Miriam: a lesson in our motives behind our criticisms

This month’s study is on Miriam. Moses’ older sister, we first meet her as a young girl who watches over her baby brother and leads Pharaoh’s daughter to Jochebed. As an adult, she is known as a prophetess, and an able leader. She leads the women in a song and dance of worship after the parting of the Red Sea and their escape from Pharaoh’s army. However, she is also a jealous person who openly criticized Moses’ leadership. What is her story? What were her motives to criticize Moses? Were they honorable or selfish in nature? What does her story tell us about God’s forgiveness?

Her name means bitterness. Miriam’s character is one of fortitude and wisdom, a leader of God’s people at a critical moment, she led a celebration. The first mention of dancing in Scripture is linked to Miriam and her leading the women in celebration. Dancing was a form of worship and linked to joy and happiness. Miriam danced and sang a song of celebration, “Sing to the Lord, for his is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea” (Exodus 15:21) and even spoke God’s words to his people. She played an instrumental role in the deliverance of God’s people. However, she thought she and Aaron, their brother, deserved an equal share in his authority, an equal share in how the people are led. She spoke against Moses’ authority. She was stuck with leprosy for her pride and insubordination. She was banned to the outskirts of the camp for seven days for her sin. She was even denied entry to the Promise Land.

Why was Miriam punished with leprosy and banishment for seven days? Her motives behind her criticisms. Criticisms and confrontations can be well-placed. Jesus tells us in Luke 17:3, “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.” However, sometimes our criticisms and confrontations are not for correction, but for our own selfish motives. What was Miriam’s motive? Jealousy. She was jealousy of her baby brother who had an honored position with the Lord and was chosen as leader of the Israelites. Moses also married Zipporah, a Cushite woman, which meant that Miriam was not the most important or influential woman in Moses’ life. Before we criticize, we need to consider our motives. Are we criticizing to correct or to wound? Sometimes criticism, under the guise of constructive criticism, hides a destructive jealousy. The motives behind our criticisms are often more important to deal with than the criticism itself. Jesus speaks to our motives in Matthew 7:3-5 and calls us to be discerning in our criticisms, to be focused on correcting rather negative.

Miriam’s story is just another example of God’s forgiveness. He is willing to forgive sin. He wants to forgive us of our sins. When we repent, God is faithful and will forgive us. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our ins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Even though Miriam was punished for her sin, she is not remembered for her sin. Micah 6:4 mentions her as being sent by God along with Moses and Aaron to lead the people from Egypt. Many people may think they haven’t been forgiven because they still suffer from sin’s results. However, repentance from sin does not keep the consequences from happening. Just as Miriam was forgiven for her sin, she still faced the consequences of her actions. Just as David was forgiven for his sin, he had to suffer the consequences (2 Samuel 12:13-14). We are forgiven, but we must face the earthly consequences of our actions.

In conclusion, Miriam’s story is one of greatness and one of sin. She is remembered as a prophetess and a leader. She danced in celebration and worship. She is also a lesson in examining our motives when we criticize or confront others. Are we doing so to correct or to wound? Are we concerned or are we jealous? Her story is also an example of God’s promise to forgive when we repent our sins. The Bible is filled with examples of God’s promise to forgive. One of my favorite verses is Psalm 103:12, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our consequences from us.”

Researching my Native heritage for Native American Heritage Day

Today is Native American Heritage Day. Most Americans will boast about a family story which involves an ancestor who was Native American. Most of those stories are proved to be false as they dig into their family history. Growing up I heard a story from both sides of my family tree. My maternal side had a story of a Canadian Indian princess from my grandfather’s paternal side. That story has been proven false through records research as well as genetic testing. However, the story on my paternal side has proven to be correct. My research has revealed that Emilie Marie (nee Bottineau) LaPointe, my 4^th great grandmother, was Cree Indian, born around 1797/1799 around Red River, Manitoba, Canada. Further research has revealed that her mother, Marie Techomegood, my 5^th great grandmother, was Assiniboine Indian born about 1780 around Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. I decided to look deeper into the Cree and Assiniboine tribes.

