I’ve been focused on other things since Friday – so if you happened to notice that I haven’t been posting, that’s why. Friday I spent cleaning and baking – which was very nice. You know how much I enjoy my time in the kitchen! Saturday I didn’t do much with the computer, Sunday we went to spend some time with my son, who is nearby for some training for work, and yesterday, well, yesterday I worked! Somehow, before I knew it, the time had passed, and I hadn’t written a single post. I guess we all need to step away now and again, so I did!
Verse of the Day
April 9, 2019
The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.
Thoughts on the Verse of the Day
Some speak of Mother Nature, but the Scripture speaks of The Mighty One, God the LORD, who controls our universe and sustains our world. He speaks and they do his bidding. This is the LORD who listens to our prayers and who acts for our well-being. He is the God who sustained his people and sent Jesus to fulfill his promises. He is the God who will bring us home. We can have confidence in our future with him!
www.verseofthe day.com
Finding Peace in Simple Moments
Like any Mama with an empty nest, I miss my kids and grandkids very much. I think about them all the time, and I text or talk with my kids. They send me pictures of the grandkids and keep me updated about what is going on in their lives. That isn’t the same as seeing them in person though. On Sunday we took a 4-hour round trip drive to meet up with my son, have dinner and a little visit. The best part of the whole trip, besides a lovely drive with my Hubby, was the hug I got from my son when I got out of the car. There is something about hugs from my kids and grandkids that fills my heart with such happiness.
Holy Humor Month
Appomattox Day – Today is a HUGE day in history! Today is the anniversary of the day the Civil War ended in 1865. It happened in the village of Appomattox Court House, Virginia when Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant of the Union Army accepted the surrender of General Robert E. Lee of the Confederate Army. By all the accounts I’ve read it was pretty civilized and polite. The Confederate soldiers were allowed to keep their horses and return to their homes. The officers were allowed to keep their side arms and swords also. To me it feels like the two officers met, one said, OK, we’re done. The other accepted it, everyone picked up their stuff and went home. This conflict had lasted for four bloody, awful, terrifying and heartbreaking years, costing more than a half million lives, and just like that, with a polite few words, it was over. The biggest celebration of this day so far was in 1965 during the Civil Warm centennial year. Thousands of people attended the ceremonies at the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park. It was a pretty big deal that two of the participants in the celebration were Ulysses S. Grant III, the grandson of the Union Leader, and Robert E. Lee, IV, the great-grandson of the Confederate leader. There were costumed pageants, books and articles about the war, concerts of martial music and reenactments. This anniversary isn’t observed on a yearly basis, but there are still reenactments of the historical surrender from time to time.
Jenkins Ear Day – I love history, I loved it in school, and I love it now. We learn so much about where we, as human beings, were before now, and we recognize the places we continue to repeat. They say history repeats itself, and quite honestly, wars are one of the things that humanity seems doomed to repeat. This one is pretty interesting, and I’ll try to keep it brief, but it’s a bit of a story. Hope you have a cup of coffee or tea handy! As a part of the Treaty of Utrecht which ended the War of the Spanish Succession, Britain received a 30-year trade agreement from Spain which allowed the British merchants to trade up to 500 tons of goods with the Spanish colonies each year, and it also allowed them to sell an unlimited number of slaves. (I hear the gasp of horror at the word slavery from here – no, the settlers in the Americas did not have a corner on the slave market – as awful as slavery is, it’s been a part of human history since nearly the beginning of time, so unwad your panties at this point, OK? Nobody is saying slavery is fine – this is history. Can’t change what happened by not talking about it.) Throughout this time, even though there was a treaty in effect, the operation of day to day business of trading was not running smoothly because of military conflicts that were going on between the two nations. After the Anglo-Spanish War (1727-1729), Britain granted Spain the right to stop British ships to make sure that the terms of the agreement were being followed. Since the Spanish authorities believed that the British were taking advantage of the treaty and smuggling, they began to board and seize British ships, as well as holding and torturing their crews. This, of course, led to an increase in tensions between the two countries, and there began an anti-Spanish sentiment in Britain. First Minister Sir Robert Walpole wanted to avoid war, of course, and was pressured into sending more troops to Gibraltar and sent a fleet to the West Indies. To counter this move, King Philip V suspended the treaty and confiscated British ships in Spanish ports. Both sides said they wanted to avoid a military conflict – though it’s hard to see that through their actions to this point – so they met at Pardo to see if they could reach a diplomatic resolution. The result was the Convention of Pardo, which was signed in early 1739, but it proved to be pretty unpopular in Britain and the public was clamoring for war. Both sides violated the conventions terms repeatedly, and though he was reluctant to do so, Walpole officially declared war on October 23, 1739. The term “War of Jenkins’ Ear” comes from Captain Robert Jenkins who had his ear cut off by the Spanish Coast Guard in 1731. When he was asked to appear in Parliament to tell his story, Captain Jenkins displayed his ear during his testimony. In one of the first actions of the war, Vice Admiral Edward Vernon descended on Porto Bello, Panama with six ships, attacking the Spanish town, which was poorly defended. He captured it quickly and stayed there for three weeks. At the early part of 1740, both sides thought that France would enter the war on the side of Spain, which resulted in invasion scares in Britain and resulted in most of their military strength staying in Europe. Meanwhile, here in the Americas, Governor James Oglethorpe of Georgia set off on an expedition into Spanish Florida with the goal of capturing St. Augustine. Starting in June he began to bombard the city, while Royal Navy forces blocked the port. The Spanish were successfully able to penetrate the blockade and the English were forced to abandon the siege and go back to Georgia. At this point, even though the Royal Navy was focused on defense at home, they did form a squadron in late 1740, under Commodore George Anson, to raid Spanish possessions in the Pacific. Anson’s squadron departed British shores on September 18, 1740, encountering severe weather and horrible disease. They were reduced to one ship, but he still succeeded in capturing the treasure galleon Nuestra Señora de Covadonga off the Philippines coast on June 20, 1743. Bolstered by this success, several other attacks were launched, some successfully, some not, over the following months and years. Back in George, Oglethorpe was still in command of the colony’s military forces even though he had failed in St. Augustine. In the summer of 1742, Governor Manuel de Montiano of Florida advanced north and landed on St. Simon’s Island. Oglethorpe’s forces moved to meet this threat and won the Battles of Bloody Marsh and Gully Hole Creek, making Montiano to retreat back to Florida. While ALL this was going on in the War of Jenkin’s Ear (which seems odd to me to name it that since there’s very little actually said historically about Jenkin’s ear at all), the War of the Austrian Succession had broken out in Europe. To bring this to a quick end, when all was said and done, after all the bloodshed, the grief, the loss . . . Spain brought BACK the treaty for 100,000 pounds (I don’t know how to make the symbol for that) while agreeing to let Britain trade freely in its colonies. Seriously? All of that grief could have been avoided way back in the beginning because they were BACK where they started! And so, the world goes around and around doomed to repeat its mistakes and not learning from them.
