Worry? Who Me?

War in the Middle East, Violence in the streets and on public transit. Rising gas prices. Taxes. Corruption in government, extortion, and money schemes. It’s enough to keep you up at night. It can be especially unnerving when you feel like there is nothing you can do about it. The problems are huge and I’m so small. So what is a person to do?

Now I’m all for letting your voice be heard, calling your Congressperson, and writing letters. But I thing we often leave our greatest weapons on the shelf.

If there ever was a person who knew anything about “things unraveling” it was King David. He was anointed King of Israel, kind of out of the blue, and then spent many years running and hiding just to stay alive. Saul hated him, The Philistines hated him, even his wife made fun of him. Still from this fugitive king we get some of the greatest inspirations in Scripture. Many of our favorite Psalms where written by him.

So what can we learn from David?

Trust – David trusted in the God who called him. When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. ‘Psalm 56:3 NIV

The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1

Pray – David prayed for God’s Protection.   Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. Psalm 86:1-3 NIV

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. Psalm 5:3 NIV

Continue Serving - David was a faithful servant. We should also continue the do the “good works” God has called us to do.

The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;  according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord; … The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,     according to my cleanness in his sight. “To the faithful you show yourself faithful,              2 Samuel 22:21-22, 25-26 NIV

Will everything be safe, fun, and happy in all of your daily life? Obviously not. We all go through struggles, trials, testing, and feel the effects of a world filled with sin and corruption. But do I have to be afraid? No, that’s a choice. I am as safe in the battle as I am in my house because God is with me.

 

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand".

Isaiah 41:10

 

St Patrick’s Day

Over the years, my mom and I have spent many hours trying to trace the Cross linage. The war of 1812 and the burning of all the records in the Maryland area have caused us a load grief.  We can get back to the early 1800s, but no further. I would really like to know if William Cross, born in the late 1790s, was English or Irish. My sister and I are hoping Irish, because we both love the music.

This Tuesday, March 17^th, is St Patrick’s Day. In honor of that, I decided to do a little searching about the holiday. Since I knew very little, almost everything here is from a smattering of Googled sources. Take it with a grain of salt. AI is good but sometimes can go a little sideways.

St Patrick’s Day commemorates the death of Ireland's patron saint and the arrival of Christianity. No he didn’t wear green; it was St Patrick blue. He was 4^th century British, not Irish. He also never chased the snake out of Ireland. There weren’t any snakes there to start with.

There are some really interesting facts I have been able to sort through.

• ·       One source says that people started to wear green because they thought it made them invisible to leprechauns. It seems they like to pinch you when you are not looking.
• ·       Many Protestants began to wear orange to differentiate them from Catholics who favored green.
• ·       The Irish flag is green orange and white: often described as green for Catholics, orange for protestants, and white for peace between them.
• ·       Leprechauns are likely based on Celtic fairies.
• ·       St Patrick was said to try to explain the trinity using shamrocks (3 leaf clovers).
• ·       The first recorded St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in St. Augustine, Florida in 1601, not Ireland.
• ·       Chicago dyes its river green for the festival.
• ·       The green food, shamrock shakes, green beer, and classic meals like corned beef & cabbage are Irish-American, not Irish. In Ireland they have Irish bacon and cabbage.
• ·       St Patrick’s real name was Maewyn Succat. (Ya, I’m glad they changed it.) 
• ·       Irish refugees who came to America during the 1845 potato blight were looked down upon. The immigrants began to rely on St. Patrick’s Day to proudly celebrate their cultural identity, and the American public eventually embraced the Irish.

The Irish have certainly left their mark on American culture and helped shape our history. Whether you wear green or orange, pinch or not pinch, or just avoid it all together, I hope you have a grand St Patrick’s Day Tuesday. Now I want a Shamrock Shake…

 

I leave you with a traditional Irish blessing.

"May you have warm words on a cold evening,

a full moon on a dark night,

and a smooth road all the way to your door".

 

Excelsior!

 

Weather Lore: Whether or Not?

 

Yesterday, March came in like a lion. The wind was blowing strong all day and even lifting the ceiling tiles in the classroom when someone opened the door. Remember the old adage? In like a lion, out like a lamb. It’s a very old saying. According to The Paris Review it is attributed to Thomas Fuller’s compendium, Gnomologia in 1732. I’m not sure how accurate it is. I guess we will have to see.

