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Battle of Carthage State Historical Site

10/31/2022

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In nearby Carthage, Missouri, there is a small plot of land that represents the Civil War battle that took place in this area.  Visitors can picnic on the grounds, which today are about as peaceful (sans the vehicle noise from nearby streets) as they can be following the horrendous sounds that must have emanated from the property in the 1800s. Lives were lost and many others affected by the battles that happened in Southwest Missouri.  As a border state, and as an area that is close to the southern border of the sate, the war was hot here.  While people would rather glamorize the battles at places like Gettysburg, let that not mean that the lives lost on this land are any the less valuable.
On a cool morning in the fall, I took the trail over the bluff and discovered the ruins of an old house that must have seen many things in its day.  The sign here claims the trail should take 10 minutes to hike, but that is only because you must stop to pay homage to the folks who lived here, looking down upon the land below.  The slow-moving creek provides another chance to reflect, not only upon the events of the 19th Century, but also the current events in one's life.  If you visit, you won't invest much of your time here, but it will be time well spent.
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CWTI Reflection:  Jane

10/30/2022

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I had looked at the videos and read some of the material that is available concerning the archaeological dig that excavated a kitchen that was located near the church structures at Historic Jamestowne.  I have long been intrigued with the story of a 14-year-old girl whose bones were located among the bones of animals.  Upon examining Jane's bones (They respectfully named her Jane in order to remember her humanity.), they identified knife marks, particularly on her skull, in addition to marks of trauma.

Experts confirmed that the marks are evidence of butchery, and they suppose that it supports that there was cannibalism here in the early 1600s.

Jane's skull is displayed in the museum that sits along the coast of the James River, along with a scientific reproduction that shows what her face must have looked like (See the picture, right.).  As much as I knew about Jane's story, I could not take my eyes off of her face.  I had to look into her eyes for a bit.
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Jane is a testimony to my continuing message that history is ugly.  I suppose that ugliness is one of the reasons I'm interested in history.  I suppose it helps me appreciate my own time and culture.  I guess it also confirms the need for us all to learn from history.  I would hate to have to repeat some of the things I've learned.

So I stared into the eyes of a rebuilt face, and I studied the dry skull of a real human being.  I thought of the children I have taught through the years, some of who are 14 years old themselves.  I remembered my own children.  I wondered what it would take to justify cannibalizing such a weak creature.

Why was she here?  How did she get here?  Who was she?  What was her real name?  And who might she have become had she survived?
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Accuracy & Impact of the Bible:  Parson Weems

10/29/2022

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The following is a lesson in a historical and faithful study
beginning at 7:00 pm on Wednesdays.
at the church of Christ in Carthage, Missouri, south of the Ford dealership
PLEASE JOIN US!

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Art Appreciation

Analyze the painting, entitled Parson Weems' Fable​, shown (left). Check out its details.
  • What do you notice?
  • What do you think is happening?
  • What caused the scene in the painting?
  • What might happen after the scene shown?
  • What does this piece make you wonder?
Why is the cherry tree incident discounted or rejected by most historians and left out of most reputable history books?

Is the cherry tree story true?  Is part of it true?  There are no primary documents to testify to its truth - only stories that have been passed down through relatives and friends.  What do you think?

Watch the short video here for more information.
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​The Big Questions

Our focus for this study hinges on answering these two big questions.  The goal is to get closer to the answers each week in our class.
How did we we get the Bible?
Is the Bible accurate and dependable?
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The Apocrypha

In Chapter 15 of our focus text, How We Got the Bible, the author, Neil Lightfoot gives us a list of the Apocryphal books, along with a historical explanation of their history.  The definition of the word apocrypha is up front in this chapter, Lightfoot using words like "hidden", "secretive", and "concealed", but he also explains that the word has evolved to refer to the non-canonical books that remain in the Catholic Old Testament, but are denied by most of the Protestant universe.
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The Apocryphal books include the following (which will be discussed in more detail in our Wednesday evening class):
  • The First Book of Esdras
  • The Second Book of Esdras
  • Tobit
  • Judith
  • Additions to the Book of Esther
  • The Wisdom of Solomon
  • Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach
  • Baruch
  • The Letter of Jeremiah
  • The Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Young Men
  • Susanna
  • Bel and the Dragon
  • The Prayer of Manasseh
  • The First Book of Maccabees
  • The Second Book of Maccabees
Lightfoot states:
"Non-Catholic editions of the English Bible since 1535, including early editions of the familiar King James Version, separate these apocryphal books from the canonical Old Testament." ​
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It seems that including them amongst the accepted canon has been more of a "latter day" decision in the Catholic Church (In the interest of full honesty, the books of Esdras and the Prayer of Manasseh are still not considered canonical by the Roman Catholic Church).

Consider the four divisions under which the books under consideration are placed based upon their literary form:  Historical, Legendary, Prophetic, and Ethical/Devotional.  Our author describes each, beginning on page 166, before explaining the reasons they are rejected, starting on page 167.

Many have questioned why the books are not included in the canon of Scripture, asking the question, Who gets to decide whether a book is inspired or not?  Lightfoot suggests the following answers to alleviate our concerns.  If we wonder if we are missing out on a part of the Word of God, we do well to read what Lightfoot penned.  He says:

"These books were never included in the Hebrew canon of the Old Testament..."