Cree Indians are one of the largest groups of the First Nations in North America. Majority of Cree in Canada live in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. The name “Cree” is derived from the Algonkian language, Kiristino, which the Ojibwa used for tribes around Hudson Bay. Historically, the Cree were hunter-gatherers who were strongly associated with the fur trade in North America. Lodges were the basic unit consisting of 8-12 people. Bands were a group of lodges who moved and hunted together. Bands usually had strong ties with neighboring bands through intermarriage and would gather for hunts and socialization. Their number would expand rapidly in the 17^th and 18^th centuries as they profited from the fur trade (Encyclopedia Britannica). Given the traditional acceptance of the Cree for intermarriages, many bands are ultimately of mixed heritages. Those with mixed heritages in Canada is known as Metis, which is French for mixed ancestry. Canada’s Indian and Northern Affairs broadly define Metis as those with First Nations and European ancestry. Today, “early 21st-century population estimates indicated some 90,000 individuals of Cree descent” (Encyclopedia Britannica). It’s exciting to know that I am one of those 90,000 individuals.

Assiniboine Indians are also known as “stone Sioux” or Hohe Nakota who inhabited the Northern Great Plains of North America. They grew into one of the largest and powerful with a horse and warrior culture. At their height, their territory ranged from North Saskatchewan River to the Missouri River. Well known throughout the late 18^th and early 19^th century, Assiniboine tribes were members of the Iron Confederacy along with the Cree. From 1692 to the late 19^th century, the Iron Confederacy were important intermediaries in the Great Plains trading networks with the Hudson Bay Company. The most commonly furs traded were beaver and bison. In return, they would obtain guns, ammo, metal items such as tomahawks and pots, wool items, such as blankets, coasts and leggings, glass beads and other goods. “Their new wealth as traders, successful horsemen, respected warriors and as providers of fresh meat to the numerous trading posts reached a peak from the 1780s to the early 1800s” (Getty, 2020). This period covers the roughly the lifetime of Marie Techomegood and the childhood of Emilie Marie. Sadly, as with many Native tribes, the Assiniboine suffered greatly through wars and epidemics like smallpox.

The traditional lifestyles and culture of the Cree and Assiniboine were semi-nomadic as they would follow and hunt the bison during the warmer months and settled for the winter months. Women had primary responsibilities within the bands. They gathered and cultivated plants for food and medicines. They cared for the young and the elderly. They made the clothing and instruments. They processed and cured the meat and skins, reserving the meat for winter.  Every part of the animals would be used. Hides, tendons, and horns were used for clothing, bedding, tools, and cords. If they could use it, they would. The men were excellent horsemen who hunted, traded, and battled on horseback using bows and arrows. Girls and women were encouraged to learn to ride. Hunt and fight. While the main fighting was left up to the boys and men, women and girls were often called upon for defense of the home as well as offense in battle. Men and women took part in storytelling, artwork, music, and medicine. The Cree and Assiniboine believed that the Sun god and Thunder god were the most important manifestations of the Great Spirit. Bands would participate in an annual Sun Dance.

It was a lot of fun researching my great grandmothers. My 4^th great grandmother, Emilie, died around 1850. Her mother, Marie Techomegood, died around 1815. While reading about the historical events of their lifetimes, I would imagine what it was like for them to experience their events, to hear about them. What were their thoughts? Feelings? Reactions? While I may never know the answers, I feel a connection to them and our shared heritage. My thought is that Techomegood was my 5^th great grandmother’s given name and she possibly took the name, Marie, when she married. I’ve also discovered that Techomegood possibly translates to “Clear Sky Woman.” After discovering Emilie Marie and Marie Techomegood’s native heritage, it was fun and eye-opening researching their possible tribes, its history and culture. I look forward to furthering my research and reading more about the Cree and Assiniboine, to learn more about the people and their stories.

 

References

 

Encyclopedia Britannica. www.britannica.com/topic/Cree. Retrieved November 25, 2020.

 

Getty, Ian A.L. (August 4, 2020) Assiniboine. The Canadian Encyclopedia www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/assiniboine. Retrieved November 25, 2020. 

Lost Stars: a Star Wars story that every fan should read

A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away…. Lost Stars by Claudia Gray is a youth novel as a part of the Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens series. Eight years after the fall of the Old Republic, the Galactic Empire reigns over the known galaxy and any resistance is easily silenced. Thane Kyrell and Ciena Ree grew up on the Outer Rim planet of Jelucan. Thane, from a aristocratic family, and Ciena, a rural villager. The two were worlds apart and yet fate made them unlikely friends. They would find ways to be together, to practice flying and to study as their dream was to attend the Imperial Academy. The two become inseparable, knowing each other so well that they often finish each other’s thoughts. But when Thane sours on the dream after he sees firsthand the horrifying tactics the Empire uses to maintain order; the two friends are on the opposite sides of the war. Thane puts them at odds when he joins the Rebellion and Ciena now must decide between her duty, her oath and her loyalty to the Empire and the man she has loved since childhood.