My grandson has been talking about the ground hog and his shadow. He thinks it’s all ridiculous. And I kind of agree. According to the ground hog, we are supposed to have 6 more weeks of winter.  It is supposed to be 80 here next week. Ya, so much for Punxsutawney Phil.

There are many wisdoms of weather lore that float in and out of our consciousness as we go about our daily activities. These come from Weather Lore Sayings - www.nps.gov. How many of these do you remember hearing? What is your favorite? Most of these have some merit, but I think I’ll still consult The Weather Channel as to when to have my picnic.

·         “When the dew is on the grass, Rain will never come to pass. When grass is dry at morning light, Look for rain before the night.”   if there is no dew on the grass, it means the sky is cloudy or the breeze is strong, both of which may mean rain.

 

·         “If a circle forms ‘round the moon,‘Twill rain soon.” The circle that forms around the sun or moon is called a halo. Halos are formed by the light from the sun or moon refracting (bending) as they pass through the ice crystals that form high-level cirrus and cirrostratus clouds. These clouds do not produce rain or snow, but they often precede an advancing low pressure system which may bring bad weather.

 

·         “When leaves turn their back ‘tis a sign it’s going to rain.” Some trees, such as oak and maple, have leaves that will curl when the humidity is very high and the wind is blowing strongly. Both these conditions indicate an approaching storm.

 

·         “I know ladies by the score Whose hair foretells the storm; Long before it begins to pour Their curls take a drooping form.” Human hair, especially blond hair, has a tendency expand in length as the humidity rises. This may cause naturally-curly hair to droop. Or it may cause straight hair to curl up a little. The higher the humidity, the more likely it is to rain.

 

·         “When sounds travel far and wide, A stormy day will betide.” Sound travels at different speeds through different substances. It travels faster through a solid substance than it does through air, for instance. Sound travels better in air that is heavily laden with moisture than it does in dry air.

 

·         “If birds fly low Expect rain and a blow.” When the air pressure is high, it is easier for birds to fly at a higher altitude. If the air pressure is low, indicating bad weather, birds can’t fly as high because the air is less dense.

 

“Red sky in morning, sailors give warning. Red sky at night, sailors delight.” The weather patterns in North America generally move from west to east, when clouds arrive overhead at sunrise the sky will appear red, signaling a storm "moving in".

 

“Pale moon rains; Red moon blows.” ” White moon neither rains nor snows.” The more dust particles there are in the air, the greater the chance that moisture will have something on which to form raindrops

 

“You can tell the temperature by counting a cricket's chirps.” Crickets - Crickets are accurate thermometers; they chirp faster when warm and slower when cold.

 

“Flies bite more before a rain.” This rule does not always apply, but insects do calling more during moist weather, as flying is more difficult.

 

"The higher the clouds, the better the weather". Higher clouds indicate both dryness of air and higher atmospheric pressure. Both these qualities are present with fair weather.

If you would like more interesting weather lore quotes try The Farmer’s Almanac at https://www.almanac.com/facts-behind-weather-folklore

 

Who Killed John F Kennedy?

 

I often ask my grandchildren what they would like me to write about. Usually it various cool animals like capybaras , snakes, and sharks. This time one of my grandsons, Dylan, who’s a history buff ask about who killed JFK. Not bad for a middle schooler eh? Since he’s all game for a good conspiracy theory also, I figured I’d try to give him the gambit. So this week, my Notes from Papaw will also be my weekly Musing. Hold on, here it goes.

A basic Google search will usually outline six or seven main theories.

1. The Lone Gunman

• ·       The Theory: Lee Harvey Oswald fired three shots from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository, killing President Kennedy and wounding Governor John Connally. Jack Ruby killed Oswald two days later on his own initiative.  Source: The Warren Commission (1964).
• ·       It is interesting to note that a majority of the American public reject this theory.

2. The Mafia Theory

• ·       The Theory: Organized crime orchestrated the assassination as retaliation against Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy’s aggressive crusade against the Mafia.
• ·       Jack Ruby may have had ties to the Mafia.