"These books, as far as the evidence goes, were never accepted as canonical by Jesus and his apostles..."

"These books were not accepted as Scripture by such Jewish writers of the first century as Philo and Josephus; by the Jewish council at Jamnia (c. A.D. 90); and by such eminent Christian writers as Origen and Jerome..."

"These books do not evidence intrinsic qualities of inspiration..."

"These books have been shrouded with continual uncertainty..."

"These books cannot be maintained on a compromise basis..."

​"Objections to these books cannot be overruled by dictatorial authority..."
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How About the New TEstament?

Hey, Jude...
Even so, sometimes Bible writers do refer to literature that is outside of what we have in the 66 books of Scripture. Jude 9:14f, for example, seem to refer to an apocalyptic book known as 1 Enoch.

Likewise, Paul also refers to extra-Biblical material (2 Timothy 3:8).  He calls a Greek poet a "prophet" (Titus 1:12). How are these references explained?
New Testament Apocrypha
In addition to the Old Testament, there are also books in question for the New Testament.  These also fit into categories:  Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Apocalypses.  The earliest of these are dated into the Second Century, but some also come later.  An incomplete list of these books includes the following titles:
  • The Gospel of Peter
  • The Protoevangelium (first gospel) of James
  • The Gospel of Bartholomew
  • The Infancy Story of Thomas
  • Acts of Peter
  • Acts of John
  • Acts of Paul
These titles are undoubtedly appealing.  Who wouldn't want to read Peter's actual account of the Gospel!  Consider, however, some of the content included in these non-canonical books:
  • Infancy Story of Thomas:  Jesus strikes a child dead when the child bumps into Him.
  • Gospel of Peter:  A cross follows three men out of Jesus' tomb.
  • Protoevangelium of James:  Mary, brought up in the temple, is dedicated as a virgin from the age of three.
  • Acts of John:  Staying in an inn, John commands bedbugs to leave his bed and behave.
  • Acts of Paul:  Paul baptizes a lion that later spares Paul from death in the Ephesus amphitheater.
Lightfoot suggests, "After reading such tales, many of us will want to hurry back to our New Testaments and once again appreciate them both for what they say and what they do not say."
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Application Question
​How important is it?
Is it important to you that the Bible comes from reliable sources, or is it just a collection of wise sayings and advice for living?  Many atheists agree that there is wisdom in the teachings of Jesus Christ, but they do not believe that Jesus is a Messiah, that He performed miracles, that He walked out of His own grave, or that He prepares a place where His faithful disciples will be rewarded for eternity.

We contend that the Bible and everything it contains is supported by:
  • textual claims
  • origins of the text
  • extrabiblical history
  • ​the faith of martyrs
  • ​logic​​
  • archeology
  • geography
  • geology
  • chemistry
  • astronomy
  • biology
  • physics
  • mathematics
  • and more
So how important is it to you that the Bible can be proven true?  Do you believe there is irrefutable evidence to its validity?  Is proof something that strengthens your personal faith in the existence of God?

Should faith alone be enough to drive you to drive you to your knees?  Is "blind" faith a stronger kind of faith?  If so, then why did God provide so much evidence?
Go forward with us - or in this case, back to the beginning - as we continue our study next time.
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CWTI Reflection:  Just Another Brick in the Wall

10/28/2022

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It was just another brick in the wall, but embedded in the mortar was a nail, forged by a blacksmith and, for some reason, spiked into the brick wall of a 17th Century church tower, leaving visitors to wonder at its purpose and by whom it was installed.

This was Jamestowne, the original, successful British colony on North American soil - a colony established not only for the growth of the empire or for making companies rich by finding gold or other treasures, but also for the establishment of the Christian religion among the Indians along the Virginia coast.
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Standing in the original brick church tower (and the adjoining rebuilt sanctuary) of a place named after King James was a special moment for me as I realized the importance that this King James placed on having an English translation of the Bible.  Later in the day, I would also stand in a reconstructed version of the original church structure that was located nearby.  The colony, the fort, and even the river bear his name, as does the 1611 English version of the Bible.

Jamestowne was settled in 1607.  The original church building, made of wood, was built shortly after arrival.  Other land (Grebe Land) was set aside for the use of the minister nearby in establishing a mission to teach the Natives. The brick replacement sanctuary was constructed shortly after, and I can't imagine that it would taken very long for King James Version Bibles to arrive on the American shore.  Jamestowne would be one of the first American locations to receive and utilize this important publication, and it would have been right here, in the presence of these simple bricks (and that forged nail) that soul-saving Words would be read aloud.

Being me, I did not resist touching the walls and the nail and allowing myself to travel some 400 years back in time to also touch the cracked, calloused hands that placed them there.
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Warning Signs:  Program Now Available

10/27/2022

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This summer, I was recruited and contracted to write some lessons for the Lincoln Presidential Foundation in Springfield, Illinois.  What an honor it was to work on a project called Warning Signs.  The course is described thusly:
"Warning Signs" explores national events in the pre-Civil War period (1849-1860). Resources provided include transcribed primary sources, films featuring noted experts on historical events and politics, and thematic lesson plans designed by award-winning educators to promote inquiry and historical literacy. Explore crucial evidence, historical context, and different perspectives about an extremely polarized moment in U.S. history and what it reveals about maintaining a healthy democracy today.
These plans were not simple.  The material gets complicated very quickly, and some of the primary documents are deep and dark.  To manufacture lesson plans for fourth- through sixth-grade classes was something that required a certain degree of agony and considerable consideration.  Of course, they could easily connect with older students as well.
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Warning Signs (Grades 4-6)
File Size: 389 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Still, the lessons look great, and I am proud to have my name appear next to the Abraham Lincoln logo (See the first page in the image at right, along with a link to the complete lesson file.

