Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †
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I’ve been stuck on Amos for a few weeks. Cant get him out of my mind. Then I see multiple posts of Amos in same day. Swindoll has a great audio on Amos. Press on.⚘
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Spiritual Victory
Pastor Cornelius R. Stam
If we go to the Scriptures and claim, by faith, the Spirit’s help in overcoming our sins, we enter into the enjoyment of the fullness of spiritual life and blessing. If we fail to do so, we wither and die — as far as our spiritual experience is concerned. We can never lose our salvation, of course, for “everlasting life” was obtained by faith in Christ, not by walking in the Spirit. This is confirmed by the fact that the same apostle who pleads: “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God,” hastens to add: “WHEREBY YE ARE SEALED UNTO THE DAY OF REDEMPTION” (Eph. 4:30).
But failure to appropriate God’s gracious provision for victory over sin does result in death as far as our Christian experience is concerned. This is what the Apostle means, when he says, by the Spirit:
“FOR TO BE CARNALLY MINDED IS DEATH; BUT TO BE SPIRITUALLY MINDED IS LIFE AND PEACE” (Rom. 8:6).
“FOR IF YE LIVE AFTER THE FLESH, YE SHALL DIE: BUT IF YE THROUGH THE SPIRIT DO MORTIFY [PUT TO DEATH] THE DEEDS OF THE BODY, YE SHALL LIVE” (Rom. 8:13).
To the careless Corinthians, the Apostle Paul exclaimed:
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (I Cor. 6:19,20).
https://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/spiritual-victory/
Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
1Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Some fiddlin
China virus
🙂 Pretty cool! Bob Wills is smilin’ . . .
Me too 🙂 Will listen to almost every style depending on the day.
Ok. So . . . Yesterday was a Pre Caterday. Today is the real Caterday! I have an special fondness for stories where the cat gets you. That’s how we’ve gotten all of our cats over the years. They just seem to appear and immediately become part of our family. When we lived at our other house this little stray calico kitty lived in a brush pile across the street from us. She made a couple of recon missions to our front porch where my wife found her and brushed the burrs out of her fur, gave her some water and a little dry food. After that whenever we got home from teaching, this little undersized kitty would come running down our long driveway for a visit, a little brushing, and maybe some food. We soon discovered, however, that the little kitty was being stalked by a large owl who nested in a nearby tree. This made her runs down our driveway a very chancy thing. But little Calico was a very savvy street kitty and wasn’t at all intimidated by a swooping owl intent on making her his dinner! Despite his best efforts, he never caught her and since we were soon moving of course she quickly became our #6 or #7 kitty. She lived a long and happy life—free of stalking owls.
Been there. Done that. Thanks for posting.
It always strikes me listening to this song.. what a stunningly beautiful tune, full of emotion drawn from such an ugly disease.. proof, I suppose, that there is beauty in every single thing in the world… if you look for it
I love MyPillow.
“Blessed be The Lord my Rock,
Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle,
He is my shield and my stronghold,
In whom I find refuge,
Who subdues my enemies before me.”
-Ps. 144
..in crisis.. it all depends on which Company you keep..
I was now back in Houston.. Space City.. Home.. I loved Home..
everybody knew about the outer space team..
but nobody knew about the inner space team..
and they preferred it that way.. it was inside a big company..
they weren’t NASA.. but they built the whole fck’n NASA Space Center for them..
and even the fck’n road to get there.. they got shit done..
they had a simple engineering methodology everybody could understand..
..when in doubt.. overbuild..
The Company you keep.. it was Everything..
they trained us well.. tools of the trade.. tales from the abyss..
way down in the deep dark.. way down here..
they had seen it all.. they were the best of the best.. the best in the world..
I learned it from the Vietnam Vet Marine Recon senior diver I was paired with..
..one man can survive twice as long as two down here..
and all you have is your big chief knife.. and him..
and all he has is his big chief knife.. and you..
extreme thoughts.. extreme measures..
way down in the deep dark.. way down here..
so whenever he spoke.. I listened.. and learned.. the tools of the trade..
..in crisis.. it all depends on which Company you keep..
Memoirs of an Oilfield Diver
The Epic Archive
1984-1992
Battle hymn of Space Force Chepo Team ?
From the dog peeps to the kitty peeps…
This is a long one. Don’t think I have posted it before here. USS Essex during the War of 1812
Feb. 14th, 1813 – Essex becomes first U.S. warship to round Cape Horn and enter the Pacific Ocean.
USS Essex Model Ship |Exclusive | For the Discerning Collector (stephensandkenau.com)
The first USS Essex was a launched from the yards of Salem, MA in 1799 as a 32 gun Frigate. Though launched about the same time as the USS Constitution, she was not a “super frigate” as that ship was. Her construction was more conventional than the larger Frigates like the Constitution and Constellation. She was one of the ten “subscription ships” who’s construction was funded directly by donations from American citizens and not from funds taken from the governments treasury.
