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Ok, so I tend to be a “buy the cheap brand and who cares” kind of gal, but this Docker’s ad has tempted me to brand loyalty. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not foolish enough to think that this is some grand political statement by the company in favor of supporting man in a male-bashing world. It’s an advertisement. The point is to sell pants. Lots of pants. Great, heaping gobs of trousers for men. That’s why they made the ad campaign. That’s why they’re doing this. It’s about the bottom line. Pun intended. However, they’re going to sell lots more than just men’s pants with this campaign. They’ll probably sell a lot of women’s pants too. That’s ok. That’s the purpose of the Docker’s company. To make lots of money. They aren’t in business as a charity.
However, I must stand and applaud any company who recognizes that in our world of “women power”, “female empowerment”, “metro-sexual” semi-androgny, and “anything a man can do we can do better”, it’s kind of nice to see that someone recognizes the traditional masculine male as a valid and respected member of society. Someone was willing to take the chance on the criticism they are bound to receive, and say, “To heck with it, we’re doing it anyway.”
Of course, their demographics studies probably showed a huge proportion of their sales coming from American men buying khakis for their Sunday church-going clothes and figured it was time to pay tribute to those customers before they lost them to Land’s End or something.
Why they did it (aside from the obvious monetary considerations), I don’t care. I’m just glad they did. And my husband is getting Dockers for Christmas. Shh. Don’t tell.
I remember a “Freedom Rally” we had in Noel, Missouri in the ninth grade. Joy Bates recited the Pledge of Allegiance and interspersed it with definitions… It was very enlightening to me. I tried to find the exact one she did and couldn’t. I did find this one that is similar by Red Skelton.
The Pledge of Allegiance explained by Red Skelton
I – - Me; an individual; a committee of one.
Pledge – - Dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without self-pity.
Allegiance – - My love and my devotion.
To the Flag – - Our standard; Old Glory ; a symbol of Freedom; wherever she waves there is respect, because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts, Freedom is everybody’s job.
United – - That means that we have all come together.
States – - Individual communities that have united into forty-eight great states. Forty-eight individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose. All divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common purpose, and that is love for country.
And to the Republic – - Republic–a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern. And government is the people; and it’s from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people.
For which it stands
One Nation – - One Nation–meaning, so blessed by God.
Indivisible – - Incapable of being divided.
With Liberty – - Which is Freedom; the right of power to live one’s own life, without threats, fear, or some sort of retaliation.
And Justice – - The principle, or qualities, of dealing fairly with others.
For All – - For All–which means, boys and girls, it’s as much your country as it is mine.
And now, boys and girls, let me hear you recite the Pledge of Allegiance: I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic, for which it stands; one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Since I was a small boy, two states have been added to our country, and two words have been added to the Pledge of Allegiance: Under God. Wouldn’t it be a pity if someone said that is a prayer, and that would be eliminated from schools, too?
Red Skelton
In addition to that… there is this thing my friend Julie posted on her facebook notes.
Written in 1917 and accepted by the House in April 1918, this piece was the winner of a writing contest designed to encouraged patriotism after the US had entered the First World War.
“I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed, a democracy in a republic, a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.
I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it, to support its Constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies.”
I know that America is not the only country on the planet. I know that other people are just as patriotic and love their countries just as deeply. However, while I sit here in my American home, I praise the Lord that He’s given me a home here in the land of the free and the Brave.
I love our system of government. It grieves me to see Americans tossing our heritage aside in an attempt to “ape” other countries. We don’t need to create our own system of socialism in order to see that it doesn’t work. Watching the world’s systems of taxation and nationalized health care shows people on waiting lists for simple procedures and an amazing number coming to America instead. Why are we trying to recreate what has already proven to fail.
Freedom is precious. However, due to peer pressure and concern for “looking” politically correct rather than serving the best interests of our nation and our freedoms, we’re about to toss aside more of our freedoms in order to “look good” to the United Nations. A treaty, in our system of government, supersedes our constitution. If the UN Treaty on the Rights of the Child is passed, parental rights will be tossed down the governmental drain. No longer will parents be able to decide if being held back or advanced to the next grade based upon their knowledge of their child’s strengths and weaknesses is the right decision. No, now the collective thoughts of whomever, in addition to the child’s wishes will suddenly replace parental decisions. Never fear, however, you’ll still be responsible for those decisions made for you. It’s the best of both worlds. You get all the work done for you and if it fails, never fear! They’ll blame you. If the ‘collective’ decides that ten year olds need to be allowed freedom of sexual expression, forget parental concerns of the physical, psychological, spiritual, and emotional ramifications of that decision, the parents’ hands will be tied.
