What Are You Leaving?

The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation. Numbers 14:18

But showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.   Exodus 20:6:

I have often thought that these verses just talked about what children learn and the influences they receive growing up. Kids grow up to be criminals because they learned it. But what if there was more? What if we can pass our trauma, our fears, the hints of major life altering events, though our DNA? Could we also pass things like cultural preferences also? We used to think it was fantasy, but recent research might be saying otherwise.

A couple years ago I ran across an article about an emerging science field called Epigenetics. Epigenetics is the study of cellular variations that are caused by external, environmental causes that switch genes “on” or “off,” thus making changes in “phenotype” or genetic expression without concomitant changes in the DNA sequence. (Krippner) Turns out, there is good evidence that trauma can actually change our genetic makeup, turning genes off or on. It has been documented in holocaust survivor families. This could lead to offspring having a built in response to what happened before they were even born. Could this be what God was talking about? Conversely, there have been studies that parental nurturing can help erase these responses. One of the most interesting studies was with mice who were taught to fear and passed it down to their offspring. Here is an excerpt from the article.

 

Of more direct relevance to transgenerational effects of trauma, is a mouse experiment conducted by Dias and Ressler (2014) examining how the olfactory (smell) experience of male parent mice might influence their offspring. The parent mice were conditioned to manifest fear when they smelled cherry blossoms. This was accomplished by pairing the odor with a shock to the foot. This fear changed the organization of the animal’s nose, leading to more cells that were sensitive to that particular smell. This structural alteration was also found in future generations as was a fear-generated “startle” when the mice were exposed to the odor. The reaction to other odors was not affected. Their pups were found to be afraid of the odor and passed that fear down to their pups. The results suggest that the experiences of a parent, before conceiving offspring, markedly influence both structure and function in the nervous system of subsequent generations. The authors hypothesized that micro-RNA involved in gene expression enter the bloodstream and deliver odor information to sperm cells. … Dias and Kessler maintained that these behavioral and olfactory effects “were inherited and were not socially transmitted from generation to generation” (p. 89). They reached this conclusion after conducting in vitro fertilization so that there would be no contact between parent mice and their offspring. Micro-RNA maintains the activity of the gene and it is possible that these activities can be inherited, even when the original stimulus for their expression is no longer present (Mattick et al., 2009).

Stanley Krippner, Ph.D.  https://cttjournal.org/transgenerational-trauma-effects-the-role-of-epigenetics/

 

I know that as far back as I can find, my family, especially on my dad’s side, has a trail of Godly men. My great, great ,great, grandfather, Jacob Cross, had written in his obituary that “he died true to his God and true to his church.” I no longer take for granted the Godly heritage in my past. It very well may have made things easier for the rest of us – a generational blessing if you will. It makes me happy to pass that on to my children and grandchildren. We are still responsible for our own choices, but an extra blessing can’t hurt. And if you come from a troubled past? You can still be the one to break the chain of fear and judgement and start your own generational blessing. I don’t think we even know the half of it. It will be interesting to see where these studies go.

A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous. Proverbs 13:22 

Celebrating Easter in Other Countries

 This week the Musings and the Notes from Papaw collide. (It means they’re both the same.)

Have you ever wondered how other countries celebrate Easter? Easter is when we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. In America, many go to a special church service, have a special Easter lunch with family, and decorate with flowers like the Easter lilies in this picture. Children often get Easter baskets with eggs that are supposed to come from the “Easter Bunny”.

Easter Around The World.

Here in America, it’s the beginning of Spring. For the Southern Hemisphere however, it’s turning to Fall. Things are getting colder. In Australia, many celebrate with hot cross buns - a spiced sweet bread marked with a cross. They think of rabbits as pests so there is no Easter Bunny. Instead they have the Easter Bilby, an endangered species that kind of looks like a rabbit. In Vanuatu, a South Pacific island, they like to have a sunrise service for worship. In Columbia, there are solemn processions in the streets during Holy week.

In Africa churches are adorned with butterflies, flowers and bright colors. The night before Easter morning they have a vigil that begins quietly but erupts into singing and dancing at sunrise.

In the Philippines, Easter morning begins with two separate processions. The men follow an image of Jesus, while the women follow one of his mother Mary. At the church, they encourage each other that Jesu has risen.

In India, there is not a very large percentage of Christians. Instead they have a Spring festival. They often purchase lavishly decorated egg for their children.

In Europe, there are many different fun traditions. Germany is the originator of the Easter egg. They even put them on Easter trees.  In Poland, families gather for Easter Sunday breakfast, which often includes a sweet bread called babka. In the French town of Bessières, people gather together to cook a giant omelet. It is said to go back to the time of Napoleon. I guess he really liked omelets!

Meals, festivals, and candy are all fun as long as we don’t forget What Easter really stands for. Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord was crucified, buried in a tomb, and according to the scriptures raised the third day to take His place in heaven as our mediator and High Priest before God. Enjoy the season; just don’t forget the sacrifice!

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Matthew 28:5-8

Until Next Week!

Most information is from https://www.wycliffe.org/blog/featured/how-easter-is-celebrated-in-countries-around-the-world

It’s Lonely at the Top, Especial When You Don’t Realize You’re There…

As teachers, we can often feel we are on our own - huge responsibility, held to a high standard, often juggling many responsibilities. While we are often feeling overwhelmed (but not showing it) our students look up to us. Oh, high schoolers don’t acknowledge it very often, but it still sneaks through. Show any kind of extra skill and you are now “the GOAT”. It took me a while to realize this was a good thing and not students making fun of me. There are things I have learned to do very well over my 40+ years of teaching. A simple cut with a scalpel or scissors in a dissection that the students couldn’t manage and I’m now the “greatest of all time” – the GOAT.  And although I feel really well supported by our admins, Sometimes I feel that the little “miracles” we do in the classroom often go unnoticed. Or so I thought.

In the last month I have received two special notes from some of our precious early elementary students. One was thanking me for allowing their class to come see the science room and all the animals. Another told me how much they liked science and how they wanted to be a scientist like me. I didn’t even know they knew who I was. I started noticing how many called my name if I was over on their campus helping fix the Wi-Fi or a colleague’s computer. They loved seeing me there. I would get hi-fives, some of them super hard, because “I’m tough” I guess. I began to realize just how high they perceived I was. While I was feeling like I wasn’t enough, they were aspiring to get to where I was.

So I wrote special notes thanking them for their notes, and delivered a little box of candy to each of those students. You would have thought they had met the president.

 Typically, I walk like a man with a mission. I don’t mean to ignore people; at my age I’m just trying to remember where I’m going and what I’m going to do when I get there. I’ve decided to slow down. I’m taking the hi-fives and fist bumps more seriously now. I don’t want to be up here all by myself. I want them to come join me. Many don’t believe they can, not yet. But hopefully they will.

So who will you pass today that secretly hopes you will notice them? It might be at church, at the store, or even in front of your house. It could be a friend, a student, a grandchild. Be sure to slow down and lift somebody up with you. It can be lonely sometimes at the top, but it’s a great view.  Make sure you share it.

 

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!