And yet this standard American Frigate would go on to compile an illustrious record. She was the first US Navy ship to enter an ocean other than the Atlantic when she rounded the Cape of Good Hope into the Indian Ocean. And on this day in 1813 she become the first US Navy ship to round the Horn of South America and pass into the Pacific Ocean where she would prey on the British Whaling fleet.
The Essex was intended by her designer to be armed with 26 long guns on the gun deck and 16 lighter carronades on the spar deck above. But in 1810 her commander of the time had ordered that most of the long guns be removed and replaced by lighter carronades on the gun deck. This made the ship much lighter and faster but made it far less stable when the ship was under full sail. It also put the ship at a great disadvantage in a longer range engagement since the carronades were made for close in short range battle.
The current Captain, David Porter, had requested that the carronades be replaced by the more suitable long guns on the gun deck before he went to sea but there were none available. And so he and his crew would have to deal with the danger of sailing a ship that could become unstable if too much sail was caught by higher than expected winds while the ship was maneuvering.
David Porter was a Captain of exceptional qualities and known for his aggressive nature. Earlier, before the war, Porter had been in command of the US Navy Schooner USS Enterprise. While in port in Malta at a time when tensions were running high between the US and Great Britain. Porter claimed a British sailor had insulted him. He had the sailor dragged onto the Enterprise and flogged. The captains of the several British war ships in port were incensed and threatened to fire upon the Enterprise if it left the port before the matter was settled by the Governor of Malta. Porter sailed anyway there by establishing the important precedent which still stands today that no US Warship will submit to local authority while in a foreign port.
Porter’s family name is found in annuals of US Navy history from the beginning and his son would become the second man to hold the rank of Admiral in the US Navy. On board the Essex with Porter is a young midshipman who Porter has raised as his own at the behest of the boys father. George Farragut and David Porter’s father were friends and when George Farragut found himself a widower with five children David Porter offered to take his nine year old son and raise him as an officer and a gentleman. And so on this day David Glasgow Farragut is a midshipman aboard the Essex. David would become the first man to hold the rank of Admiral in the US Navy. And even at this time early in his naval career David is bold and brave with a strong command presence. He is intelligent with wisdom and sea faring knowledge beyond his years.
Porter had drilled his crew to perfection. They were as well trained in sailing, gunnery, and the techniques of boarding and hand to hand combat and swordsmen as any ship afloat. Weekly the men’s personal arms were inspected. Each man was armed with a cutlass that must be sharp of as a razor, a dirk made by the ships armorer from a file, and a pistol.
Porter on the Essex had already seen much service during the war. Sailing from New York shortly after the war began the Essex took two British troops ships captive right under the nose of their escorting frigate HMS Minerva. In the next two weeks the Essex took another six British merchant ships as prizes in the waters north of Bermuda. Then on August 13th, using deception to make his frigate look like a merchantman, Porter lured the British 16 gun sloop Alert into a trap and took the ship in a battle lasting only 8 minutes. By the end of the year the Essex had taken 11 British ships as prizes. More than any other US Navy ship took that year.
December of 1812 was spent having the Essex overhauled and prepared for extended duty at sea. Sailing in January off the coast of Brazil Porter could not find the USS Constitution he was supposed to join up with. As you may remember from an earlier post the Constitution had a battle with the HMS Java during this time and so was not found at any of the prearranged places where a rendezvous between the Essex and the Constitution could been made. And so Porter, following the contingencies in his orders, took the Essex around the horn into the Pacific to wreak havoc on the British Whaling fleet.
Despite taking the longer and generally calmer but much colder route outside of the straights of Magellan, the Essex was pounded by rolling breakers that battered in the gun ports and caused the ship to take on a considerable amount of water. The vessel fought strong headwinds for the whole passage and did not round the horn into the calmer waters of the Pacific until about March 4th. Porter and his crew were exhausted by the passage and the ship required attention.
On March 14th Porter sailed the Essex into the harbor of Valparaiso,Chile. She remained there for two weeks being repaired and re-provisioned and the crew was allowed liberty before she headed out to sea to make war.
Chile was a Spanish Colony in open revolt but it’s independence had not yet been secured and so the Americans were welcome in Valparaiso despite the fact that Spain was allied with Britain against Napoleon. But though Spain was not at war with America and thus Chile was technically a neutral port, the Spanish authorities were not happy with the unprecedented visit. And so there was much political intrigue involved in Essex getting what she needed for her repairs and provisions. But successfully accomplished the Essex sailed on March 23rd towards the Galapagos Islands which the British whalers used as a rest and refit area between their forays into the Pacific looking for their prey.
Porter had the painted line around the ships hull which on US ships of the time was always white painted to the appropriate color some other navy used for their line. He would use deception every chance he could to get close to the British whalers at times posing as a British ship of war and at other times posing as a Spanish ship of war in order to take them with as little trouble and damage as possible. Time and again he invited the captains of British Whalers aboard and then informed them of their capture.