Do I think that extreme scenarios like that will be the norm? No. Frankly, I don’t. Not in my lifetime anyway. However, I do believe that the unlikelihood of something being used as an extreme is not sufficient reason to reject it. The fact is, once passed, our hands are tied. Once we accept this kind of international governmental intrusion into our families, America as we know it, is gone. Our ancestors already wouldn’t recognize this country. Less than one hundred years ago, income tax as we know it didn’t exist. The originators of our current welfare system, less than fifty years ago, wouldn’t recognize what has happened to it. Twenty years ago, the intrusion into our privacy thanks to the recent “Patriot Act” would have caused an uproar in almost every segment of society.
I am seriously afraid that instead of celebrating America’s Birthday, we’re very close to metaphorically celebrating her retirement.
One quiet house, a cool glass of water, a bag of “red hots” (the right kind… Brach’s Cinnamon Imperials), a warm cozy blanket, and a magazine. it’s a recipe for relaxation.
About four months ago, I heard about a new magazine, life: beautiful, and decided to subscribe. I don’t subscribe to any other magazines but since it was a Christian oriented magazine, I thought it might be nice to see what the hubub was all about and since living in the desert means that our news stands are limited to BH&G and People, I decided to treat myself to a year. If I didn’t like it, I didn’t have to renew my subscription.
So, sipping on my water with a red hot tucked in my cheek very much like a squirrel and her acorns, I opened the Spring, 2009 issue of life: beautiful.
Pretty isn’t it? Ok, so you can read the cover topics yourself. I opened it and immediately there is a two page spread of a barn with two adorable little lambs. It announces “Spring” and a tribute to the beauty of God’s gift of nature in spring is written as a prayer and followed by the text from Genesis 1:1. Two small paragraphs on two full pages. Refreshing… as long as other pages have a little more to them.
Next we have the letter (which in my late night exhaustion I just spelled “ledder”. Oh yes, I kin spelt that werd). The topic? The beauty of God’s hand in everything- even adversity. I was encouraged by it. I got a glimpse of what is coming in the magazine and the table of contents on the next pages gave me a more detailed idea of how I will be spending the next hour!
This magazine has a particular emphasis on beauty. I like that aspect. I know many magazines are about “beauty” but this is the first one that I personally have seen that seems to truly capture that. The photography is stunning and the constant use of it is exciting. I am rapidly becoming a fan, just for the pictures. This could be a negative thing. After thirty some odd years of being captivated by words, I am now reverting back to ‘looking at the pictures’.
The first article is by the editor. 10 Secrets to Happiness. I love number one but um… is it evil that I am thoroughly annoyed at a sentence that is ambiguous at best? Seriously, if she is trying to tell me that her mother-in-law’s last name is Marie but she goes by it as a first name and she’s known that woman for thirty years, then say so. If that’s not what she’s trying to tell me, well, that’s what I finally deduced from the awkward sentence. It was frustrating. Minor, I grant you. On the other hand, I think I would love to meet this woman she’s talking about… the one I’m calling Marie even if it isn’t her name.
Numbers two, three, and four are predictable. They’re good reminders and I’m not suggesting that they shouldn’t be in there. I just wonder if perhaps a new spin on them could take something we’ve all heard repeatedly, and make it come alive for us in ways it never has yet. I loved number five. It too is a little predictable but unlike the others, she added enough of a personal anectdote and instead of hearing the same-old, same-old… we got something fresh and interesting. Three cheers for number five. Six fits with the others though. Good reminder but not so good presentation. Seven, is new. It’s not something I’ve heard people say when talking about happiness so I was excited about that. I think her conclusion was presumptive at best and more likely, weak. However, the originality of the idea carries it anyway in my opinion. Eight is a good reminder, given in an encouragng way, and without the weaknesses of some of the other points. While it lacked the punch of number five, I immediately thought of ways to apply it so I’m giving it a double thumbs up too.