Lost Stars was given to me by my cousin when he learned that I had read Ms. Gray’s other Star Wars titles. I enjoyed Lost Stars much more than I did her other titles. Lost Stars takes the reader on a journey through the original trilogy through the eyes of the nameless characters fighting in the background. It was exciting, thrilling and opened the Star Wars trilogy in ways that I’ll see the movies in a new light. I loved the characters of Thane and Ciena. Ms. Gray has written two characters who felt like real people with strengths, flaws, love, conflicts, and moral dilemmas. They could easily be us as we face difficult decisions and must decide between conflicting loyalties. The blooming romance between the two was equally beautiful and while Ms. Gray kept much to the imagination, she wrote the romance better than most romance novels I’ve read. I am slowly working my way through the numerous Star Wars novels; Lost Stars is by far my favorites so far. It is a story I will revisit again. If you are a fan of Star Wars, I highly recommend Lost Stars!

 

Lost Stars is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audiobook

Alexander Hamilton: the biography that started it all

 Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow has been on the reading lists of many since Lin-Manuel Miranda read the book and was inspired to write his award-winning musical, Hamilton (2015). I have long been a fan of history and musicals. When I finally was able to see the musical in July, I knew I had to read the biography. Alexander Hamilton came from nothing as the illegitimate self-taught orphan from the Caribbean. He overcame the abandonment of his father, the death of his mother and a devastating hurricane to start a new life in the Americas. He would arrive at the height of the Revolutionary War and he would quickly join in the fight for freedom. Alexander Hamilton was a controversial figure in his day as well as today. Chernow details how the political and economic power of America today is the handiwork of Hamilton and his unrelenting fight to champion ideas that we take for granted today.

As a line in the musical says, “His enemies destroyed his rep America forgot him.” He had very public feuds with the Titans of the day: Jefferson, Adams, Madison, and Monroe. He had the first sex scandal of American history as his affair with Maria Reynolds became public. I learned about Alexander Hamilton in college as my history professor used his story of the American dream. To rise above your origins to become a success. While he was largely be forgotten in our history lessons, now thanks to Ron Chernow and Lin-Manuel Miranda, he will no longer be forgotten. It is a large book at 700+ pages and it took me several months to read. However, it will be so worth it. Alexander Hamilton is worthy to be among the heroes of our country’s history as much as Washington, Jefferson and others are celebrated. While he was a hero, he was also deeply flawed. While we can celebrate his contributions, we should also understand the man and human he was. His mistakes, his failures to stand are all lessons to us as much as his successes. I highly recommend Alexander Hamilton. 

 “You've seen the show, you've sung the songs, now read the full story of America's most misunderstood founding father.”

 

Alexander Hamilton is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audiobook

Over the Moon: an adventure story with life lessons

Over the Moon is an American Chinese computer animated film, directed by Gary Keane, co-directed John Kahrs. Screenplay by the late Audrey Wells along with Alice Wu and Jennifer Yee McDevitt. Starring the voice talents of Cathy Ang, Phillippa Soo, Ken Jeong, John Cho, Margaret Cho and Sandra Oh. First shown at the Montclair Film Festival on October 17, 2020, it was released on Netflix and select theaters on October 23, 2020. My eight-year-old daughter is a big fan of Phillippa Soo and was excited to watch Over the Moon. When we watched it together, I found it was a fun adventure story with a touching life lesson.

The film opens with a young girl named Fei Fei (voiced by Cathy Ang) with her parents. Her mother tells her the legend of Chang’e, the moon goddess, who took a potion for immortality and ascending to the moon without her lover, Houyi. Now she sits on the moon, waiting for her love. As her family prepares for the annual Moon Festival, Fei Fei’s mother falls ill and passes away. Four years later, Fei Fei and her father prepare for the annual Moon festival, but something is different this year. Mrs. Zhong (voiced by Sandra Oh) and her eight-year-old son, Chin (voiced by Robert G. Chiu) arrives, and everything seems to fall apart. Fei Fei decides to build a rocket to the moon to prove the moon goddess’s existence. Once she arrives of the moon, Chang’e (voiced by Phillippa Soo) is not who Fei Fei was expecting. She tells Fei Fei that she was supposed to deliver a gift for Chang'e and offers proof of her existence as a prize. Fei Fei finds herself in a race against time to find the gift, get her proof and go home.