​Of course, you might also appreciate the four documentary-style videos that the lessons support.  While the lessons I wrote focus on Missouri's own Dred and Harriet Scott and their case for freedom that spawned sharp responses from Presidential Candidate Abraham Lincoln, the videos will outline several more warning signs that predicted the inevitable American Civil War.  I am including the trailer for the videos below.  The videos themselves range from six to ten minutes each and may be found at 
the Warning Signs link or on Youtube.
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CWTI Reflection:  Emergency Evacuation

10/26/2022

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My roommate for the Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute in July was SAM.  SAM is a young family man who manages the school library in his Kentucky school.  He was fun to talk to and a terrific roommate in the Woodlands Hotel, just up the hill from the Visitors Center at Colonial Williamsburg.  On our second night, things were peaceful, and not a sound could be heard in our hotel room.  Drapes were drawn.  The TV and lamps were off.  We were sleeping.  And suddenly, at 3:00 in the morning, this announcement could be heard on a loop.
Attention!  Attention!  An emergency has been reported in this building.  Please cease operations and leave the building utilizing the nearest exit or fire exit stairway.  Do not use elevators.  Repeat:  do not use elevators.
'Twas kind of a rude awakening, but SAM and I did what every good teacher does:  we practiced what we preached.  Even if the probability showed an true emergency was unlikely, we followed the rules and evacuated our room to stand in the parking lot for an hour, waiting for the fire and police departments to give us the all clear.
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I thought it was exhilarating.  Don't get me wrong:  I'm not a fan of real emergencies and dangers, but I realize the uncertainties of life do not always spell tragedy.  Sometimes the stories that come out of an experience are worth a little inconvenience.  One of the things I repeat (on a loop) is, "Life is an adventure."  I know, it's not the most poetic sentence ever penned, but that sentence helps me get through difficult events.

There are so many things that can distract us from the more important things, events, and people in our lives. I know there are some who have the propensity to panic when bad things happen, but whenever possible, I choose to hold that worry until I know there is something about which to be concerned.

Besides, experience tells us that panicking does more harm that good.  I remember, some 50 years ago, having to evacuate our school building because of a bomb threat (No, those aren't new.).  The same thing happened when I was in high school (at least once).  I remember practicing, every year, for fires and tornados.  I recall being evacuated from the Lord Baltimore Hotel in Maryland - having to walk down several flights of stairs to exit onto the street - because of a fire alarm.  These events are good practice, and we take them seriously, but they are also an indication of the low probability of being in a real situation.

Thankfully, I saw no one panicking on our side of the hotel in July, and it was a great way for us to bond together at breakfast and throughout the following day.  Some people were awfully tired after working so hard to fall asleep for the second time an hour later.  It didn't affect our schedule, and we had one more thing in common to talk about.  It also made for a nice little story of adventure upon the return home.

These things happen, and these days I'm even looking for them to happen.  The Baltimore trip was my first trip alone.  That, along with my missed flights in returning from Mount Vernon, the thunderstorm with bateauing on Lake Champlain at Fort Ticonderoga, and the "crash" landing at the Orlando Airport this May.

Perhaps the AJR lyric below is what I think about when these things happen, and now that I accept this as fact, I sickly anticipate these little adventures just so I can tell the stories.

A hundred bad days made a hundred good stories
A hundred good stories make me interesting at parties
Yeah, no, I ain't scared of you
No, I ain't scared of you no more
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Bible BreakDown:  Luke 1:14-17

10/25/2022

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Too often, we rush and we fail to slow down and consider the common sense of a Bible passage -
in context. 


Like a learner in a reading class, let's break down
​
a passage to see if we can comprehend it better.​
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Luke 1 (NASB)
14  You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice over his birth.

15  For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb. 
​

16  And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 

17  And it is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers back to their children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
Some Questions:
  • ​Who is talking?  To whom is this speech directed?
  • Who is the "he" being described?
  • What will "he" be like?
  • How will he turn many back to the Lord?  Why might these need to be turned back?
  • Before whom will "he" be a forerunner?  What is he getting ready to do?  What is a forerunner?

Let's Think:
After telling Zechariah that his wife will give birth to a son, the angel informs Zechariah that John (the son) will be special.  The boy will grow into a great man who does not drink.  In fact, it seems that John will trade drink (and probably other vices) for the Holy Spirit - even while still in the womb.

Zechariah, the priest, must be pleased to hear that his son will be responsible for getting the Israelite people to return to God.  He might also be fearful when he hears the next thing the angel speaks - that John will be a forerunner to another.  The angel invokes the name of Elijah, and specifically reminds Zechariah about the prophecy that says one like Elijah will come.  He must understand that the angel is talking about a Savior.  What a responsibility!

