me put those fears to rest,

And bring our “Thank You”s to the top.

Who said you don’t have value?

Who said we didn’t care?

We treasure every gentle kiss,

Upon our tousled hair.

We thank you for the rough nights,

When you refused to leave our side,

We thank you for the strange times,

When we made you mortified.

God bless you for the trials,

And hardships you endure,

You helped me make it through those times,

And always reassured.

Though we would have our hissy-fits,

When we couldn’t have our sweets,

You never gave up hope in us,

Did not accept defeat.

When you were faced with darkest night,

That never seemed to end,

You spat in it’s face and vowed to all,

That you would never bend.

Your faith, it kept me going,

Your strength it held me up,

Your humor made the bad days good;

You laughed at life’s hiccups.

You taught me the important things,

From history to math,

What it means to be a winner,

What it means to really laugh.

You taught me how to clean my room,

And how to cook a pie,

You taught me how to clean a wound,

And how to care for Sty eye. (which is really gross...believe me, I had it once)

You always read the best of books,

To us when we were young,

You always red us one more page,

Though you could hardly feel you tongue.

But the greatest thing you’ve taught me,

Wasn’t about math or books or pie.

It’s the example you have been to me,

Praising the Lord on high.

You have shown me what is wisdom,

How to be prudent with my words,

To listen first before I speak,

And to be strong when hurt.

Without a doubt, I would be lost,

If it weren’t for you,

God bless you for the things you’ve done,

And everything you do.

We love your smile and laughter,

We hate to see your tears,

We love it when you love us back,

We love you, mother dear.

     Anyway, that was a bomb of a poem, but at least we can make up for it with these strawberries.

Sherri's Berries.com (Picture couresy of them)

     Don't those look so good? I know she'll like them. These strawberries came from Sherri's Berries.com if anybody is interested. We could also attach a card...for free! Booyah!
Dear Mother,
     We promise we will not ask for one teensy, weensy little bite of you deliscious, big strawberries.
Sincerly,
     Your beloved Spawn.

Happy Mother's Day!

History test; Part Two

“Give me liberty or give me death!”

      Everyone has heard this phrase, even if they haven’t read the whole speech. The speech can be heard or listen to it hear:
http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/133/historic-american-documents/4956/patrick-henrys-speech-to-the-virginia-house-of-burgess-richmond-virginia-march-23-1775/. (I would advise your read it or at least skim over it)

     In the year 1805, 30 years after Patrick Henry gave his memorable speech, an attorney by the name of William Wirt decided to write about the life (and speech) of Henry. This would be a difficult task, however. Even though Henry was widely popular during his time, there were no copies of any of the speeches that he made. In 1815, William Wirt wrote to his friend, discussing the difficulties of chronicling Henry’s life,

     “It was all speaking, speaking, speaking. Tis true he could talk- Gods how he could talk! But there is no acting the while…And then, to make matters worse, from 1763 to 1789…not one of his speeches lives in print writing or memory. All that is told me is, that on such and such occasion, he made a distinguished speech….[T]here are some ugly traits in H’s character, and some pretty nearly as ugly blanks. He was a blank military commander, a blank governor, and a blank politician, in all those useful points which depend on composition and detail. In short, it is, verily, as hopeless as a man could well desire.” (Raphael, Pg 147)

     But Wirt continued and in 1817, he published his book, “Sketches of the Life and Character of Patrick Henry”. His purpose, in writing this book, so that “The present and future generations of our country can never be better employed than in studying the models set before them by the fathers of the revolution.” (Raphael, pg 148)…and in selling books.

     42 years after the actual speech, and 18 years after Patrick Henry’s death, his speech was now known to America. But how accurate is Wirt’s rendition of the famous speech? And how did he get his information if, as he wrote earlier to his friend, there were no actual copies of Henry’s speeches?

     Wirt spoke with many men who had been there that memorable day of March 23, 1775, but only thanked one for his help on “remembering” the speech; Judge St. George Tucker.

     Here is how I explained it to my family:

     Left index finger is Patrick Henry. He made his famous “liberty or death” speech, but nobody had written anything about it…or if they had, nobody knew about it.

