I've been reading Daughters of Destiny. It is a collection of short stories of women who excelled or displayed great talent in a specific area either courage, lyrics, or another area.
One story in particular caught my attention, the story of Elizabeth Jameson. She married a young man who'd fought in the War for Independence; they settled for awhile as a young couple farming. Eventually they decided to move west, packed up thier belongings and headed out. As they attempted a river crossing the raft logs unbanded and Mr. Jameson washed into the river and drowned. Elizabeth holding her baby is dragged down river. With great effort Elizabeth manages to wash ashore bringing herself and her baby safely on shore. Her remarkable resilience allowed her to walk upstream find the ox cart with their supplies still waiting to be crossed over and bring them to a spot hidden from Indians. She built a little hut and established herself in the area deciding it safer to wait for another party traveling through than traverse the forest through its dangers. Planting potatoes and another crop she provided well for their future. One day, picking blackberries she left her babe on the ground as she picked. Turning around she realized her babe fixedly looking at something, as she neared the spot she saw it: a huge reptile stood coiled hissing at her dear child. A blow with a stick turned the snake's attention to herself and she stood transfixed in fear as it threatened to strike. Lifting a hasty prayer she proceeded to place a glove on her arm. The snake struck and she caught it around the neck. With her hands she closed its' jaws but it wraped its body around her waistline. With great courage she managed to saw its head of with a knife and tossed the head far from her. It wasn't over, the body continued to tighten around her almost suffocating her; eventually the coils loosened and she pried free. After about two months other settlers found them but instead of taking them with them, they decided to settle in that scenic area. The settlement grew and Elizabeth eventually remarried.
This is a remarkable account of courage and resilence on the part of woman raised in a wealthy household. Read Daughters of Destiny for more thrilling, exemplary, stories in history.
Wheeler, Nicole. Daughters of Destiny. Mantle Ministries. 2001
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
Ruth Was Known For Excellence
"Now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you whatever you ask, for all my people in the city know that you are a woman of excellence" Ruth 3:11 NAS
Development and Historians
BLOWN AWAY!
I just attended two sessions of Camp Logos and I am blown away with technology and the information available at our fingertips. The world is changing and our beloved books are changing as well as the digital world digitizes these volumes. Logos is working on photographing the dead sea scrolls and digitizing them so that they are available to search and read. This is an incredible way to preserve these ancient resources; yet, I am a bit saddened. As books are scanned and created in to computer files, the real deal is left on the shelf to yellow. People no longer curl up with their thick comfy books, nope, instead they blow up the zoom and sit with their laptops to read. It makes studying way easier and faster, but I am a history lover. I will always like the old volumes with their yellowing pages, their feel in your hand. I will always want to see the dead sea scrolls myself with my own two eyes.... There is nothing like seeing the real thing.
Nevertheless Logos and the world of digital books is an incredible development, thankfully there will always be people like me to preserve those old things people leave on the shelf to gather cowwebs. Someone still finds them facinating.
I just attended two sessions of Camp Logos and I am blown away with technology and the information available at our fingertips. The world is changing and our beloved books are changing as well as the digital world digitizes these volumes. Logos is working on photographing the dead sea scrolls and digitizing them so that they are available to search and read. This is an incredible way to preserve these ancient resources; yet, I am a bit saddened. As books are scanned and created in to computer files, the real deal is left on the shelf to yellow. People no longer curl up with their thick comfy books, nope, instead they blow up the zoom and sit with their laptops to read. It makes studying way easier and faster, but I am a history lover. I will always like the old volumes with their yellowing pages, their feel in your hand. I will always want to see the dead sea scrolls myself with my own two eyes.... There is nothing like seeing the real thing.
Nevertheless Logos and the world of digital books is an incredible development, thankfully there will always be people like me to preserve those old things people leave on the shelf to gather cowwebs. Someone still finds them facinating.
Good Read: George Washington - Paul Johnson
"George Washington is the best-documented figure in the entire eighteenth century.But he remains remote and mysterious" writes author Paul Johnson as he sets the stage before exploring the world of this great man. Historian Paul Johnson is a British historian who has written "A History of the American People" a thick volume covering early America to the present. I recently picked up his new title on George Washington and throughly enjoyed it. Finally a historian who is looking at the facts and brings out the qualities of this man with balance not over sentimentalizing while not bashing his character. I appreciated his handle on the topic.
Concerning slavery and Washington's opinion on the topic, Mr. Johnson had some interesting sources and revelations. George Washington disliked the practice and hoped to see it slowly recede from the American scene. In his will he decreed his slaves be given freedom once his wife passed away and made it clear they were not to be sold or transported out of Virginia. Apparently in those days this was a remarkable thing for a Virginian to decree.
He had a remarkable interest in land and the development of navigation and unity within it. He owned plenty and constantly explored new ways to utilize it. Mount Vernon housed several experiments on agriculture and the like as he possessed great curiosity.
These were a few topics broached in the biography. The book is a through yet simple and short book by a trustworthy historian. I recommend it!
Johnson, Paul. George Washington:The Founding Father. HarperCollins Publishers, New York 2005.
Concerning slavery and Washington's opinion on the topic, Mr. Johnson had some interesting sources and revelations. George Washington disliked the practice and hoped to see it slowly recede from the American scene. In his will he decreed his slaves be given freedom once his wife passed away and made it clear they were not to be sold or transported out of Virginia. Apparently in those days this was a remarkable thing for a Virginian to decree.
He had a remarkable interest in land and the development of navigation and unity within it. He owned plenty and constantly explored new ways to utilize it. Mount Vernon housed several experiments on agriculture and the like as he possessed great curiosity.
These were a few topics broached in the biography. The book is a through yet simple and short book by a trustworthy historian. I recommend it!
Johnson, Paul. George Washington:The Founding Father. HarperCollins Publishers, New York 2005.
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