​Still, how happy it must make Zechariah to understand that his own son will be the one to fulfill this prophecy.  I wonder how shocked he is to hear that the Messiah is likely coming during his own lifetime.  Maybe he anticipates the possibility of meeting the Son of God in person.
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CWTI:  Benefactor Appreciation

10/24/2022

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I wanted to write more than a thank-you to the benefactors who made it possible for me to attend the 2022 Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute.  I thought it was important to be more specific about what I gained from the experience.
After three years of waiting through COVID delays and international fear, I finally visited Colonial Williamsburg, participating in the rich instruction of the professionals there during this summer’s teacher institute.  I cannot begin to express my appreciation to you and to others who make this experience possible for teachers who do not always have the means to travel for the deep training that Colonial Williamsburg offers.

I want to make sure that you understand, my experience, on location and in living color, will not be wasted!  I fully expect to refer to it often as I teach others, both formally in classrooms and informally as I train other educators.
​

Our week began with a day at Historic Jametowne and Jamestown Settlement, where we were introduced to 17th Century Indian life.  I gained a new appreciation for the complexity of the situation and the multiple levels of conflict.  It really must have been a juggling act to keep the peace between so many entities and levels of society at the same time.  Can I relay that message to 10-year-olds in a classroom?  Can I help my teaching peers and daily acquaintances understand the concepts I learned at Jamestown?  I hope so.

Days spent on the sidewalks of the historic streets of Williamsburg helped me appreciate the multi-faceted features of history.  No longer must we only learn about the founders, but now more than ever, we must also listen for the minority voices - the enslaved workers and the struggling, lower-class, the everyday subject/citizen trying to eke out a living from nothing but blook, sweat, and muscle.  While the motivators of change were yelling at each other in the courthouse, the taverns, and the governor’s palace, the parent on the street must have experienced a range of helpless emotions all at once.  We all know, today, that our voices are small amidst noise of the media and political machines, but have we really progressed far from the 18th Century counterparts.  While I still wonder how to pay for a daughter entering college, this year, those people must have been frightened for their lives and lifestyles.  Is is appropriate that we should pause and pay tribute to their ways of life and use their hardships and perseverance to bolster our own places in the world?  Might the citizens of Historic Williamsburg motivate me to be a better person?  I certainly pray that they will.

As we had the opportunities to meet people from history, Nanny Jones, Robert Carter, and George Wythe stand out.  The first-person interpretations brought to life these mostly-unsung heroes of history.  Their presentations during our session of the teacher institute were flawless only because they were not presented as flawless people.  That is, each of the figures portrayed had his or her warts and made mistakes.  To still make the connections these interpreters offer is remarkable.  I left with a sob-filled understanding that Nanny Jones was a strong, independent woman.  I also learned that, though many in the founding era believed that slavery was morally wrong, Robert Carter emancipated more slaves than anyone, and George Wythe freed his own slaves - not waiting to do so in his will, but doing so in his lifetime.  Are their lessons for today’s children and adults to learn by  reaching into the past?  I know they are.

To be recruited to participate in dramatic interpretations more than once during the week was a true honor.  Delivering Patrick Henry’s lines in the courthouse was certainly a highlight, and presenting my own speech in the classic debate of Patriot versus Loyalist was truly a delight.  I thrived in those moments.

Our group made it to Yorktown, where lightning pinned us inside our shuttle bus and did not allow us to wander the battle locations or surrender field as we would have liked.  I liken it to Cornwallis being pinned in by Washington’s army and French ships on the shore of that grand river.  Neither of us were in control, whether in the 18th Century or the 21st.  Neither of us had the luxury of movement as the sparks flew around us.  As we pondered the enormous pressures placed upon both sides in that decisive battle, I could not help but think the raindrops sliding down our bus windows were as heavy as the tears that many shed in those days so long ago.  Can I possibly tell that story and get students to empathize with both sides?  Is it possible to have them apply the same skills of empathy on the playground or in modern life?  I am confident it is.

I also completely enjoyed the camaraderie of collaborating with teachers from across the country.  This was really a group that exhibited mutual respect for one another, and I found myself comfortable with many of them.  I know we will continue to feed each other as we move forward in our professional lives.  Additionally, the staff and leadership from Colonial Williamsburg were welcoming and more than willing to answer questions and lend assistance.

Mrs. Kimball, I am not a person who writes a quick thank-you to check a task off of a to-do list and to make myself feel like I have done my moral duty.  If you regularly provide funding for educators to participate in activities like the Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute, I hope this is the most thorough letter of appreciation you have ever received.  I think it is important for you to know the impact of your generous gift and how it will be applied.  The words are simple to say - Thank You - but the sentiment I have attempted to communicate in these paragraphs goes much deeper.

Hopefully, I will be allowed to return to the Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute in the future, perhaps to serve in more of a leadership role with new participants.  If not, I still know that I am far from finished with American history and helping students realize how we got here.  May God bless us all, in spite of our missteps and bruises.

With admiration,
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Apply The Word:  He Who Is Perfect Has Arrived

10/23/2022

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Around 1900, three million horses inhabited urban America, with the healthier ones contributing from 20 to 25 pounds of manure each day.  On every street, their presence was evident as swarms of flies circulated and pungent odors permeated the air.  To add to the atmosphere, almost every block boasted stables packed with urine-saturated hay.