On the next page are numbers nine and ten. I must confess, the beautiful picture on the page did capture my interest before following the article did, but I don’t see that it’s such a terrible thing. I did finally continue the article and I loved number nine. It wasn’t original like five or the consistent reminder of eight. Rather, it was a glimpse into who an inwardly happy person becomes and how much that blesses others. I’m not sure that was the author’s point- I think she suggested praying for a happy heart, but my reaction was more of a , this is the result of infusing the other suggestions into your life. I never do follow directions very well.
It is very “Spiritually Incorrect” to be annoyed at any admonition to “get in the Word first thing every morning” so I’ll just have to be spiritually incorrect. I was irritated. It wasn’t that we all know to do this. We do, but it never hurts to be reminded. It was just so utterly predictable. I could have told you before I started the article that it would be one of the suggestions and if I was my grandfather the compulsive gambler, I would have put good money on it being the last suggestion. I think I’d have only had a hint of mild irritation if the emphasis hadn’t been on “first thing”. I get so tired of the presumption that if you don’t start your day in the Word, you aren’t giving God your best. Everytime I’ve tried to do this, I’ve grown very stagnant in my relationship with the Lord. I am just not alert enough in the morning to answer a semi-intelligent question from Lorna much less read God’s inspired Word with any kind of clarity. So, while I don’t argue that it is a good suggestion, it was cliche and it was very frustrating to see the eternal ‘first thing’ emphasis. Again.
So, the first article, while not life changing by a long shot, was a gentle nudge to remind us all that happiness is a condition of the heart that springs from correct thinking and a focus on the true Source of happiness. All in all, if I had to rate the article with one to five star, I’d give it a two and a half or three.
Next, there is a lovely calendar for March, April, and May. These have four scripture suggestions for reading every day. I assume this takes you through the Bible in a year or something. I love the calendar and if I used one of those homemaking notebook things, I’d tear them out, hole punch them, and stick them in the binder. Why not have pretty pages!
Next is the “Family” section. This is a question and answer session with James Dobson. I assume it’s their version of “Dear Abby” but with parenting as an emphasis. While I didn’t agree with him on everything he said (and let’s face it, I don’t agree with everything anyone says), aside from the comment than an undeveloped 13 year old needs a bra to ‘compete’ with her peers, most of it was sound. (Yes, I agreed with him that th 13 year old undeveloped girl needed a bra. If everyone at school is wearing them, kids are cruel and it’s not going to hurt the girl to wear it if she wants to. Thank the Lord for homeschooling so this isn’t something I have to consider.)
Next, is the marriage section with Gary Smalley. Ok, I confess, I was already feeling a bit unimpressed from the last section so I expected to disappointed. While the parenting questions I’d give a two at best, the article Forgiving a Difficult Spouse rates a four. It didn’t blame you for your spouse’s failures but neither did it give you room to seethe. The point, obviously, is how to forgive- how to ‘be the better person’ as my dad always said. He didn’t mean of course, that you are superior to another when you ‘are the better person’; he just meant that someone has to do the right thing so why be that person? It was definitely an article I’d recommend to someone encountering anything from a normal bump in the road of matrimony to a completely washed out section of highway. It was clear, scriptural, and encouraging while gently wielding a very much needed 2×4 to the cranial region.
Oh the next page was delightful! It’s the section “Finds”. Here, they show us the cool beans things that might just make our wallets cringe but definitely would make some of us grin! For instance, check out this gorgeous bowl set from White Forest Pottery.
Think Kevin would mind if I spent $300 on a gorgeous set of nesting bowls? Yeah. Me too. I think I’ll have to try them with paper mache or something. Not as functional but just as lovely. This little bowl makes me smile and the price is definitely more ‘doable’.
Another suggetion were these gourmet candies. They’re “Honey Caramel Bees“ from John and Kira’s.
Can someone explain to me why I am revolted at the idea of eating cute little bee candies but their ’boutique ladybug’ counterparts don’t seem to faze me? Anyway, these too are out of my price range but they’re adorable anyway. As always, the pictutres that they have of these and several other items, are exquisite, large enough to see true detail, and make you want to drool. Just a bit. Where did I put that napkin?
