FATHERING

First the news comes – you’re going to be one.

Then you find yourself holding your first son.

A second blessing; two sons in a row;

It’s “Fathering 101” – – – “on-the-go.”

You find your wife is pregnant again,

(Is hoping for a girl a big, bad sin?)

She comes, a thrill to her mom’s heart;

There’re three kids now in the grocery cart.

Finally, a second daughter blesses your soul,

Four kiddos made the family “perfect” and whole.

– eab, 8/07

Read Full Post »

Cromwell – born

ON THIS DATE

Oliver Cromwell was born 4/25/1599 at Huntingdon, England.  He received his education at the grammar school in Huntingdon (now Cromwell Museum) & at Cambridge.  He converted to being a Puritan at 28.

In August of 1620, Oliver Cromwell married Elizabeth Bourchier, born in 1598 the oldest of 12. Their marriage was a happy one.  While on a campaign in Scotland, Oliver wrote Elizabeth, ‘Thou art dearer to me than any creature; let that suffice’ & ‘My Dearest, I could not satisfy myself to omit this post, although I have not much to write; yet indeed I love to write to my dear, who is very much in my heart. It joys me to hear thy soul prospereth; the Lord increase His favours to thee more and more…The Lord bless all thy good counsel and example to all those about thee, and hear all thy prayers, and accept thee always’.  Only one letter to Oliver survived (December 1650) in which Elizabeth writes, ‘Truly my lif is but half a lif in your abseinse, deid not the Lord make it up in heimself, which I must ackoleg to the prase of heis grace’.

Cromwell was a notable military leader in England’s “civil war” & became “Lord Protector” (1653 to death). He, who’s been called “Chief of Men” & a “Brave Bad Man,” is said to have made the following contributions: 1) established a period of peace in England, Scotland & Ireland,  2) made England an “world power,”  3) established non-conformity i.e. living separate from the established church.  He died 9/3/1658.

Cromwell Quotes:

“No one rises so high as he who knows not whither he is going.”

“What is all our histories but God showing himself, shaking & trampling on everything that he has not planted.”

“I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, think it possible you may be mistaken.”

Read Full Post »

Word

“For if ye forgive men their trespasses,

your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”

Mat 6.14

>> It does not get much more serious than this <<

Read Full Post »

Re-writing history?

Re-writing history? It is not just something nations or political groups do.

People re-write their own history:

making some things blacker than they were,

making some things rosier than they were.

– eab, 6/18/14

Read Full Post »

God instituted marriage

God instituted marriage. Period.

It is a matter of a Man, a Wife, & The Triune Eternal.

Nothing man says or does changes its Holy Origin.

– eab, 4/8/15

Read Full Post »

William & Mary – crowned

ON THIS DATE

William & Mary were crowned King & Queen of England (joint monarchs) 4/11/1689, at the invitation of Parliament – an event called The Glorious Revolution.”

William was born 11/4/1650 at The Hague to William II of Orange (who died of smallpox 8 days before his birth) & his mother, daughter of England’s Charles I, (died also of smallpox when William III was 10).  Also called William Henry, prince of Orange (Dutch – Willem Hendrik, prins van Oranje) he was groomed to head the House of Orange & become a ‘Stadtholder’ (lead the Dutch Republic).  He died 3/8/1702.

Mary was born 4/30/1662, at London to King James II of England.  Her parents were converts to the Roman Catholicism but thankfully she was raised “Protestant” (i.e. was not RC).  This allowed her to form a soul union with William of Orange, a champion against the power/politics of the catholic system.  They were married 11/4/1677 (his 27^th birthday).   Sadly she also, Queen Mary II, died of smallpox, 12/28/1694.

The joint rule of William III & Mary II happily helped England remain independent of Rome, which she had not been under Mary’s father (James II), who was openly Catholic, nor under her uncle (Charles II) who was also Roman Catholic, howbeit secretly.  William and Mary College in the US was endowed by William III.  He was reportedly so admired & loved in Scotland that they called him “King Billy.”

Read Full Post »

Happy Ending

A divorce is ended

when the couple is “re-Paired.”

– eab,  9/23/11

Read Full Post »

Lew Wallace – born

ON THIS DATE

Lewis Wallace was born 4/10/1827 at Brooksville, IN (on US 52) the 2^nd of 4 sons born to David & Esther French Wallace. His father was a West Point graduate, lawyer & governor of Indiana (1837-1840) &  mother was a daughter of congressman John Test.  Lew left school (at 16), served as a copyist & studied law before going to the Mexican War. In 1849 he was admitted to the bar and served in the Union army in the uncivil war. He was a part of the court which tried those charged with assassinating President Lincoln.

Lew met Susan Arnold Elston, proposed in ’49, & married her 5/6/1852 in Crawfordsville. Susan was the daughter of Isaac Compton & Maria Akin Elston. Isaac was a merchant of means;  Maria had a Quaker (Friends) background. Susan would play a part in her Lew’s conversion. Pres. Hayes appointed him governor of the Territory of New Mexico (1878–81).  It was in Sante Fe that he completed the manscript of Ben Hur.  Pres. Garfield made him Minister to the Ottoman Empire (Constantinople, Turkey 1881–85).

Wallace at one point considered himself an atheist. He gathered material “proof” against the Bible.  Susan believed in the Lord & prayed for him. He realized his error & was converted. He reportedly asked his wife what he could/should do with all the material he’d collected – it provided foundations for Ben Hur, A Tale of the Christ (pub.1880) which was enormously successful.  Lew died in Crawfordsville, IN, 2/15/1905.       

Read Full Post »

Charles Wesley – married

ON THIS DATE

Charles Wesley was married 4/8/1749, in a small parish church at Llanlleonfel, near Garth, Wales.  His bride was Sarah Gwynne, daughter of Marmaduke & Sarah (Evans) Gwynne. The minister for the ceremony was his brother, John, who had encouraged the wedding.  Sarah (also called Sally – perhaps to distinguish her from her mother) was born in Garth, Powyes, Wales in 1726 (month, day unknown).  She was musically inclined, in fact, performed before King George III.

While a young lady her father, a local magistrate, went on occasion to arrest Howell Harris, a Wesleyan minister.  As Marmaduke listened he liked what he heard, was converted to that view, & brought Harris home.  That was the beginning; years later he entertained two brothers & one of then returned in 1748 to propose.  Her mother had not welcomed Harris to her home but warmed to Charles, her new s-n-law.

Although Charles may not have witnessed a happy marriage as a boy he & Sarah had a good union.  They settled (same year as wed) at 4 Charles St., Bristol & remained there till 1771 (house is preserved as the “Charles Wesley House”).  God blessed them with eight children (only three lived to be adults – too common a happening back then).  She died 12/28/1818 (Charles died in 1788) & was buried beside Charles. 

Read Full Post »

Clyde Bryan Quote

“You can fix up the barn & it will pay for the house but

if you fix up the house you won’t have money to fix up the barn.”

– Clyde D Bryan (father of Edgar A Bryan)

Read Full Post »