Over the next 5 months Essex took as prize 12 British whalers and recaptured an American whaler taken by a Peruvian Privateer. Porter fitted out some of these vessels as auxiliary war ships consolidating the guns from other captured ships onto the best of the captured ships so that he commanded his own small fleet. His problems were giving these vessels adequate crews and the disposition of the enemy crews captured. Some of the crews of these vessels were Americans that had been impressed into service by the British and their ships and these men were more than happy to serve under their own flag and do the British what they had done to them.
When word reached Britain that an American war ship was doing great damage to their whaling fleet in the Pacific it caused great anxiety. Washington Irving, a Brit that had been a friend of Porters in the prewar years wrote:”It occasioned great uneasiness in Great Britain. The merchants who had any property afloat in this quarter trembled with apprehension for it’s fate; the underwriters groaned at the catalog of captures, while the pride of the nation was sorely incensed at beholding a single frigate lording it over the Pacific, in saucy defiance of their thousand ships.”
A newspaper in British Canada noted that the Essex “had annihilated our commerce in the South Seas” and harmed the empire more “than all the rest of the American Navy”.
One member of Parliament in England wrote” London “burnt dark for a year” referring to the lack of whale oil for English lamps.
The Brits had more worries about the exploits of the Essex than just their whaling fleet. At this time the US and Britain were contending over the possession of the Northwest territories of Washington and Oregon. Each country claimed possession of the rights to these lands and a US warship wreaking havoc in the Pacific combined with an increasing American presence ever since the Lewis and Clark expedition did not bode well for Britain’s ultimate possession of these rich territories.
And so in March 13th about the time that the Essex was in Valparaiso, the British Admiralty had dispatched the fur trading vessel Issac Todd escorted by the 36 gun frigate HMS Phoebe from England to round the horn and got the NW territories to drive the American traders off and claim dominance.
Phoebe was commanded by an experienced captain named James Hillyar. Hillyar had been promoted to his rank by Admiral Lord Nelson himself for his actions in battle.
Upon arriving at Rio de Janeiro in May of 1813 the local commander of the British South American station changed Hillyar’s orders, reinforced his squadron with tow smaller warships and sent him off after the Essex.
The reinforcement of more warships to Hillyar’s squadron was a direct result of an order from the British Admiralty that no British frigate would engage a US frigate alone in “single ship combat”. The order resulted from the multiple victories of USS Constitution and USS Constellation super frigates over British frigates that had tried to take them on alone. The most recent example of which was the USS Constitutions victory of the HMS Java off the coast of Brazil.
Because of the shortage of officers to command the many prize ships his fleet of six ships were now taking, Porter had to put the 13 y/o midshipman David Farragut in command of the recaptured American Whaler Barclay. The Barclay was part of a small fleet of captured vessels being taken to the port in Valparaiso where it was intended that the ships be sold to the Chileans. Farragut was to be “assisted” by it’s reluctant former captain. The former captain soon threatened to seize the vessel but the young Farragut successfully faced the much older man down. But the mission was not a success because the Chileans were using all their resources in their revolt against Spain.
Meanwhile, Porter relieved of some of the captured sailors and captains sailed to the Galapagos once more and took four more British whalers as prizes.
However while in Valparaiso, Farragut and the other captains received word of the British squadron en route to the Pacific and one ship sailed north and found Porter to warn him.
The Essex had now been at sea for a year and needed extensive repairs. The ship and the other former whalers in Porters fleet all needed work and especially needed the ships rid of the rats and other vermin that now were threatening to overwhelm the ships.
It was decided to sail west 2,500 miles to the Marquesas Islands to rest and refit his ships and rid them of the vermin. Then rested and ready Porter would seek out the Phoebe for battle.
As Porter sailed west the Hillyar’s squadron reached the Pacific minus the Fur trading vessel Isaac Todd which was lost with her whole crew to the stormy seas off the Horn.
Hillyar sent his smallest ship the HMS Raccoon up to the Northwest territories to enforce the British claim to those territories and searched for the Essex with the Phoebe and Cherub.
Porter with his five former whalers arrived in the Marquesas late in October of 1813. The set up a little community complete with dwellings, a bakery, sick house, coopers shop and even a small fort.
Communication with the natives was facilitated through an Englishman who had lived among the natives for years.
Once settled in the men began working on the ships. To get rid of the vermin they sealed of each chamber of the ship and left a charcoal fire burning in it to asphyxiate the rats and other vermin with carbon monoxide. The fumigation worked and on the Essex alone Porter estimated that somewhere between 1,200 and 1,500 rat carcasses were disposed of.
The Essex was beached in shallow water with a sandy bottom and with the help of native labor the work to clean and repair her hull progressed. Repairs were made using materials taken from some of the many captured whalers.
Work on the ship ended each day at 4 PM and Porter allowed one-quarter of his crew to stay ashore each night until day break where they could enjoy the pleasures of the very compliant and attractive native women.
Porter himself enjoyed such pleasures with at least two different native women and wrote about it publicly in later years despite the fact that he was married. In fact when he published his Journal of a Cruise Made in the Pacific Ocean in 1815 his accounts of the carnal pleasures that were enjoyed by he and his crew while at the Marquesas were so vivid and detailed and pornographic in nature that they were scandalized by all reviewers in both the US and England. Later additions edited out a great deal of the steamy details, but Porter was not the editor.