When it rained, the streets turned to a muddy manure mush.  During dry spells, heavy carriage and foot traffic beat the dung to a fine dust which, as one contemporary put it, blew “from the pavement as a sharp piercing powder, to cover our clothes, ruin our furniture, and blow up into our nostrils.”


New York alone was home to approximately 150,000 horses or, pessimistically, to some ten million pounds of manure a year.  The offerings of the 15,000 horses of Rochester, New York, in 1900, would have covered an acre of soil with a heap 175 feet high.  In light of ever-increasing production, many Americans feared that their cities would soon disappear under the dung.

But a godsend from the turn-of-the-century pollution was becoming available.  At last, rejoiced Americans, the curtain was closing on the age of equine air.  Cities would now be cleaner, quieter, healthier, safer places in which to work and live.  At last, the age of the automobile had arrived!

​
If Only...

​It seems people are always waiting for the next best thing to arrive and take them away from their hectic, confusing, and busy lives.  We often dream, if only I could pass that test; if only I could afford that car; if only I could keep a steady relationship with a member of the opposite sex; if only we could produce a child; if only we could find a cure to that disease.  Life would be so much better if only.  What people don’t realize – what people forget – is that the best new thing actually came several years ago, and its name is Jesus.  Byron Nichols announced, in an article written for The Voice of Truth International, "Jesus is the most dynamic, life-changing, powerful personality to ever enter this world."

When Jesus Christ stepped into the world, He shattered all the if onlys to pieces.  No if only can ever aspire to top His sacrifice.  He Who is perfect has arrived and done the perfect thing.

He is what we have been waiting for.  Jesus Christ is our Hope!  In Paul’s salutation written to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:1, he simply states, "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, Who is our hope."

Emily Dickinson, the beloved poet, said, "Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul."  Cesare Pavese understood that "Waiting is still an occupation."  It is not having anything to wait for that is terrible.  Roy Z. Kemp professed, "There is no better or more blessed bondage than to be a prisoner of hope."  Even the oft-quoted philosopher, Henry David Thoreau, believed, "We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn."  But while these profound statements speak of hope, none are referring to the Hope that we have in Jesus Christ.

Indeed, our Hope is more than a dream of Prince Charming, and it is more than a wish on a star or a penny in a wishing well.  Hebrews 11:1 associates our hope with our faith.  It says that "faith is the assurance of things hoped for…"

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe explained it well, when he said, "Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter.  Who would think that those branches would turn green again and blossom, but we hope it, we know it."  His statement describes true hope as something we expect will really come.  Whether or not he was describing Christ, his statement rings true in regard to Christ.  He is our Hope!

He has been called glorious and exalted; He has been called perfect and flawless; it is said He is kind, caring, sinless, faultless, outreaching, soul-touching, heart-changing, great, merciful, mighty, majestic, all-knowing, and compassionate.  Those are just some of the adjectives.  In fact, according to John 21:25, we could not possibly list all the adjectives, because we do not know all the verbs; we don’t know everything that Jesus did.  It says, "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books which were written."

We’ll leave the topic for now with 2 Corinthians 9:15, in which Paul cleanly pronounces, "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"

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CWTI:  Meet the Family

10/22/2022

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On the last day of our stay at the 2022 Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute, we posed for some pictures.  I'd like to introduce you to some people who were the most welcoming and friendly I have encountered in my teaching travels.  From Baltimore to Mount Vernon to Ticonderoga, I felt the most at home with this little group.
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We laughed together.  We cried together.  We got to know each other and share an experience in a place that some have called the history-lover's Disneyland.  But more than that, we got to know each other on a more personal level, sharing our families and our professional struggles and successes throughout the week.  I hope to continue hearing from my history brothers and sisters for years to come.
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Accuracy and Impact of the Bible:  Canon Fire

10/21/2022

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The following is a lesson in a historical and faithful study
beginning at 7:00 pm on Wednesdays.
at the church of Christ in Carthage, Missouri, south of the Ford dealership
PLEASE JOIN US!

In the education business, we call this bell work.  As we enter the classroom, work on this packet of material to get you into the mindset for this lesson.
What's in Your Bible?
File Size: 708 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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​Application Question
​How important is it?
Is it important to you that the Bible comes from reliable sources, or is it just a collection of wise sayings and advice for living?  Many atheists agree that there is wisdom in the teachings of Jesus Christ, but they do not believe that Jesus is a Messiah, that He performed miracles, that He walked out of His own grave, or that He prepares a place where His faithful disciples will be rewarded for eternity.

We contend that the Bible and everything it contains is supported by:
  • textual claims
  • origins of the text
  • extrabiblical history
  • the faith of martyrs​
  • logic
  • archeology
  • geography
  • geology
  • astronomy
  • biology
  • chemistry
  • physics
  • mathematics
  • and more
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Mount Vernon:  Restoration, Authenticity, and Simplicity

Consider Nathaniel Hawthorne's quote (below).
  • What do you notice?
  • What stands out to you?
  • What the main idea of this quote?
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Greenhouse
When Harry S Truman occupied the White House in the 1940s, a piano leg broke through the floor and nearly plunged into the level below.  Truman subsequently had the president's house gutted and rebuilt on the inside.  When he did, much of the history of the place was exposed, including the charred remains of the British siege of the structure during the War of 1812.