Oh boy. The next is an article by Joyce Meyer. I’m not exactly a fan but I’m going to try to go into it with an open mind and see what happens. The title: The Problem with Change. Ok, it was good. I liked the article. Only one statement jumped out at me as “erroneous”. You can’t make a blanket statement that good intentions only drive you deeper into a rut. That is just too broad to be supportable. On the other hand, she said one thing that I found brilliant. Simple… nothing we don’t know, but worded in a fresh way that jumped out and smiled at me. She said, “You don’t have to be a superhero. Give yourself permission to be who you are- an imperfect human being who needs help!” Hallelujah. The end of the article states that this article is based somehow on Ms. Meyer’s book, 100 Ways to Simplify Your Life and can be purchased here. This one definitely gets a 4 star rating. Oh and the section was Life: Teaching. Thought you oughtta know.
Oh goodie. The next section is crafts! Yeeeee haw! I love crafts. Off to read. (psst. The pictures are already amazingly gorgeous!) How interesting. Three craft ideas on a two page spread with one of those pages being a single gorgeous picture. The other page is half instructions and half pictures. The instructions are VERY clear, the ideas are VERY simple, but they’re fun! They’re definitely economical and the results shouldn’t be difficult to achieve. All in all, while one is absurdly simple and not anything we haven’t seen a dozen times, it does fit nicely with the other two so it makes sense that they included it. I’m seriously tempted to weave me a message board… it looks cool! Too bad I don’t use them. Does anyone need a new message board at their house?
So far, by the way, the only advertisements have been for the magazine itself. I’m on page 22 and still no sign of them.
Life: Dinnertime. Oh the table is gorgeous. Those square plates I drooled over at White Forest Pottery are waiting for the meal to come! Vases from the same website are there and I would almost bet that those bowls are there too. The next two pages have a theme of “marigold yellow” from a design hint to the suggestion of using a bit of honey in your salad dressing. (It looks divine btw.) I did a double take at ‘naval oranges’. Do they have marine ones too? They suggest that you scoop a bit of store bought sorbet onto a cookie sheet before dinner and stick in the freezer. Then you go take them out, put them in footed glasses, add a sprig of mint, and serve. Now tell me, why the freezer bit? Seems like now you have another pan to wash. The cheese souffle sounds heavenly but there is no recipe so I’m not sure if havartia and blue cheese souffles are any good and if they are, I don’t know where to find a recipe for them. I’m not interested in their salad. Greens, fruit, and nuts topped with honey dijon mustard dressing sounds repulsive to me. Ugh.
Oh! Next is money or as they call it, life: finances with Ellie Kay. Never heard of her but that’s not to say she doesn’t have sound advice. Off to see! Ok, the article is in Q&A format but it took two very closely related questions and made them into a solid encouraging article for how to work together to spend and save wisely. Nothing earth shattering in the suggestions… but her personal story of what she did and how she did it when she tried to get out of severe personal debt was inspiring. I plan to share it with a friend who is almost at the point to get to do her own debt busting! I’ll give the article a 3 for helpfulness but a five for encouragement. It’s always nice to hear someone’s success story.
On to order! The order of the day? Gardening! A generic article encouraging you to get out there and do a little tilling and sowing! While not earth-shattering, I do confess, by the time I was done reading, I wanted to look at seed catalogs and I’d built a few raised beds in my mind. Oh, and I LOVE the idea of planting lettuce in pots along the north side of the girl’s room I am definitely going to consider that.
Ahh… sleep. The next section is on sleep and since I’m writing this at 1:29 in the morning, the irony is giving me the giggles. This is the “body” section. Let’s see what they have to say. I’m guessing a few reminders of how beneficial good sleep is, how God designed us to need it, and how most of us don’t get enough sleep. Am I right? Ok, I was right but I have to confess, the health information offered was different than I’ve ever read. In fact, it was such a compelling article, that I’m going to save the rest of this magazine for tomorrow. I’ll give this one a five star rating for taking a common subject and making me interested enough in it to follow its suggestions immediately.
Buenas noches mi amigas.
Nolan’s present finally arrived. The box was damaged, the box inside was damaged. I was concerned but thankfully it appears that everything is fine and can easily be built to proper specifications without further delay.