Porter was honest about it and concerning the conduct of the native women later wrote “…….if there is a crime, the offense was ours, not theirs; they acted in compliance with the custom of their ancestors; we departed from the principles of virtue and morality which are so highly esteemed in civilization.”
December 1813 the repairs to the Essex neared completion. But as the time for departure came nearer many of his crewman and the English prisoners didn’t want to sail again. Who can blame them? Leaving an idyllic south seas island, with wonderful climate bountiful food and compliant women wanting only to serve your every desire for the rough, dangerous, and hard life aboard ship? So desertions abounded and Porter was forced to incarcerate the prisoners on the ship and confine the remaining crew on board until the time of sailing.
Porters crew, now nearly mutinous, forced him to decide to set sail on 13th December. As the Essex departed the ships band played “The Girl I Left Behind.”
Porter also left behind four of the prize ships with a Marine Lieutenant and Midshipman and twenty-two crewmen to establish a permanent US base on the islands. This base would allow a refuge for him to retreat to when in need of repairs which was more likely now that British war ships were looking for the Essex in the Pacific. This crew however got caught up in the local conflicts between the tribes and soon the survivors had to abandon their post.
The patient and persistent Hillyar had continued to search for Porter and Essex during this whole interlude despite having no word of the where abouts of their enemy. In October, Hillyar took his squadron to the port at Lima to await some word of the Essex.
On February 3, 1814 Porter put into the harbor at Valparaiso again. Four days later Hillyar arrived. Since Chile was still nominally Spanish and Spain was not at war with the US the port was by law a neutral one and so Hillyar and Porter were by law not allowed to combat while in the port.
Hillyar and Porter were acquainted with each other from the prewar days when they met while each was serving in the Mediterranean. They respected each other but now they were adversaries each serving his nation at time of war. Hillyar brought the Phoebe right up along side the anchored Essex close enough that the two captains could exchange shouted greetings.
Over the next several days with the British and American ships moored beside each other the crews exchanged shouted insults and challenges. The Americans and British also battled with song, The Americans changing the the lyrics of national tunes such as Yankee Doodle to insult these particular British sailors and the British returning the favor with a rendition of “Sweet Little Cherub that Sits Aloft”.
Over the next weeks Hillyar and Porter met at the home of the American Envoy at the port, Joel Poinsett to establish the rules by which their coming combat would be conducted and to resolve other matters in advance such as the treatment and release of prisoners.
Hillyar then kept the Phoebe and Cherub sailing off the entrance to the harbor to prevent the Essex from escaping. Porter waited in anchored in port. Hillyar waited sailing to seal of any escape.
Finally nature took it’s hand and decided when the combat would occur when a strong wind broke the Essex’s anchor cable and the wind blew her out of the harbor right towards the waiting Phoebe and Cherub. Porter tried to turn looming disaster to his advantage and put on maximum sail to try and out run the British ships which given the right circumstances the Essex could have done.
But the strong wind blew quickly into a powerful squall just as the Essex was rounding the outermost point of the harbor, The top main mast was ripped off, and the unstable Essex healed over almost completely on to her side throwing 4 sailors into the sea.
Porter with only a few long guns and a damaged mast and rigging that limited his ships speed and was at a distinct disadvantage. The Phoebe and Cherub pounded the Essex with their long guns. Porter had no choice. He put up all the sail he could and turned the Essex towards the enemy to try and get them in range for his cannonades to bear but the British avoided him. The combat was bloody and went on for hours but ended when the Essex had to strike her colors after an explosion in her magazine. Some of the crew jumped overboard and swam to shore.
A midshipman from the Phoebe that was among the first to board the surrendered ship described the scene:
“I was on the first boat the boarded her. Nothing was to be seen all over her decks but dead, wounded, and dying–we threw 63 overboard that were dead and there several wounded that it would have been a mercy to do the same to…….One poor fellow, who had his thigh shot off, managed to crawl to a port and tumble himself into the water which put and end to his misery. There were 44 amputations performed that night……….Captain Porter was in tears when he went on board the Phoebe to give up his sword and he told Captain Hillyar there were 15 of his brave fellows killed after she struck.” (Struck as in struck her colors signaling surrender).
There were 255 men aboard the Essex at the start of the battle. 58 were killed out right. 66 wounded with some of those to die. 33 were missing presumed drowned. 24 had abandoned ship and swam ashore. Phoebe lost only 4 killed and the Cherub only 1.
The young Farragut had rejoined the Essex before it sailed to the Marquesas and was aboard during the battle, unharmed and taken prisoner. Farragut had a pet pig he had named “Master Murphy” and the British tried to claim it as a prize from the ships property. . Farragut claimed it as his private property and thus not subject to confiscation. The matter was decided in a boxing match with a young man selected from Phoebe’s crew. Farragut quickly beat his opponent and retained his pet pig.