Many colonial bricks were also cleared out and were no longer needed for the rebuilding of the interior. Those bricks were offered the the Ladies of Mount Vernon - in case they had any use for them.  The ladies quickly approved the acquisition, knowing an excellent use for the bricks.  These would help them the closest they could possibly come to recreating another project on the property - the greenhouse.  It is suspected that Washington family member, Bushrod Washington, in the years following George's death, may have burned the greenhouse on purpose in order to receive an insurance payout.

The ladies had dreamed of rebuilding the structure for a while, and the offering of actual slave-made bricks was as close as they could ever dream of making the building historically accurate.  The restoration (pictured below) would be as close to spec as possible.
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The Necessary
One of the places I didn't want to miss in my stay on the property was the Necessary (fancy term for the outhouse/restroom).  This was the one item that would humanize George Washington more than any other and take me away from that Hawthorne we began with above.  The Necessary is, strangely, a three-holer, and aptly for this lesson, it was being restored.  I'll be able to tell you more about it in person.
The Ladies of Mount Vernon Association is the governing body that owns George Washington's mansion in Virginia.  Their mission includes restoration, respect, relevancy​.  They are dedicated to the accurate preservation of the house and the grounds upon which it rests, there on the banks of the Potomac River.  In many ways, the accuracy of their preservation is impressive, focusing on getting the methods and materials to match the period of time when the General and Lady Washington occupied this property in the 18th Century.
​Rustication
​One such demonstration of the period restoration can be found in the repainting of the outside walls of the mansion itself.  While these walls appear to be constructed of cut stone, the fact remains that they are wooden, treated with a particular painting method to deceive the observer into thinking the house is much more impressive than it really is.

When I stayed on the property for a week, I learned more about this process.  See how I encountered Mount Vernon first hand, then watch the short video below to learn how those walls are restored right down to the accurate coloring. 
The Mansion Cellar
A trip into the dark cellar of the mansion reveals original foundations (as well as electric wiring strung by none other than Thomas Edison, to aid tourists in their visits many years following the deaths of George and Martha).  

One cornerstone in the basement is familiar to fans of the National Treasure movie franchise.  In the sequel movie, the stone is said to be the mark of George Washington, even though is sports the letters L and W, representing the initials of George's older half brother, Lawrence. 

The truth is, the movie makers remade the stone, replacing the letter L with a G, to make the lines make more sense.  When the Ladies of Mount Vernon screened the movie, they despised the change.  "If you're going to use our things, you're going to portray them accurately," they told the producers, prompting the props department to remake the stone and the rest of the company to reshoot the scene when Ben Gates kidnaps the president of the United States.
Are you catching that recurring theme of restoration in these examples.  If only folks would put as much energy into restoring the First Century church!  The point, for the purpose of this lesson, is that we also hope for the most accurate restoration of Scriptures.  We addressed this in previous lessons, but it is appropriate for us to stress it again as we consider the canon​ of the Bible.
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"The Truth Shall Set You Free"

David Sain asked, "Does God have the ability to make His will known to man?  Of course He does.  How could He be God, the Almighty (Ephesians 3:20f), and be incapable of revealing His will in an understandable fashion?  On the other hand, if He has the ability to make His will understandable, but did not do so, how can He be the God of love (1 John 4:8; John 3:16)?

"If God has the ability to make His will understandable, but chose not to do so, then He leaves sinful man in a helpless and hopeless condition.  However, the Bible assures us that Almighty God wants all men to be saved (2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:3f).  Therefore we can be sure that, as its Author, God intends the Bible to be understood."

Some contend that an individual must be a Greek and Hebrew scholar to understand how God wants him or her to live, when really, all one needs to do is read and study from the text itself.  The Bible itself verifies that we can understand all that God requires for salvation.
Jesus prays in John 17:17, "Sanctify them through thy truth."  Thy Word is Truth, which teaches that people are set apart, or sanctified, through the word of God.  How can one be sanctified through the word of God if he or she can’t understand it?

In John 17:20f, Jesus prays, "I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me.  In other words, He prayed that all would become Christians through hearing, believing, understanding, and obeying the truth which the apostles would speak, as revealed to them by the Spirit of truth" (John 14:26; 16:13).

The Bible affirms that the gospel is to be preached to every creature and that each hearer who believes and is baptized will be saved (Mark 16:15f), but how can one respond to the gospel by believing and being baptized if he or she can’t understand the gospel?

First Timothy 2:4 notes that God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  The implication is that if God wants all to know the truth, then one must have the capability to understand the truth.

Jesus resists the temptation of Satan in the wilderness by declaring that man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).  If we are to live by the words of God, we obviously must be able to understand the words of God.

At the close of his account of the gospel, John wrote these words:  "Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name" (John 20:30f).  Here is further proof the Bible is understandable.  If faith is produced by the accounts of His signs and wonders, the ability to understand the accounts is inferred.

Further, Christians are instructed to keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.  Obeying this command requires knowledge and comprehension of the Word of God.

The apostle Paul writes Timothy that "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."  Scripture could not completely equip us if we can’t understand it.

