Time Travel!

I mentioned earlier that Zachary and Ryan had a Latin assignment to create a commercial to encourage a trip to ancient Rome.

They've been working hard on it, and will present it today in their online class. They had the option of each working alone and including 15 facts about ancient Rome in their presentation, or working as a team and including 25 facts. They chose the latter.

Part of their grade will come from their classmates, and they will be judged on whether or not the classmates are convinced to time travel to ancient Rome for a visit.

Here they are in their online video debut:

True Greatness - Quotation

John Nelson Darby was an evangelist who lived in the 19th century. He is considered to be the father of Dispensationalism. Whether or not you agree with his theology, I think you'll admit that these words are filled with wisdom:

"Exalt Christ.
Use a sharp knife with thyself. Say little, serve all, pass on.
This is true greatness, to serve unnoticed and work unseen.
Oh, the joy of having nothing and being nothing,
seeing nothing but a Living Christ in Glory,
and being careful for nothing but His interests down here."

We would be wise to take heed.

Writer of the Week

Diane Kruger as Helen of Troy

The Face That Launched a Thousand Ships

retold by Catherine (age 11)

After becoming a prince of Troy, Paris took a trip to Tyre. When he was returning to his homeland, Troy, he went through Greece. The fairest woman in the world, Helen, was in Greece, and Paris had come to retrieve her.

Helen was married to Menelaus, King of Sparta in Greece. When the prince of Troy laid eyes on the Queen of Sparta, he loved her for she was so beautiful. The goddess Aphrodite made Helen love Paris as well. Paris then took Helen back to Troy.

King Menelaus was angry, and sent word demanding his wife back. But the people of Troy refused. They wanted to brag about Helen, the fairest woman in the world, being in their city. King Priam and Hector, his son, knew that Helen and all her belongings should be returned. But the assembly of Troy would not give up Helen for any king.

Now Agamemnon, king of the great city of Mycenae, was deeply troubled at seeing his dearest brother, Menelaus, being flouted by the Trojans, and vowed to Menelaus that Troy would soon be no more. Agamemnon gathered all the kings and princes of Greece, and suggested, “We must unite all of our strength to take Troy! Upon achieving that, we will gain great treasures!” He also asked Odysseus and Achilles to join the war, and so they did.

Agamemnon’s team went to every city that was an ally of Troy, and took each one. After taking all these cities, they sailed for Troy. Year after year want by, and finally nine years had passed; the Greeks and the Trojans were still fighting. A plague had come during those years and killed more Greeks than the Trojans had. So the war went on, and on, and on; neither side had yet taken the other.

Finally! Happy Halloween! (Wordless Wednesday)

Six Flags Over Texas

Our family lived in Arlington, Texas, for a while in the '90's. In fact, 3 of our 4 children were born in Dallas during our Texas years.

We lived in north Arlington, just about a mile or so down the road from the famous theme park, Six Flags Over Texas. I rode the Texas Giant (one of their huge roller coasters) when I was pregnant with my twins. OK, I didn't yet know I was pregnant, but it turned out that I was. I credit Zachary's and Ryan's love of roller coasters to their early exposure. :-)

Have you ever wondered how Six Flags got its name? It turns out that the original of the "Six Flags" theme park franchises was named as it was because there have been six literal flags flown over the state of Texas.

The first European flag to fly over the territory was the Spanish one, from 1519 - 1685, and then again from 1690 - 1821. Several Spanish explorers came to Texas during the early-to-mid 1500's; Alonzo Alvarez de Pineda mapped the coastline in 1519, and he was followed by de Vaca, Coronada, and de Soto. When no cities of gold and great wealth, which had been described by de Vaca to encourage Spanish settlement, were found by later explorers, Spain seemed to lose interest in the Texas territory and instead focused their attention on Florida.

In 1682, a Frenchman named La Salle came down from Canada and explored the area around the mouth of the Mississippi River, eventually moving westward into Texas. The French flag flew over the territory from 1685 - 1690. France's interest in Texas reignited Spain's interest in the land, and Spain's flag flew over the territory again until 1821.

In 1821, Mexico broke away from Spanish rule and the flag of the new Empire of Mexico flew over the territory until the end of the Texas Revolution in 1836. From 1836 - 1845, the flag of the Republic of Texas was flown.

Texas became the 28th state admitted to the Union in 1845, but seceded in 1861 during the Civil War. From 1861 - 1865, the Confederate flag flew over the land. Texas rejoined the United States of America in 1865, and has flown that flag ever since.

Davy Crockett

One of our topics in Tapestry of Grace last week was the life of Davy Crockett.

While growing up, I knew Davy Crockett only as a frontiersman, taming the wild with one adventure after another while wearing his trademark coonskin hat. In the '50's (before my time) there was a TV show, starring Fess Parker, which was based on his life. But I never before knew much about his political career.

Crockett was born in Tennessee in 1786. In 1813, when he was 27, he joined the United States army and fought in the Creek War under the command of Andrew Jackson. Later, he became involved in local politics, eventually serving in the Tennessee legislature. In 1827, he was elected to serve the people of Tennessee in the U. S. House of Representatives; he was re-elected to that office in 1829 and 1833. (He was defeated in 1831 by pro-Jackson forces.)

He gained a lot of respect for Andrew Jackson while serving under him in the army, and was a big supporter of his up until the time Jackson became President. Two issues permanently separated him from his friend. In 1828, Crockett sponsored a Land Bill which would allow squatters who homesteaded land the right to buy it at a very low cost. This issue had dominated Crockett's agenda when he was a state legislator. Jackson was opposed to his bill. Then President Jackson enforced the Indian Removal Act of 1830, even after it had been declared unconstitutional by the U. S. Supreme Court. Crockett then became an outspoken critic of Jackson's.

His opposition to Jackson gained him the attention of the Whig party, and they began to consider him for a presidential run in the 1836 election. But then he lost his congressional re-election bid in 1835, the Whig party lost interest, and it seemed his political career was over.

He packed up and headed to the Texas Territory. He thought he might be able to get back into politics there, or at least earn some money as a land agent. He arrived in Texas just as the American settlers there were becoming intent on gaining their independence from Mexico. Crockett quickly joined their cause, and died fighting at the Alamo in March, 1836.

There have been many tall tales told through the years about Crockett and his frontier adventures. And Crockett himself perpetuated his legend with quotes such as the following:

“I am that same David Crockett, fresh from the backwoods, half horse, half alligator, a little touched with the snapping-turtle. I can wade the Mississippi, leap the Ohio, ride upon a streak of lightning, and slip without a scratch down a honey locust. I can whip my weight in wildcats, and, if any gentleman pleases, for a ten-dollar bill he can throw in a panther. I can hug a bear too close for comfort, and eat any man opposed to General Jackson.” ~ A Proud and Isolated Nation

We'll end with The Ballad of Davy Crockett.

Mama's Helper

This is one of my favorite photos of Elizabeth. It was taken by my mother. Elizabeth was about 2 1/2, and was spending a few days with my parents. My mom is always wonderful to let her grandchildren help her with whatever she is doing, and she loves to have them help her in the kitchen.

They saved a piece of the pie for me!