As was the practice of the day Porter and his surviving crew that had not swam ashore were paroled and allowed to sail away on the US whaler they had first retained with the formal promise they would not join in hostilities until properly exchanged for British prisoners that the US held.
However he was detained by the British war ship HMS Saturn outside of Sandy Hook, NJ. on July 7, 1814. Porter escaped after the British captain failed to honor the letter from Captain Hillyar and intended to imprison Porter. A few days later the British captain of the Saturn was ordered to release the rest of the American survivors from Porters crew but only did so after humiliating them.
During her adventures during the war of 1812 prior to her capture by the British the Essex did more damage to the British commerce than any other American ship.
President Theodore Roosevelt wrote in his own history of the war of 1812:
“By this year’s campaign in the Pacific, Captain Porter had saved all our ships in those waters, had not cost the government a dollar, living purely on the enemy, and had taken from him nearly 4,000 tons of shipping and 400 men, completely breaking up his whaling trade in the Pacific.
The cruise was something of a sui generis in modern warfare, recalling to mind the cruises of the English and Dutch navigators. An American ship was at a serious disadvantage in having no harbor of refuge away from home; while on almost every sea were British, French, and Spanish ports into which vessels of those nations could run for safety.
It was an unprecedented thing for a small frigate to cruise a year and a half in enemy waters; and to supply herself during the time purely through captured vessels with everything–cordage, sails, guns, anchors, provisions, and medicines, and even money to pay the officers and men!
Porter’s cruise was the very model of what such an expedition should be harassing the enemy most effectually at no cost whatever.”
It was through the exploits of ships like the Essex, Constitution, and so many others including the 150 American privateers that took at total of almost 450 British ships, and the failure of the British to subdue the upstart American nation that the US emerged from the war of 1812 was a world power that while not yet on par with the British, French, or Spanish empires, were a force that had to be reckoned with in world affairs.
I think I first read about “Long Tom” cannons in one of Howard I Chappelle’s books on the sailing navy. Long Tom’s unusually heavy long gun that were mounted on the centerline of small privateers in the War of 1812. They provided a serious punch to small brigs and schooners and small craft which usually carried much lighter guns. You can argue that it was actually American privateers that put the most pressure on the British—they captured or destroyed hundreds of British merchant ships. The Long Tom was a formidable weapon when mounted on a privateer’s deck. One of the more famous American privateers was The General Armstrong, a two-masted brig which mounted a 42 pounder Long Tom usually found only of ships-of-the-lone.
From Wikipedia:
War of 1812General Armstrong was based in New York City and crewed by about 90 men. Captain Tim Barnard commanded the ship in 1812. Guy Richards Champlin led the ship from 1813 through July 1814, followed by Captain Samuel Chester Reid until the ship’s September 1814 scuttling in Faial.[3]
She was armed with seven guns, including a 42-pounder Long Tom cannon.
QueenOn 11 November 1812 the General Armstrong—armed with 16 guns and 40 men—attacked the English ship Queen. Queen, headed by an individual named Conkey,[4] was sailing from Liverpool to Suriname with cargo valued at £90,000. Her crew resisted and did not strike her colours until the captain, first officer, and nine of the crew were killed. Queen was possibly one of the most valuable prizes captured by American privateers during the War of 1812. A prize crew began sailing Queen to the United States, but wrecked it off the Nantucket coast.[3]
Battle of Suriname RiverOn 11 March 1813 the General Armstrong was sailing in the mouth of the Suriname River when she encountered a vessel the crew presumed to be a British privateer but was, in fact, the British sloop HMS Coquette.[5] The ensuing battle severely damaged General Armstrong. Its captain Guy Richards Champlin was injured and threatened to blow up the ship if the crew surrendered. General Armstrong ultimately escaped.
In his log-book Champlin wrote: “In this action we had six men killed and sixteen wounded, and all the halyards of the headsails shot away; the fore-mast and bowsprit one quarter cut through, and all the fore and main shrouds but one shot away; both mainstays and running rigging cut to pieces; a great number of shot through our sails, and several between wind and water, which caused our vessel to leak. There were also a number of shot in our hull.”
General Armstrong returned to the United States, arriving in Charleston on 4 April. General Armstrong’s shareholders awarded Champlin a sword for saving the ship from capture or destruction.[6]
Battle of FayalGeneral Armstrong is perhaps most remembered for her involvement in the Battle of Fayal, under the captaincy of Samuel Chester Reid, on 26 and 27 September 1814. In the engagement, the British brig-sloop Carnation and several boats armed with cannon and carrying sailors and marines attempted to cut out the General Armstrong. General Armstrong repulsed the attacks but Captain Reid felt he could not escape the Azores so he ordered the General Armstrong scuttled after fighting off the Carnation a second time on 27 September. The Americans made it to shore where Portuguese authorities and the American consul John Bass Dabney protected them. American casualties amounted to two killed and seven wounded, while the British lost 36 men killed and 93 wounded. General Armstrong also sunk two British boats and captured two others.[7]
All the linkage led to the moderation…. 🙁
Wow! That was a very interesting read. I shall endeavor to print it out for my DH to read! He spent 22 years in the British Royal Navy, and he’s studying our history to try to become a citizen. I’m sure he will enjoy it as much as I have, thank you!