     Now Mr. Thumb over here is William Wirt, who decided to write about Patrick Henry’s/left finger’s speech. But he needed help.

     So he recruited the help of Judge St. George Tucker to help. (he’s the right index finger) Unfortunately, Tucker didn’t write the speech down either or take any notes, so he could only go off of memory.

     I don’t know about you, but I can hardly remember President Obama’s State of the Union Address that he gave last year. Imagine trying to remember it…30 years after it happened! Unless your, I don’t know, GOD, you wouldn’t be able to remember the speech word for word. You might be able to remember parts of it, but the whole speech? Nope. Even Tucker commented that he didn’t fully remember what was said.

     “In vain should I attempt to give any idea of his speech.” (Raphael, pg 149)

     Anyway, Wirt collaborated with Tucker to write Patrick Henry’s speech. Then, out of the blue-

      POOF! In walks James Parker, (pinkie) a person who was there and actually wrote out what Henry said…while he was saying it;

     “In a letter dated April 6, 1775, James Parker wrote to Charles Stewart, ‘You never heard anything more infamously insolent the P. Henry’s speech; he called the K--- a Tyrant, a fool, a puppet, and a tool to the ministry. Said there was no Englishmen, no Scots, no Britons, but a set of wretches sunk in Luxury, that they had lost their native courage and (were) unable to look the brave Americans in the face…This creature is so infatuated, that he goes about I am told, praying and preaching amongst the common people.’” (Raphael, pg 150)

     But why the change? What was the purpose behind this change? Well, let's compare the two speeches. One, the very opitome of patritism. The other, the ranting of an angry, oppressed man. Which sounds more appealing? Remember, Wirter wanted to write something that would inspire generations to come. If Wirter had written exactly what Patrick Henry said (if he had KNOWN what he had said) would it be as famous as the "liberty or death" alternative? Would we still be teaching this speech in schools today? Would people write books or papers on the speech? Most likely not.

     It's like a quote I once heard, "If you don't like the news, get out and make your own". If we don't like the history, the stories of our beginings, why not change it?

Bibliography

Raphael, Ray. Founding Myths: Stories That Hide Our Patriotic past. New York: New, 2004. Print



Aren't we supposed to preserve our Freedom?

Question: Does President Obama know what he's doing? Or is he purposfully trying to destroy America?
Answer: "If I wanted America to fail" video;

History test; Part One

     I recently finished watching the HBO miniseries "John Adams" a few days ago. It was very well done and I enjoyed it immensely. (There were some adult content and nudity, so...not a teen or child movie) Near the end of the series, John Adams speaks of his fear of us forgetting what our freedom cost. Here's the quote. If I try saying it in my own words, it'll bomb;
     "Oh posterity! You will never know how much it cost us to preserve your freedom. I hope that you will make a good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in heaven that I ever took half the pains to preserve it."(Youtube)
     And that got me thinking; have we forgotten? Have we forgotten what our freedom cost our forefathers? Have we forgotten what they went through to preserve our freedom? 

*cough cough* Obama *cough*

    
     This made me stop and think for a moment. See, I'm studying for a history test (CLEP...blaugh) so I thought I might do a little extra research and study some early American history.

     Take a look at this two dollar bill:

     Nothing wrong with the front, let’s take a look at the back:

     Unbeknownst to most, the artist John Trumbull, had taken a few creative liberties with his painting. First off, what does this picture portray? Doesn't it make you think everyone in the room signed the Declaration  and were all for Independence? In reality, not everyone fancied the idea of leaving good ol' jolly England.

     "The delegates were not unanimous, nor did they vote as one for independence," writes Gil Klein of History.org, "A substantial portion of the delegates believed America was fighting a defensive war against an overreaching Parliament grasping for power and taxes,(William) Hogeland said. Led by Dickinson, they argued that declaring independence would mean a long, destructive, and bloody offensive war against the greatest power on earth."(Klein, history.org)

     And it wasn't just the tranquility of the scene that was false, it was the people in the picture;

     "...historian John H. Hazelton found four likenesses of people who had not signed: Robert Livingston, standing behind Jefferson as one of the five drafting committee members, George Clinton, Thomas Willing, and John Dickinson. Nine signers didn’t make the painting: John Morton, James Smith, George Taylor, George Ross, John Penn, Thomas Stone, Thomas Nelson, Francis Lightfoot Lee, and Carter Braxton."(Klein, history.org)

     Was this merely for the sake of not having enough space? Did Trumbull not see this was an important piece of information that needed to be included?