The movie was sweet and fun. There are many aspects I enjoyed about the film. I will highlight my top three. First, the story is wonderful. While it has the common themes of parental death, grief and moving on. It is still a moving story about a young girl who learns that moving on doesn’t mean she stops loving her mother, stops missing her or worse, forgets her mother. Over the Moon offers a story that shows children that it is okay to cry and grieve after a loss of a loved one. As well as it is okay to move on. Second, the music is fun and enjoyable. The score was composed by Steven Price and the original songs were written by Christopher Curtis, Marjorie Duffield, and Helen Park. Phillippa Soo shines with her beautiful voice as well as shows off her hip hop skills. Third, I loved the insights into more of Chinese culture. My daughter and I immediately googled mooncakes, which are made during the Moon Festival, as we have never heard of them before and they look so delicious.

Unfortunately, there was one aspect of the movie I did not care for. The character of Gobi, voiced by the talented Ken Jeong, was a character that seemed out of place. Gobi, a pangolin, was a former royal advisor to Chang’e who exiled him a thousand years ago. Gobi came into the story to bring Fei Fei to a revelation that will change her attitude and view on her life. Normally, that would be fine and expected, however, Gobi was too much like Olaf for me to fully enjoy his part in the story. His manic speech style felt familiar to Olaf’s. The rambling, nonsense speech with a gem of entitlement in the middle was too much like Olaf. It is not the fact that Fei Fei had animal companions as many. Many fairy tales and legends have animal counterparts. Gobi would have been great if he just didn’t feel like an Olaf copy.

In conclusion, I enjoyed Over the Moon. It was fun and enjoyable. It had funny moments. It had sad moments. It had moments led to talks with my daughter about loss and grief. It had amazing animation with a great story featuring a Chinese legend and a look into more aspects of Chinese culture. The music was great and fun to listen to. While I did not enjoy the Gobi character, the other characters were fun. Overall, I recommend Over the Moon for all. Not just families, but for anyone who would enjoy a story about a young girl who learns a great life lesson. 

Remembering Ofra Haza on what would have been her 63rd birthday

Ofra Haza was an international Israeli singer whose voice dazzled audiences for decades. Her music would be known as World pop, ethnic electronics synthpop as well as a mixture of traditional and commercial styles of her Yemeni heritage. She became known as the Madonna of the East. I was first introduced to her in the 1998 film The Prince of Egypt as the singing voice for Jochebed, Moses’ mother. I was reintroduced to her recently as I did a study on Jochebed and discovered her other music. Sadly, she died in 2000. Today would have been her 63^rd birthday. I would like to introduce everyone to Ofra Haza. She may be done but she left behind such a beautiful success story and amazing music for us to remember her.

Born Bat-Sheva Ofra Haza on November 19, 1957 in Hatikva, Tel Aviv, Israel. She was the youngest of nine children to Yefet and Shoshana Haza, Mizrahi Jewish parents who had immigrated from Yemen. At the age of 12, Ofra joined a local theater troupe, and manager Bezalel Aloni noticed her singing talent and featured her in many of his productions. Aloni would become her mentor and manager as her singing career progressed. At 19, she would be Israel’s foremost popstar. After her first album, Al Ahavot Shelanu (About Our Loves) was released in 1980, it produced a string of radio hits. She would be named Female Vocalist of the Year by Kol Israel Radio for four years straight, 1980-1983. In 1983, she released Shirey Moledet, her renditions of Israeli folk songs which went platinum and produced two volumes in 1985 and 1987. She was so popular that she was asked by Michael Jackson to do a joint international concert tour in 1990, which she turned down (Shahar). In 1997, she married Doron Ashkenazi.

Her career would include many collaborations and performances. She would provide vocals for Sarah Brightman’s Harem (2003) on the song, “Mysterious Days.” She did duets with Paul Anka, Cliff Richards, and Iggy Pop (Shahar). She sang on various movie soundtracks including Colors (1998), Dick Tracy (1990), Queen Margot (1994) and The Prince of Egypt (1998). The animators for The Prince of Egypt were so moved by her beauty that they used her image for Jochebed. She would also sing “Deliver Us” in each language the movie was translated in, 18 in all. Ofra would also do a series of covers from Carol King and James Taylor’s “You’ve Got a Friend,” to Madonna’s “Open Your Heart.” One of my favorite covers by Ofra is Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir.” She did two versions. One was upbeat and sounds similar to Zeppelin’s version and a second version which is slow and very haunting (which is my favorite of the two versions).