 

3. The CIA/Deep State Theory

• ·       The Theory: Elements within the CIA or the broader "military-industrial complex" killed Kennedy because they believed he was soft on communism, planned to withdraw from Vietnam, or was going to "splinter the CIA into a thousand pieces" after the Bay of Pigs failure.
• ·       The CIA did withhold evidence that they had Oswald under surveillance.

4. The Cuban Involvement Theories (Two Sides)

• ·       Pro-Castro: Castro retaliated after the CIA made multiple attempts to assassinate him. Oswald’s trip to the Cuban and Soviet embassies in Mexico City shortly before the shooting fuels this theory.
• ·       Anti-Castro: Cuban exiles, enraged by Kennedy’s refusal to provide air support during the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, killed him for "betraying" them.
• ·       It would be hard to prove it if only individuals were involved.

5. The Second Gunman on the "Grassy Knoll"

• ·       The Theory: Oswald was not the only shooter. A second gunman fired from a,knoll in front of the limousine, supported by analysis of the Zapruder film showing Kennedy's head moving backward and to the left.
• ·       Source: The 1979 House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA). The HSCA concluded that a "probable conspiracy" existed based on acoustic evidence suggesting four shots were fired, though that evidence has since been challenged.

6. The Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) Theory

• ·       The Theory: Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson conspired to kill Kennedy to take the presidency and avoid being dropped from the 1964 ticket due to impending corruption scandals.

7. “Friendly Fire” Theory

• ·       The theory that a Secret Service agent accidentally killed President John F. Kennedy posits that in the chaos immediately following the first shots fired by Lee Harvey Oswald.
• ·       Agent George Hickey accidentally discharged his own weapon, firing the fatal headshot from the follow-up car.
• ·       There was a subsequent cover-up to protect the reputation of the Secret Service.
• ·       Source: JFK: The Smoking Gun: A 2013 documentary based on the work of Colin McLaren, an Australian detective, which popularized the theory.

To be honest, I do not think we will ever know the whole truth. I kind of lean toward the Friendly Fire Theory, but mostly because I really don’t want to believe that our government would be so brutal as to plan something like this. We do know they are good at cover-ups.

It kind of comes down to something one of my sons said. If the government can do all thses things, there not a lot that any one individual can do about it. So my advice to you is:

1. Trust God’s plan.

2. Be the best person that you can be.

3. Shine the light of truth to everyone you know.

4. Try to leave everyone who meets you better that they were before you came into their life.

That’s all I have this week. Later!

Stoplight Games

If you have ever commuted, you know how boredom can get the better of you. When we lived in Arizona, I drove from a city on the west side to central Phoenix and back. Much of the ride was a straight rode with multiple stoplights. When you travel during rush hour, there is little time to get bored. You are busy dodging Louie Lane Changers, Speed Demons, and grandma on her way to knitting circle. (She’s way early so she’s in no real hurry.) But if I was returning later in the evening when the traffic was light, I had a game to help pass the time.

I actually learned it from my grandfather. When I was in junior high & high school I would often go bowling with him. He was on two different senior league teams and enjoyed having me along as he practiced and showed me some of his tricks. I did not grow up in a huge town, but the bowling alley was clear out on the other side of town. One big long 4 lane road with lots of stoplights. He loved trying to get all the way there without having to stop at a light. Now you might think it would lead to running lights or slowing down traffic, but there were rules to help keep people safe and traffic flowing. I’m not sure who made up the rules, but never the less, there are rules.

• No running red lights. That was an automatic disqualification.
• You cannot impede the flow of traffic by going really slow
• As long as your wheels are turning, you haven’t stopped.
• Stop signs stop the run so you have to choose your route wisely. (Hint: find ones with right-hand “yield” signs.)
• The only prize it the satisfaction of a job well done

I only got all the way home – from the first stop to my drive way once. Once in seven years. And no trophy. But it did keep me from yelling out the window at people. I often wonder, when I see people slowing down way early for stop lights. Are the just conserving gas? Are they trying to keep that life-time warranty on their brake pads? Or are they playing my grandpa’s stoplight game? Ya, it’s weird enough I’m never gonna ask. But I still wonder… 

At Our House, We Call That Lying…

 

My summer gig at the local state park is a great job. I get much needed exercise, lots of natural wonder, and enjoyable interactions with the public. That is probably the most fun part. Sometimes too fun. Although most of our time is spent educating, sometimes we just like to have fun, often at another’s expense. My trail buddy has a knack for teasing children. “Make sure you stay on the beach area. We keep the alligators down river beyond the bend. ” It’s 4:45. If you are going to float the river again, you’d better hurry. We turn the river off at 5:00 PM.” And the never gets old, “Did you see the elephant at the end of the trail?”