I was very frustrated. I ordered on the 9th. They didnt’ ship until the 19th. It didn’t arrive until the 26th.
Annoyance is an understatement. It was poor customer service all around. “Ships within 2-3 business days.” My eye.
Then I thought about the myriad of things that I ordered and shipped myself. They all arrived in plenty of time, in good condition, and without hiccoughs. I spent several days irritated every time I thought about Nolan’s present. I spent several days allowing myself to be bothered by something out of my control. I let someone else rob some of my joy of the season.
Why do we do that? Why do we let simple things drive us so crazy. It took almost no time to come up with an alternative gift, wrap it, and it was fine! It wasn’t ideal, no. But since when is every single aspect of life ideal? Any other time of year, I would just move along and do something else. At Christmas, it’s like a personal affront. I’m pretty sure that’s not the kind of attitude Jesus would want from me as part of a celebration of His birth!
Shame on me.
And shame on companies who do not provide reasonable customer service. (just had to say that don’tcha know.)
I enjoyed Christmas music…
- The Brother’s Four- What Child is This?
- Bing Crosby- White Christmas
- Jim Reeves- C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S
- Brenda Lee- Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree
- Statler Brothers- Carols Those Kids Used to Sing
- Chet Atkins- Little Drummer Boy
- Bing Crosby- Christmas in Killarney
- Mitch Miller and the Gang- Away in a Manger
- Deanna Durbin- Silent Night
- The Brother’s Four- Christmas is A Comin’
The list goes on nearly indefinitely. I think the 40’s and 50’s were the golden age of Christmas music. I’ve never heard anyone in the past 20 years do with music what those incredible singers like Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, and Judy Garland did back when enunciation mattered and musical arrangements were beautiful enough to stand alone but not so elaborate that they overrode the singer’s voice.
My heart swells as the harmony of The Brother’s Four sing…
“Oh holy night… the stars are brightly shining… it is the night of our dear Savior’s birth…”
I edited pictures of the grandkidlets…
We’re so blessed. Can you just imagine? One hundred years ago, portraits of children to capture their infancy and childhood were rare and expensive. Out of the financial reach of most. Even then they were highly posed and you got what you got.
Today, we take five hundred pictures, toss four hundred seventy of them and have thirty wonderful reminders of these days that fly by much faster than we ever imagined. I wouldn’t want to live in any other century.
Don’t forget to capture moments in your life. Not just take pictures of your children or get portraits taken, but actually capture moments of their life. Their hands as they work, their eyes as they light up, and their amazing little bodies in action. These days fly by. they’re gone in a moment. Capture the moment.
Oh drat. I meant to suggest that you capture the moment and forgot. Capture it.
A couple of years ago, we saw the movie, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Seemed like a dumb name to me but the movie was enjoyable and had a sweet plot. Of course, like all “teen movies” it focused on all the drama and “coming of age” things that those movies tend to capitalize on.
What it didn’t do was glorify foolish actions. In the first movie, one young woman tried to find happiness by chasing a guy and then tossing her virginity. Why did I let my older daughters watch it? Why watch something so absolutely unedifying and clearly not glorifying to God? Several reasons.
- They didn’t show it. You had no doubt what happened but you weren’t an eyewitness. I don’t care to watch that kind of stuff.
- They didn’t glorify it. Quite the contrary- they showed the reality of teen premarital sex. It’s not all that Hollywood usually makes it out to be. Makes out. Funny. They showed the girl hurting after her decision. They show her grieving and alone. It’s beautiful in its bittersweet sadness. I wanted to wrap my arms around her and tell her that Jesus could wash the pain and loneliness away.
- Repentance. The guy took advantage of a hurting young girl and then showed up to apologize.
So, when the second movie came out, I was afraid of it. The girls were in college now. They’d surely lose this theme. I expected more of this behavior but without the redeeming virtue of showing the downside. I was wrong.
Yes, this movie treats premarital sex as a norm. It’s not so much that “everyone does it” as it is “ok if they do.” Immediate consequences follow. Instant panic over a contraceptive failure leaves the character scared, feeling vulnerable, and realizing that there are consequences to actions.