"One of the most powerful affirmations of the ability to understand the Bible," says Sain, is found in Ephesians 3:3f.  "There, Paul writes, that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.  And by referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ."
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Our Canon of Scripture

What do we mean when we refer to the canon of Scripture?  Our discussion using the anchor text is below, but first, let's see how an older text describes the subject (which does not require black powder or projectiles).
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The Illuminated Bible, published Dickson Publishing Company for Columbia Educational Books (1941) has some interesting features and artwork.  In the introductory material to this edition are the following words regarding the canonicity of our 66-book Library:
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The Greek word canon signifies a straight rod or rule.  When used figuratively it means that by which anything is tested as a rule, such as a test or rule of logic.  It is used in Gal. 6:16; Phil. 3:16 as a "rule of life," and in 2 Cor. 10:13, 16 as a measure of excellence.  In 380 A.D., it was first applied to the Scriptures, and from the time of Origen it has been applied to the books comprising the Bible which are regarded as having Divine authority.  Thus we speak of the Canon of Scripture, while uncanonical books are those that are not in the Canon.  The Apocryphal books belong to this class, all the evidence pointing to the fact that they were not inspired, have not Divine authority and are not a part of the Scriptures as a "rule of faith."  In matters of religion and ethics the Bible is the standard, the rule or Canon by which these are judged...

...By 
Genuineness and Authority of the Scriptures is meant that they are the actual writings that have come down to us, and that these writings have been unaltered.
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Finally, let's explore Chapter 14 of our anchor text, How We Got the Bible by Neil Lightfoot.  In this chapter, Mr. Lightfoot provides rationale for the acceptance of the canon of our English Bible.  He also offers the following questions for us to discuss in class:
  • Is there any information in the New Testament which has bearing on the Old Testament canon?  What statement of Jesus indicates which books were included in the Old Testament of his day?  Did his Old Testament differ from ours?
  • What other evidence is there for the Old Testament canon?  How is it that the twenty-two books of the Jews equal our thirty-nine books?

Red Letters

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When the crowds are amazed at the teaching of Jesus at the end of Matthew 7, they mention that he teaches with authority, not as their scribes.  When we read the red letters of Christ’s speech, we, too, recognize that He teaches with authority.  Why?  Because He is the beloved Son of God and the author of the universe. 

But we also recognize that the red letters are not the only inspired authoritative text that we have.  While some would have us segregate the Words of Christ from the black letters in our Bibles, and while it may be tempting and less challenging to only want to read the Words of Christ, the red letters are not the only inspired text, and we must not limit the official canon to contain only the red letters.

The truth is that the authority of Christ was given and delegated to the apostles, who along with a couple of others were guided directly by the Holy Spirit.  Jesus tells them in John 14:16f, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever; the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you.”

He also says, in John 16:7-15, “But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I am leaving; for if I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment: regarding sin, because they do not believe in Me; and regarding righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you no longer are going to see Me; and regarding judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
​

“I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them at the present time. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take from Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; this is why I said that He takes from Mine and will disclose it to you.”

​Paul, not among the original 12, writes in Galatians 1:11f, “
For I would have you know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel which was preached by me is not of human invention.  For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.”


At present, “The underlying reason for most likely holding to this ‘red letters [only]’ position is to strip away the strict teachings on the roles of men and women in the spiritual life of the church and the home, …the sinfulness of homosexuality, …and laws about marriage, divorce and remarriage.”  That bold and true statement is from David Fanning and Shane Fisher in an issue of The Voice of Truth International.

We have to recognize that the authority of Jesus is what makes the authority of the Bible so effective as defense against temptation and offense against struggle.  The Bible, in its entirety, does so much for us - but only when we take it as prescribed.

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​The Big Questions

Our focus for this study hinges on answering these two big questions.  The goal is to get closer to the answers each week in our class.​
How did we we get the Bible?
Is the Bible accurate and dependable?


​Application Question
​How important is it?
Is it important to you that the Bible comes from reliable sources, or is it just a collection of wise sayings and advice for living?  Many atheists agree that there is wisdom in the teachings of Jesus Christ, but they do not believe that Jesus is a Messiah, that He performed miracles, that He walked out of His own grave, or that He prepares a place where His faithful disciples will be rewarded for eternity.

​So how important is it to you that the Bible can be proven true?  Do you believe there is irrefutable evidence to its validity?  Is proof something that strengthens your personal faith in the existence of God?

Should faith alone be enough to drive you to drive you to your knees?  Is "blind" faith a stronger kind of faith?  If so, then why did God provide so much evidence?
Go forward with us - or in this case, back to the beginning - as we continue our study next time.
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CWTI:  The Slow Road Home

10/20/2022

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I really can't say much about air travel.  Starting out early in the mornings seems to work out much better than afternoon and evening travel.  In an effort to maximum my time at my destination (this time the Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute). I always try to head out as early as possible, getting to the departing airport before security arrives for duty, and returning home, I always attempt to give myself time in the morning to get to the airport for a later departure.  Maybe that's a mistake, because things tend to get backed up

Coming home from Mount Vernon, I missed the flight from Virginia, causing me to miss my flight in Dallas, and I had to spend the night outside of the security lines in the freezing cold DFW airport before making it onto a new flight the next morning.  Coming home from Ticonderoga, New York, a flight was delayed, as was my flight from Orlando due to a flat tire on the landing gear, in May of this year.