Now to be honest, no one really believes it for long. I mean, who would let people swim in a river with alligators around the bend? One time it backfired. My friend’s grandkids were out hiking the trails one afternoon and he mentioned the elephant. Then he said he was just kidding. His 7-year-old granddaughter look him straight in the eyes and said, “Pop-Pop, at our house, we call that lying.” Most people don't put kidding in the lying department since it is really just a form of joking. The kids at school call it pranking. Joking or pranking is usually not intended to deceive, just to get a reaction. The truth is made clear shortly afterward. Well, at least it should be.

Lying is something different. It is an intent to deceive. It is often used to cover up the real truth, either because it's damaging or embarrassing. We don’t even have to speak to deceive. I have students who, when they get called out, say “What?”. We both know what, but it is an intentional distractor, like pointing at something else and saying “Look at that”. We can tell only part of the truth. If we leave out important facts to shade the event away from what really happen, we are still practicing deception. Then there is the bold-faced lie, the no holds barred, denial of wrong doing. We can go all the way down to what people call “a little white lie”.

The Bible is pretty clear, It is one of the ten commandments. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. Exodus 20:12 We are supposed to tell the truth, even when it might not be convenient for us. Honest builds a bridge of trust in a relationship; Lying builds a wall between others. It can be so easy to tell just one little white lie, but it usually leads to a web of lies to cover the very first one. Frankly, I'm with Honest Abe. I don't have a good enough memory to be a good liar. It wouldn't pay off anyway. Remember: What you sow, you reap. 

If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.

A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes. – Both often attributed to Mark Twain.

No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar. – Abraham Lincoln

Until Next Time!

 

Fog

 

Six o’clock in the morning, It’s still dark and I’m driving to my Saturday shift at the local State Park. Today the fog looks to be the worst it has been this winter. This is the kind of fog where you are half waiting to see monstrous beasts or ghostly creatures jump out in front of you. While there are no creatures, there are people about, mostly the homeless on bicycles or pushing carts or strollers filled with their belongings. This is normally not unusual, but a lone cyclist suddenly  appearing out of the mist becomes almost surreal. As I drive down a long stretch of highway straining to see the intersection stop lights, I notice something. About half of us are slowing down, carefully crossing the intersections, mindful of everything going on around us. The other half are mindlessly cruising by like it’s a bright, sunny, summer day. It’s no wonder that one of the major freeways running through the central valley has had major 10 and 60 car pile ups in dense fog just within the last two weeks.

Now I don’t know about you, but when I get into fog like this, I try to do three things.

•  Slow down and be vigilant.
•  Keep the lights on the low beam setting to see the area right in front of me.
• Keep my eyes in the road lines.

Do you ever find yourself surrounded by the “fog”? I don’t mean the weather kind of fog, or even brain fog, but the kind where you are not able to see very far ahead because everything is muddled around you. It may be an impending move, a job transfer, or some other life-changing event where everything is in flux, but more importantly out of your control. It might be helpful to use the same steps as in real fog.

•  Slow down and be vigilant. – Step back and take things slower. Be deliberate with decisions and pay attention to detail. It will help you to make wiser decisions.

•  Keep the lights on the low beam setting to see the area right in front of you. Quit stressing about all the “what ifs”. Do what is needed today. Take each day as it comes and do your best.

•  Keep your eyes in the road lines. Ok, here’s where I get spiritual. (Hey, you knew it was coming.) Follow the things you know that you are supposed to do. Don’t compromise - Don’t take short cuts. Do things the right way, like you know you should. Pray over every situation and follow God’s principles. ( I would say follow your heart, but you know that can sometimes get you in trouble.)

I hope this helps. Drive safe, both on the road and in life!