     And another thing, why did Trumbull choose to paint the scene of the delegates stepping towards John Hancock (The Presentation) when no such event occurred?

     "Historians say no such scene of the whole committee approaching Hancock to present the draft ever happened. Franklin may not have been present.(Robert) Livingston, who opposed independence, for sure was not there."(Klein, history.org)

     And last, but not least, the date; The Declaration of Independence was not signed on July 4th. It was signed on July 2nd.

     "The committee delivered its draft June 28, and it lay on the table while the delegates debated something more important—whether to vote for independence. Declaring the result would come after. Congress voted for independence July 2, not July 4. True, it approved the Declaration on the fourth. But that was not the main event. The independence vote was separate from the vote to approve the Declaration."(Klein, history.org)

     As I sat on the couch, reading these articles, my mind began shooting out question after question after question; why was this scene changed and depicted differently then what really happened? What was Trumbull thinking when he altered "history"? How much more of our American history has been altered and changed to fit our standards of "noble" and "poetic"? If this little piece of history, (that seems somewhat trivial in the grand scheme of things) has been altered, how much more of our past has been changed? Just thinking about it gives me the shivers. Am I hearing the whole truth or just parts people want me to hear?

     “Do not let our posterity be deluded with fictions under the guise of poetical or graphical license.” John Adams (Stern, hnn.us)

Bibliography

John Adams Ending. Perf. Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney. 2010. Youtube

Klein, Gil. "Colonial Williamsburg." Whatâs Wrong With This Picture? : The Official History Site. History.org, 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/winter11/painting.cfm

Stern, Jeremy. "What's Wrong with HBO's Dramatization of John Adams's Story." HNN.com. Oct.-Nov. 2008. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. <http://hnn.us/articles/56155.html>

"It's the new me!"

Oh no! It changed! Yes, ladies and gentleman. I have changed the blog look. Truth is, the last design was hurting my eyes. This new design doesn't technically fit the "fire" part of the blog, but at least it isn't "burning" my eyes. ;)

Tears

     My tears fall down,

Falling slowly  to the ground,

My heart,

Aches and burns,

My mind is blank, it yearns,

It yearns to know.

     I raise my eyes,

Looking high up to the skies,

My soul,

Cries to you,

My trust, it fails, in you,

In you it doubts.

     All these years,

I’ve had these fears,

And now I cry,

Tears.

    Something pulls my heart to cry,

Lord, I truly want to try,

To understand your will, your ways,

My visions blurred; I’m in a haze,

Later, I won’t want to know but now I’m asking,

     Why must I, Lord, feel this pain?

Why must I stand in the rain?

Why must I, Lord, stand and cry,

While looking, Father, at your sky?

Holy Father,

I know you’re God,

But,

I don’t understand.

     My life feels sore,

I can’t take this anymore,

My pain,

Fills my heart,

It tears my soul apart,

Apart, in two.

     My spirit aches,

Soon, I think that it will break,

My eyes,

Fill with pain,

It overwhelms my mind,

My soul, it pains.

     All these years, I’ve had fears,

And now I cry,

Tears.

     I know I do not need to understand,

No matter how much I demand,

I wish I saw the good in your plan,

Even though I’m just flawed man,

Help me to trust in your hand,

Though I cannot understand.

     Hold me close, hold me tight,

Protect me, God, with all your might,

Holy God, who reigns above,

Please don’t let me forget your love.

     I know I must feel this pain,

I know I must stand in the rain,

I know I will stand and cry,

While looking, Father, at your sky,

Holy Father,

I don’t understand,

But,

I know you are God.

     All these years, I’ve cried tears,

But now I have no fears.

    In memory of Joshua Saxon; Rest in peace. We shall see you again.:)