This time, the flight from Richmond, Virginia, to Charlotte, North Carolina, was delayed, but that wasn't any real concern as I would still make the connecting flight from Charlotte to Springfield, Missouri.
It was still cool to see Carowinds Amusement Park from the air (See the slide show above.).  Once on the ground in North Carolina, however, the weather took a turn, and delays started getting concerning.  The airport was packed with people, the lightning began striking, tarmac crews were called inside for their protection, and everything came to a standstill.  I got the picture below which shows the column of rainfall being poured out of the heavens onto the earth somewhere nearby.  It looks almost tornadic, doesn't it?
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Why are we going, Daddy?  When will the plane take off?  Is my suitcase on the plane, Daddy?  I didn't see them put it on the plane.  Where is my suitcase?  Why are there so many lights?  There are too many lights. Are we moving yet, Daddy?  When are we going to go?  Etc., etc., etc.  Relentless.
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So all anyone could do was wait.  And wait.  And wait some more.  It was quite dark when an incoming flight was finally able to land and receive the once-over and be refueled before we could board - all while the broad storm kept forcing people indoors again and again.

On board, I think we sat at the gate for over an hour allowing the rain to pelt our windows and waiting for the light to literally turn from red to green.  By this point, I was going to get to Springfield for a post-midnight ride home, so I tried and failed to get some sleep.  This seat was second to the back row, and the back row was filled with a cute, but super-annoying little girl who would...not...stop talking.  As quiet as the plane was, with weary travelers, one would think that the parents would at least try to squelch her constant talking, but no-o-o.
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But anyway, obviously I made it home and was happy to see the family once again.  My excursion to Virginia was definitely one that I will remember with great fondness forever.
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CWTI:  Tribute to Aviation

10/19/2022

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Inside the airport in Charlotte, North Carolina, is a little treasure.  Rising above a concession vendor is an elevated sculpture consisting of fabricated, painted aluminum planes and forged, fabricated, painted steel figures.  The kinetic art moves in circles both clockwise and counterclockwise.  Its title is First in Flight, which is appropriate for North Carolina, where the first flight by the Wright Brothers took place.  The artist, George Greenamyer, describes this piece of art like this:
The celebration of the history of aviation with whimsy and humor is the focus of this kinetic sculpture/clock tower. The designs of the flying machines draw from actual historical and present-day craft, flying toys, mythology, ideas that never were realized and pure fantasy.
I certainly had enough time to admire the sculpture while transferring from one plane to another, back in July, so I took some pictures from below.  The airport website lists 8 of the figures, but says there are 16.  For some reason I have 18 pictures, so maybe together we can figure out why there is a different number.  Did I catch some of the planes twice? 
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Recombobulation

10/18/2022

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Apparently, there is, in an airport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, an area that has been set aside for recombobulation.  Now, that is a made up word that most of us understand.  After all, we can also figure out that the opposite of recombobulation is a real word:  discombobulation, meaning "unsettled or confused."

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There are no signs needed for Discombobulation Areas in the airport.  We recognize that most areas in an airport are for discombobulation.  There are many frantic, depressed, worried, and confused people in airports - stemming from lost luggage, delayed flights, keeping the family together, avoiding conflict, and more.

It's no wonder that an area for recombobulation is needed.  It's nice to see that someone recognized this in Milwaukee, but wouldn't it be sweet if things were reversed?  What if this small corner of the airport was all that was set aside for discombobulation, and the rest was stress-free?  Well, we can dream, can't we?  Just saying the word to yourself might put a smile on your heart.

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Silver Dollar City:  Pumpkins in the City

10/17/2022

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There is a place in the Midwest called Silver Dollar City.  It is a 40-50-year-old theme park in the southern part of Missouri.  Leading up to Christmas, it is a top destination for lights and delights to get people into the spirit of the season, but in September and October, the City has developed a new festival centered around handmade crafts and the pumpkin harvest.
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While we have seen some of the decorations before the actual festival begins, this was our first time to attend during the season.  The new Foggy Hollow was a unique attempt at a cool feature, but it should have been better.  I say this only because it leads to the Pumpkin Plaza, which is a place I never want to see again.  It is an area in the normally-backstage of the park, and it has been set up to sell food and cheap glowing souvenir junk.  Worst of all is that it takes guests completely out of the theme of a park that has always been based on the 1880s.
DJs and 80s cover bands (That's 1980s, not 1880s.) have no place in this beautiful park, and coming upon them and their so-called street dance party in the Pumpkin Plaza is a harsh awakening that I am no longer in the romanticized 1880s Ozarkian village.  This single area - the the playing of Ghost Busters music as we entered the park - are enough to put me in a bad mood about visiting Silver Dollar City.  It is a slippery slope into becoming merely another amusement park rather than the well-thought theme park that is should be.  I guess I have to limit my radius when visiting during this time of the year and avoid that entire side of the park.

Give me, instead, the quiet flickering of the hundreds of jack-o-lanterns that adorn the rest of the place.  Carved from foam pumpkins, these offer a neat and peaceful stroll through a place that removes us from the realities of real life in the 21st Century.
Or let us ponder the glow of real pumpkins, relief carved by masters who turn the craft into something normally not seen.  Let us appreciate the homespun items in the Frisco Barn.  We can be friendly without gyrating to Journey or dancing with AC/DC.  There is a place for that kind of volume and that style of music, but Silver Dollar City is not that place.

After all has been said and done, I enjoyed the time that I spent with my wife.  We don't often get moments to spend without children, and when we do, we cherish them.
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