A lawyer has claimed the FBI secretly discovered $400 million in stolen Civil War gold bars buried in a Pennsylvania forest three years ago.
Harrisburg attorney William Cluck said Thursday he’d learned the name of the federal judge who ordered all records of the March 2018 excavation to be sealed.
‘I got what I wanted,’ Cluck told PennLive after submitting a Right-to-Know appeal.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9201393/Did-FBI-secretly-400m-stolen-civil-war-gold-buried-Pennsylvania.html
A Marine’s thoughts from Vietnam on Dec. 4, 1967.
https://twitter.com/JimLaPorta/status/1353807972955262978
Check out this google earth of America’s military Aircraft bone yard. Drove by this place near Tucson, AZ while trucking. Needless to say the security is pretty tight.
You are looking at the used up aircraft from the cold war. Zoom in and out and pan as needed. Sorry about Google but I no of no equivalent to Google Earth.
Google Maps
There is a civilian equivalent outside of Roswell, NM that I have driven by also.
THE DILEMMA OF OBEDIENCE
“And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.” 1 Samuel iii. 15
God never speaks to us in startling ways, but in ways that are easy to misunderstand, and we say, “I wonder if that is God’s voice?” Isaiah said that the Lord spake to him “with a strong hand,” that is, by the pressure of circumstances. Nothing touches our lives but it is God Himself speaking. Do we discern His hand or only mere occurrence?
Get into the habit of saying, “Speak Lord,” and life will become a romance. Every time circumstances press, say, “Speak, Lord”; make time to listen. Chastening is more than a means of discipline, it is meant to get me to the place of saying, “Speak, Lord.” Recall the time when God did speak to you. Have you forgotten what He said? Was it Luke xi. 13, or was it 1 Thess. v. 23? As we listen, our ear gets acute, and, like Jesus, we shall hear God all the time.
Shall I tell my “Eli” what God has shown to me? That is where the dilemma of obedience comes in. We disobey God by becoming amateur providences – I must shield “Eli,” the best people we know. God did not tell Samuel to tell Eli; he had to decide that for himself. God’s call to you may hurt your “Eli;” but if you try to prevent the suffering in another life, it will prove an obstruction between your soul and God. It is at your own peril that you prevent the cutting off of the right hand or the plucking out of the eye.
Never ask the advice of another about anything God makes you decide before Him. If you ask advice, you will nearly always side with Satan. “Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood.”
Oswald Chambers
January 30th Devotional
Scenes Beyond the Grave – Marietta Davis
Chapter III – City of Peace
3:2
“This, Marietta,” said an attending angel, “is thy Redeemer. For thee in incarnation he suffered. For thee without the gate treading the winepress alone, he expired.” Awed by his goodness, tenderness and love, I bowed, feeling that if worthy I would worship him.
Reaching forth his hand he raised me up, and in a voice that filled my soul with inexpressible delight, said, “Welcome, my child. Daughter, spirit of a race forlorn, enter thou for a season the portals of the redeemed.” Then addressing the surrounding beings, continued, “Receive this your companion spirit.” And lo ! the worshipping congregation arose as upon the breath of holy love, and, meekly welcomed me as an heir of grace, and with tuned instruments the immortal choir chanted spirit’s welcome…
“Worthy is the Lamb who hath redeemed us. Exalt His name, all ye sanctified, yea adore Him, ye cherubim who worship in the celestial heavens. Adore Him, for He hath exalted us. We will praise His name, the name of our God Most High.”
“We will bow down and worship at His feet. We will sing of His loving kindness. Waft, O ye breezed of immortal love ! waft ye His name throughout the universe of worshipping beings. For lo ! from the depths of iniquity, and from death is exalted our sister, who from the hands of our Prince and Savior, we receive. Utter alleluias to Him forever, all ye adoring hosts. Utter ye His praise forever.”
The music of this soft and melodious utterance, moved like the voice of many waters, filling the entire dome, and as the anthem closed, the echo departed in the distance, as though borne from wave to wave, along the holy atmosphere.
The spirit of praise so inspired each choralist with the fullness of divine melody, that moved by it, they softly touched the silver chords of their golden harps, causing each note to reverberate as if gliding along the sensitive nerves of spirit hearts, components of one immortal lyre.
Each measure like noiseless waves swelled over that sea of mind; and with their gentle undulations I seemed to be moving when a spirit from the innumerable company approached and addressing me in a familiar manner called me by name.
To be continued…
Mornin’ infidels!
Mornin’ WeeWeed
Happy Caturday!
Happy Caturday!
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Verse of the Day for Saturday, January 30, 2021
✟
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”
Matthew 28:18 (KJV)
Thank You, Jesus, for blessings received and prayers answered!!!
Be My Voice – I am a CHILD – not a CHOICE!!!