National Cherish an Antique Day – If you look around your house, can you see something that was passed down from your Parents, Grandparents, or Great Grandparents that is special to you? Today is a really good day to learn the story and history behind this treasure. Antiques are often loved and appreciated because of our personal emotional connection, and the family history that comes with them. My treasures are two miniature tea sets from my Grandmother. They sat on a corner shelf in her kitchen and every time I would go to my Grandma’s house I would climb up on a chair and look at them. I don’t know if you can see it in this picture or not but to the left of the picture are two little corner shelves. On each shelf, behind other miscellaneous treasures, sat the two tea sets. Sometimes Grandma would take a set down, wash it up and we would have a little tea party at the kitchen table. Every time she would tell me that someday these little rose covered tea sets would be mine. I remember worrying when other Granddaughters came along that Grandma would forget and give the sets to one of them, but Grandma was always very verbal about it to everyone, who got what was a common topic in their house. I would give the sets back if it meant having my Grandma with us again, but I know she’s happier in heaven, so these little teapots and cups hold memories of happy times with her. Someday Baby B will have one, and if I ever end up with another Granddaughter, she will get the other. These are pretty special to me and I cannot wait to have little tea parties with my sweet girl(s).
National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day – As much as I hate talking about anything that paints the previous resident of the White House in a good light, I do think that this is an important recognition day. I’ve copied and pasted the actual proclamation.
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
Under the flag of the United States, generations of women and men, united in a common cause greater than themselves, have served to defend the ideals that bind us together as a Nation and that preserve our country as a beacon of hope and freedom around the world. On National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day, we salute the selfless service members throughout our history who gave of their own liberty to ensure ours, and we renew our commitment to remaining a Nation worthy of their extraordinary sacrifices.
In wars and engagements since America’s founding, brave patriots have experienced indescribable suffering as prisoners of war. Often physically and mentally tortured, starved, and put through the worst most of us could imagine, these heroes are owed a debt we can never fully repay, and their families — who exhibited tremendous fortitude in the face of grueling uncertainty — are worthy of our profound gratitude. The values of honor, courage, and selflessness that drive our Armed Forces are particularly acute in those who have been taken as prisoners of war, sustaining them through days, weeks, and sometimes years of profound hardship endured for the sake of securing the blessings of liberty for all.
America’s former prisoners of war — and all who don our uniform to keep us safe — have helped make our Nation the strongest and most prosperous in the history of the world. Our eternal obligation is to care for them and uphold our everlasting promise to never leave our men and women on the battlefield behind. Let us reaffirm our adherence to these ideals and honor our former prisoners of war by paying them the gratitude and respect they deserve.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 9, 2016, as National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day. I call upon all Americans to observe this day of remembrance by honoring all American prisoners of war, our service members, and our veterans. I also call upon Federal, State, and local government officials and organizations to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fortieth.
BARACK OBAMA
Winston Churchill Day – Today we honor a great man, and we do it today because on this day in 1963, Winston Churchill became an honorary U.S. citizen . . . the first person ever to become an honorary citizen. Sadly, he was given this honor posthumously. I have to wonder how he would have felt about it if he had been alive. There have only been 6 people – two are a married couple who received it together) to be given this honor. So, what does it take to become an honorary citizen? Well, you have to have made extraordinary accomplishments or contributions in your life, a law must be drafted and voted on by the U.S. Senate. The best way I can say to celebrate this one would be by reading and learning about Winston Churchill, Britain’s Prime Minister during WWII.
Food Celebration of the Day –
National Chinese Almond Cookie Day – Cookbook author Yuan-Shan Chi declared these cookies “as Chinese as blueberry pie” in 1960. Authentic or not, they’re still a treat at the end of a meal.
New York Bakery Chinese Cookies
OK, I’m out of here! I am going in a little early each day for the next few weeks so I can build up some extra time to use when Little Miss B comes to visit this summer. It’s easier on my day to go in early than it would be to stay late. Have a wonderful day! God bless you and I’ll see you tomorrow.
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Celebration list sources:
www.verseoftheday.com www.brownielocks.com www.holidayinsights.com www.thenibble.com www.foodimentary.com