Random Quotes

When I am tired and need a break from studying I have found Great Quotations That Shaped the Western World a relaxing read. Below are some random quotes that I came across last night.

Ardant Du Picq

(French Colonel who wrote Battle Studies (1880))
"Discipline cannot be secured or created in a day. It is an institution, a tradition."

Blaise Pascal

(French, philosopher and mathematician, who discovered probability theory)
"Cleopatra's nose, had it been shorter, the whole face of the world would have been changed."

"The heart has reason's which reason knows nothing of."

"The best function of reason is to recognize that there is an infinity of things which surpass it."

Sir Winston Churchill

(English, prime minister)
"I think "No comment" is a splendid expression. I am using it again and again. I got it from Summer Wells."

"The Germans combine in the most deadly manner the qualities of the warrior and slave."

I asked my Grandma what was so interesting about Churchill. Her response, "Now that would be an interesting study. He was what the Bible would call a double -minded man, you know, who is unstable in all his ways. Sometimes he made the most brilliant of decisions, others, the most stupid. He seemed to be proud of his own mind." I found her take amusing and interesting as she was a contemporary of Churchill and watched the same world events occur (albeit from a distance).

My take on Churchill is this, He was a man out to make a name for himself (In Genesis we are told that the people who were building the tower of Babel were out to make a name for themselves) perhaps because he feared oblivion. He had a passion to advance the British Empire and he saw that the underlying foundation of Christian beliefs were the bedrock that made England great. In any case I do believe he is an interesting study.

Richard Rumbold

(Scottish, Puritan Solder. These were his last words on the scaffold)
"I never would believe that Providence had sent a few men into the world, ready booted and spurred to ride, and millions ready saddled and bridled to be ridden"

Christy's Birthday

Christy had a birthday May 16th. She is twenty-years-old! Happy birthday Christy:)

Christy is a nursing student, and a CNA.

She can play the upright base and is an accomplished pianist.

She loves to clean and make jewelry. And she (along with Joy) can tell the funniest stories.

We love you Christy!

Time for study (but I am blogging instead)

"I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it it short"

- Blaise Pascal

I have a huge amount of studying to accomplish and am going to run six miles tonight, but I can't relax so I decided to post here first. I was re-reading some of Lewis Carroll's, "Through the Looking Glass." When I was little we had an illustrated copy of "Through the Looking Glass." The pictures in it were so graphic that as a child I used to pour over them again and again. The personalities were so perplexing to me. (the Walrus and the Carpenter). There was one particular section that always horrified my sister and I-- it was the part where the Walrus and the Carpenter were crying for the oysters they were going to eat. Here is the part:

" I weep for you, "the Walrus said:

"I deeply sympathise."

With sobs and tears he sorted out Those of the largest size,

Holding his pocket-handkerchief

Before his streaming eyes.

Then here is Alice's response.

"I like the Walrus best, "said Alice:

"because he was a little worried for the poor oysters."

"He ate more than the Carpenter,

though," said Tweedledee. . .

"That was mean!" Alice said indignantly.

"Then I like the Carpenter best -- if he didn't eat as many as the Walrus."

But he ate as many as he could get,"

said Tweedledum.

There was also a picture toward the end of the book of a winged dragonish monster that was perpetually weeping and sad. I hated it. He was always crying. It is fun to go back over them. I am a sucker for children's books especially classics. :)

PS: I am currently studying the Law Code of Hammurabi and of ancient near eastern civilizations. Interesting fact. We have never found a law code for Egypt.

Random: Spring 2011

Written Record

Last night I was laying in bed thinking about this passage.

On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.

-Esther 6:1-3-

“It is not deeds or acts that last: it is the written record of those deeds and acts”

-Elbert Hubbard (1856-1915)-

Verse one, when I was little, always surprised me. It still does somewhat. I was like, "the king had to keep a special book of good things, that happened to him, because he could not remember?" And the words! "Book of Records" "Chronicles." It sounded special. It had a place. But it is true. Especially if you are in a position of prominence, authority, however small, you have too much on your mind. Things to accomplish and complete. Deadlines and appointments. Commitments. Goals. You cannot possibly remember everything. You are expected too and you should.

"But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more."

-Luke 12:48-

Sometimes writing things and thoughts down creates the permanent mental note but not always. Some people are really good at just mental notes. But, no one is really perfect at this. Only God can keep perfect complete order and mental memory of everything.

Everyone writes different things down. We write personal dictations to ourselves to not forget certain things. We write lists and memos. Ideas and thoughts. Assessments and conclusions. Memories and expressions. Observations and deductions. Our wants. Desires. Needs. Longings. All these things are about us. Self. It is not bad but it is one-tracked and than we can become blinded to important happenings about and around us that involve us.

Have you ever recorded your blessings? Things that others have done for you? Written down the answers to prayers you have prayed?

I have to write things down, I do not want to forget certain things, and I want to ask Him about different thoughts I have. If I do not I can become bogged down with things that are important but I do not need to be dwelling on them that much.

Many, O LORD my God, are Thy wonderful works which Thou hast done, and Thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto Thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

-Psalm 40:5-

He knows your thoughts and needs before you even think them and ask Him. (Psalm 139:1-18, Matthew 6:32).

How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them.

-Psalm 139:17-

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

-Jeremiah 29:11-

God has thoughts of us all the time. We are unaware of it. We do not think about it because we are not thinking about Him.

Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

-Proverbs 16:3-

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,

Nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.

He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,

That brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither.

-Psalm 1:1-3-

How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.

-Psalm 119:9-

God's revealing of His thoughts and testament toward us is His recorded Scripture.

"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever."

-Isaiah 40:8-

Every Word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.

-Proverbs 30:5-

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.

-I Corinthians 2:9-

"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."

-Matthew 7:24-27-

(This was written by one of the sisters who loves to write her thoughts in organized collections of musings).

Love This Version and Song

Take a few moments to listen. It is uplifiting.
http://youtu.be/0cAvqByM1Fk

Across the Blog Heading . . .

Yeah, I am the cool guy who took that awesome picture.

Summery Times

These are from 2010. It is still Springy and chilly outside.

Looking at these pictures warms me up!

Mom's Birthday

Our radiant mother had a birthday May the third.

(Mom and all her daughters Easter 2011)

And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

~Matthew 6

Remember

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:7

Saint Patrick's Day 2011.

Did you know: The protestants wore orange and the Catholics wore green. The colors of the Irish flag are orange, green and white.

Saint Patrick converted Ireland to Christianity. The Protestants do not approve of celebrating Saint Days because the Saints are associated with the Catholic Church. In reality the Roman Catholic Church has stolen all of the great Evangalists and made them Saints so that people will give credit to the Roman Catholic Church.

God of my Salvation

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

~Habakkuk 3~

Katie Girl Birthday

Our lovely little niece turns four-years-old today.
We all remember the day was born because we watched her birth!

She is following in her Aunt Jill's footsteps and loves to put on makeup and nail-polish.
Happy Birthday Katie!

Jenny's Birthday

Did you know the name Jennifer means "white" " or "fair".

Funny thing about it, is Jenny has been told many times that she looks like Snow White.

I'm not sure exactly what Snow White looks like but Grimm's fairy tales describes her beautifully. Her complexion was white like snow, with hair as black as coal, and lips as red as roses.
Talk about description!
Anyway, we will have some party pics up soon. Happy Birthday Jenny!

People think it is impossible . . .

to feel special . . .

in a big family . . .

with lots of children.

I assure you that it is just the opposite!