I can really see him in a coffee shop with the original beatniks.
https://twitter.com/Johnthemadmonk/status/1355488003523833857
Excellent! Thanks!
The man who baptized me! As I said in an old comment, we had a picture of him in our house when I was a little one, and I couldn’t pronounce his name (baby talk), so I’d just point at the picture and say “Bisheen, Bisheen!”
Just say’n.. 😉
It must be Caturday;
someone let the
cat out of the bag. 😉
Another fix for the “hopium” addicts.
2 Timothy 3:1-4 KJV
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. [2] For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, [3] Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, [4] Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Just say’n… 😉
Memo reminder…
“the “hopium” addicts”
worshiped obama... 😉
Their delicate heads
will explode when told
of the Star and Sky
visitors to Earth. 😉
Needed hopium today. Interesting perspectives on the past four years. Thanks for posting
Especially the segment about Las Vegas. No other explanation has been offered that makes as much sense
A few years back, a group from my church had acquired tickets to a Leadership Conference. It was very large and had some wonderful, very well-known speakers. I remember being especially excited to go because Giuliani was speaking, and at that time I was sure hoping he was going to be our next Presidential nominee.
Out of all the wonderful speeches given that day, the one that affected me the most, came from Collin Powell. What I remember most, was how important Gen Powell impressed upon us it was, to be kind to everyone, no matter their job or status. ‘Even to the lady emptying the garbage in the office and the parking attendants.’ Treat them all with kindness and respect, you don’t know their story and what they might be going through, and don’t ever think yourself any better a human being than they are. He shared quite a moving tale about when he went out of his way to show concern for that cleaning lady. Turns out upon inquiring, she told him how she was in desperate need of help that she could not provide, for a family member. He was able to get the help that she and her family desperately needed for a terrible wrong that had been done.
I also remember Gen Powell saying that when he finished up his job as Secretary of State, his wife did not treat him like the man with that title at home, he still was expected to take out the trash just like everybody else.
It was a great speech on life and leadership, and had some wonderful lessons in it.
. . . but deliver us from the Evil One.
Amen ?
Prayer of Saint Ioannikios the Great (+ 846)
My hope is the Father, my refuge the Son, my protection the Holy Spirit. O Holy Trinity, glory to Thee.
The Jesus Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me, a sinner.
The 50th Psalm Septuagint / Psalm 51 KJV
Saint Anthony the Great (+ 356) entered the Egyptian wilderness as a young man and led a prayerful ascetic life for 85 years. He returned to Alexandria to speak against the Arian heresy. Saint Athanasios of Alexandria wrote the Life of Saint Anthony, which is a classic of Christian hagiography.
Saint Anthony the Great is commemorated today, January 17th on the traditional Calendar of the Orthodox Christian Church and January 30th on the civil or commercial calendar.
Also, among the Saints honored today are Saint Theodosios the Great, the Emperor, and New Martyr George of Ioannina (+ 1838). Saint George lost his earthly life during the persecutions of the Turkish Yoke.
The classic Life of Saint Anthony the Great is at the link below.
(The URL has http and not httpS, so a browser will issue an alert, but the site is safe for reading.)
http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/death/vita-antony.aspx
“There’s nothing illegal or unethical about what IMG Models did. However, the New York-based modeling agency that has some of the biggest names on its roster suddenly discovered a hidden Cinderella in our midsts: Ella Emhoff, who is Kamala Harris’s 22-year-old stepdaughter.”
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2021/01/when_beauty_norms_meet_sucking_up_to_power.html
High end modeling agency hires KamaHarris step daughter Ella.
Eeeeech payola?
“Twiggy 2021” (minus the cute face)
? ? ?
What’s the best way to buy a used car? Carmax or Carvana? Or neither?
I used Carvana and it was great! Traded in and bought, which is a bit more involved. They brought the car to my front door, I took it for a short spin, and when I got back my trade-in was already loaded up to go. They give you time to change your mind and get the car you traded back, as well as your $. Plenty of time to have a mechanic check it over. The people you talk to on the phone aren’t on commission; everyone was very nice and helpful.
I read they’re doing better today…
“11 US Army troops hospitalized after drinking ANTIFREEZE during field exercise, mistaking it for booze”
https://www.rt.com/usa/514100-army-troops-drink-antifreeze/
One would think that getting schnockered during this kind of training would be prohibited…though one would also think that our military would not have fallen prey to the Corporal Klingers of America, too.
Some of you retired military guys – was in common back in your day to get drunk during field exercises?
During?
Sure it wasn’t after the day is done?
I can’t imagine who will sign up for this crook’s military. I’d only do national guard in a red state or Constitutionally protected militia, neighborhood watch etc if I were a young man. But since they need to make a living too I don’t know what else. Maybe one of those paid mercernary types that were used in Iraq War.
Referring to what seems to be the very commonly misused and misunderstood topic these days known as “Structural Racism.” This is a subject I’m familiar with, especially since I come from the construction industry arena.
We’re always focusing on POC, People of Color, BUT, we certainly seem to be overlooking LOC, Lumber of Color.