Do I recommend the movie? Well, if you enjoy Gilmore Girls type TV shows, this movie is definitely one you’d probably enjoy but I am always cautious about recommending something with an obvious subplot that contains something so wrong- even if it is dealt with beautifully.
I’m just so tickled that Hollywood finally showed the other side. We wanted to stand and cheer. It was a similar feeling to that scene in Raising Helen where Joan Cuzak confronts her niece and boyfriend after the prom in a hotel room and gives them a tongue lashing for their stupidity.
I love the national anthem of Scotland. There is nothing that stirs my heart like the haunting wistful skirl of the bagpipes. I must confess these things before I continue.
I’ve never seen anything so funny as Greece, Kenya, Australia, Zambia, Mexico?, and other seemingly unrelated countries marching in the parade of nations to the tune of Scotland the Brave on the Bagpipes.
Is it just me or is that the most incongruous thing? Fortunately China managed to march to Chinese sounding tunes.
Now for the torch.
Then bed.
Maybe they’ll play Scotland the Brave as I go to sleep.
if they don’t, I can. I have the Ames Brothers doing “My Bonnie Lassie”.
I’ll meet her at the shore
Playin’ the pipes for her.
Dressed in a kilt and a tam o’ shanter too
That’s why the drums are drummin’
That’s why the pipes are hummin’
My bonnie lassie’s coming, coming to me!
Happy Birthday America! As a grateful citizen of these United States of America, I am proud to stand, sing our national anthem, salute the flag, and thank the Lord for the wisdom of our Founding Fathers. They designed a form of government with limited power and for good reason.
I realize that the lives of the early Americans were simpler and without the interconnectivity that we now enjoy, these limitations were both necessary and easy to implement. I also understand that with the world truly being neighbors in a way that our forefathers could not comprehend, the living out of these original governmental principles will look different today than it did two hundred thirty-two years ago. Romantic clinging to the simplicity of the past does not assure us a perfect life today.
However, our country has so far removed itself from the original intent of the authors of our foundational documents that one wonders if we are not becoming that which our predecessors fled, fought, and died to escape.
Have you read the Declaration of Independence lately? I’ve bolded a few areas that, instead of the King, could read Congress or the Supreme Court. Are we really willing to toss aside all that the heroes of yesteryear such as George Washington, Nathan Hale, Patrick Henry, and Thomas Jefferson so nobly fought to secure? It sure seems that way sometimes. Perhaps Americans need to read this document a bit more often. It’s a little like how most Christians could use a little more time in their Bibles to get to know what the Lord intended for His people. It’s not a direct parallel, I grant you but it feels similar in some ways.
IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
— John Hancock
Calvinism. Gather in theologically diverse circles and in no time, you’ll hear it come up. Someone will mention predestination, reformed theology, or free will and out come the Institutes of the Christian Religion.
In person, this is usually an engaging debate discussion and involves conflicting hermeneutics particularly in the rendering of the word “all” but I digress. Online, we have a serious communication issue stemming from two very important ‘isms’ in this discussion. Calvinism and Arminianism.
Let’s start with Arminianism. The online discussion often looks like a discusion of nationality rather than one of theology. When one is called an Arminian, one expects to be able to pull out one’s geneological tree and show that no where in one’s past is there anyone from Armenia. And, if one is a Calvinist and interesting enough to have someone from that fascinating place in their family tree, wouldn’t it be frustrating to be told that one isn’t an Armenian but a Calvinist as if they had anything to do with one another?
Armenian- One who lives in Armenia or who was born there and no longer lives there. It’s a simple definition.
Arminian- One who adheres to the theological position of Jacobus Arminius. (Once upon a time, a good example would be the Methodists but today there are so many branches and sub-branches of denominations that the name on the door isn’t very descriptive anymore.)
ArmEnian- Nationality
ArmnIan- Theology
Remember- E for ethnicitcity
– I for I believe
Now. Poor Calvan Calvin. He was born and christened John Calvin. Not VAN. His name is CalVIN.
VIN like A car… any car. Doesn’t matter.
VAN is only one car.
CalvIn. I for Institutes of the Christian Religion
NO A… like “not All.” (A friendly joke and tease to my beloved Calvinist friends who know how much I respect their theologians.)
Calvanism scares me. What if it means that we’re all forced to live in Vans or something. I like L.A. Gear!