We’ve simply marginalized the feelings of Green pressure treated lumber, ever since Brown pressure treated lumber has garnered all the attention of our society.
We’ve literally relegated the Green to the dustbin of history, even though it still functions well by coexisting with the untreated lumber framework above it, AND, it maintains its strength as the sole foundational plate for hundreds of thousands of homes in our nation.
Kinda sounds like the position our “progressive” modern culture is attempting to remove White Males FROM.
Interesting parallel…
One would almost wonder why they didn’t name it “The Brown New Deal” instead of “The Green New Deal.”
Of course, some of us old timers here in California remember water shortages and the accompanying phrase, “if it’s brown, flush it down,” so that doesn’t exactly shine good light on “The Brown New Deal,” now does it.
However, with Biden and his Chinese compadres now in the White House, the other half of that old phrase, “if it’s yellow, let it mellow” seems VERY appropriate.
So now at this point in time I say, “if it’s yellow, FLUSH IT DOWN!”
I don’t know, but I’m hoping that maybe there’s still a chance for the Green pressure treated and White Male factions in this world.
Never use CarMax. Part of the money goes to “Equity in Community Policing” AKA BLM, Murdering Black People Matters.
Yeah, that’s not the actual problem going on this world.
Never buy from them.
.
.
Today is one of those rare days I wish I had an idiot phone. Looking out at the yard with a covering of about 2 inches of light fluffy snow reveals crisscrossing lines all over, lines left by a couple of very active chipmunks, scurrying about, or more precisely, burrowing about. This sight is very rare as we usually have several inches of snow during this time of year, so much so that the burrowing chipmunks would leave no sign. I had the good fortune to actually witness one chipmunk frantically burrowing across the yard, peeping up from time to time, before resuming its frantic move. And why frantic? Those cute little critters must make a fine snack to the local hawks that circle overhead from time to time.
This is insane (starting to vaccinate children against COVID by the spring). Vaccination should be optional only – and most people under age 55 have no good reason to be vaccinated.
https://twitter.com/RolandBakerIII/status/1355204106969698304
Just heard about another healthcare worker (nurse, I think?) who took the shot, felt bad, drove home, and died right there in her car. Her employer REQUIRED all employees to take the vaccine. While it’s true that vaccine MAKERS have full immunity from any health problems or deaths that their poison shots cause, as far as I know, EMPLOYERS are another story. I hope that woman’s family sues the absolute dog snot out of the employer.
Houston has had another vaccine death, too.
MRNA vaccines have never been used before because they’re KNOWN to be deadly.
For those who are interested, go to SCHOLAR.GOOGLE.COM and type in the search bar “ADE antibody-dependent enhancement of infection.” This type of reaction has been seen in nature in Dengue Shock Syndrome – but seen in the LAB in the development of vaccines both against Dengue and HIV. It has been acknowledged as a risk with MRNA vaccines.
As far as I know, there’s no way to ‘undo’ the changes to your DNA programming that this shot does, so when you are exposed to a similar enough virus, your own body may commence to do that whole “enhancement of infection” thing. It’s far worse than having NO immunity – your own body now ASSISTS the virus into your cells…
Horrible to contemplate how many will die the next time they get a cold/flu…
99.5% recovery rate under 70 yrs old.
Oldest daughter told me she got the vaccination. I shared every bit of into I have to try and dissuade her, but she has been educated to be pro-vax no matter what. God have mercy on us
posting, so I may read comments.
Our Heavenly Father, Your children come to you tonight to ask for healing and peace throughout our country so that we may return to being One Nation Under God. Guide us to be leaders in Your Kingdom, spreading Your Love and Salvation to all. Forgive us our sins and deliver us from evil.
Lord, we ask for a blanket of protection over all our troops and law enforcement who serve to defend and protect us. Bless our representatives with the strength and wisdom they need to achieve the path You have chosen for us.
Please place Your Guardian Angels of Protection around Donald Trump and his family as they seek to lead America back to You. Also, we pray for Angels to protect and support our Sundance as he works for justice and peace.
Grant us patience, Lord, as the evil ones try to anger us and cause us to fall.
Spread blessings over Israel and Netanyahu.
We humbly ask that You please comfort those who are grieving and in pain.
Thank you Father, for Your Love and the gift of Life.
In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.
Hmmmm….even held up without lilbirdee’s name. Grrrr….
I just thought I would try a few things. Try to find out what is bugging the bin keeper.
On top of throwing my prayer into the bin every night, it yells at me to stop posting so fast. :\
Thank you, Ad rem. 🙂
Oscar the Grouch is at it again.
Amen
Amen.
Amen.
Best vid. I’ve seen in a while. Love how the kids grab a bunch of healthy stuff. Their parents should be proud!
https://twitter.com/waterlyll/status/1355630718601338889?s=20
Beirut is further crumbling. Lebanese leadership are infighting and guess who has declared he’s coming to ease tensions: Macron. But what is the driving cancer? https://www.the961.com/hezbollah-attack-campaign-lebanese-army/