Ofra Haza died on February 23, 2000 at the age of 42 from AIDS related pneumonia. Her death was controversial in Israel despite her HIV positive status was generally known. Many people would blame her husband, Doron, for giving her HIV. However, she got HIV from a blood transfusion in a Turkish hospital following treatment from a miscarriage (Paphides, 2010). When her death ws announced, Israeli radio played her music nonstop while then-Prime Minister Ehud Barak praised her as a cultural emissary and an Israeli success story. He would say that she “emerged from the Hatikavh slums to reach the peak of Israeli culture. She has left a mark on us all” A park in the Hatikva Quarter was renamed in her honor. Her death from AIDS related causes added another layer of mourning for her fans and the people of Israel as “She was a beautiful crystal ball that suddenly shattered without anyone knowing it was cracked” (Shalev, 2020).

In conclusion, Ofra Haza was a rare beauty and talent who left an undeniable mark in Israel and on me. She is a success story that one can rise above their beginnings and leave their mark on the world they leave behind. It saddens me that I didn’t know her and her music during her lifetime. However, I love that I can enjoy the music she left behind. One of my favorite songs is Yershalayim Shel Zahav (“Jerusalem in Gold”) which she sang at the officially ceremony marking Israel’s 50^th anniversary. I have posted the link to her performance above. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

                                                                    References

Paphides, Peter (December 9, 2010). Ofra Haza: Madonna of the dark soul. The Guardian. www.theguardian.com/music/2010/dec/09/ofra-haza-madonna-of-the-dark-soul. Retrieved November 18, 2020.

Shahar, Nathan (no date). Ofra Haza. My Jewish Learning. www.myjewishlearning.com/article/ofra-haza/. Retrieved November 18, 2020.

Shalev, Ben (February 27, 2020). Looking Back at Ofra Haza's Transformation, 20 Years After the Death of Israel's Iconic Singer. Haaretz. www.haaretz.com/life/.premium.MAGAZINE-20-years-to-iconic-singer-s-death-looking-back-at-ofra-haza-s-transformation-1.8590931. Retrieved November 18, 2020.

Take Me Home: a fun weekend read

Take Me Home by JH Croix is the first book in the Last Frontier Lodge series. After a walking in on a robbery at her apartment in Seattle, Marley Adams returns home to Diamond Creek, Alaska. Hoping to move past the experience, she settles into a routine when handsome Gage Hamilton inherits the local ski lodge and begins fixing it up. The connection between Marley and Gage is instantaneous and soon the two are inseparable. Everyone around them is ecstatic that they have found each other. Nothing would spoil it. However, soon the events back in Seattle seems to follow her home, Gage takes charge to help her figure out who is after her and what they are after. Can they figure out who is threatening her? Is it connected to her apartment robbery?

Take Me Home is a cute, sweet romance. A nice book for a weekend read. I enjoyed Marley and Gage as their relationship developed. The sex scenes bordered on a tad bit too detailed but not too graphic. My only complaint is the author’s constant descriptions and sentence structure. In the opening chapter, Marley’s auburn hair was mentioned at least a dozen time. Ok, we get it, her hair is auburn. Ms. Croix’s sentence structures seemed a bit amateurish as she mentions details more than once on a single sentence. It would be easy to figure out a dozen other ways to say the same information without the repetition. However, I did enjoy the story. I enjoyed all the supporting characters and would enjoy reading their stories as well. For a fun story, I recommend Take Me Home.

 

                               Take Me Home is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

On this day in history: the Articles of Confederation were approved (1777)

On this day in history, the Articles of Confederation were approved in 1777 by the Second Continental Congress and sent to each colony for ratification. It was an agreement among the colonies and served as the new nations first constitution. The guiding principle was to preserve the independence and sovereignty of each state with a weak central government. The idea was that it is was a league of friendship. It was officially ratified on March 1, 1781 as the Revolutionary War was coming to a close with victory coming at Yorktown in October. When Shay’s Rebellion occurred in August 1786-June 1787, the weaknesses of the Articles were apparent, and the Constitutional Convention convened on May 25, 1787 to address its issues.

The Articles of Confederation established a firm league among the colonies now known as free and independent states. It was an international agreement to set up the central institutions to conduct vital domestic and foreign affairs. On June 12, 1776, a committee of 13 was chosen to draft a constitution for the new nation they wanted to create. The Articles of Confederation were presented to the Continental Congress on July 12, 1776. Long debates ensued on state sovereignty and the powers given to Congress. Questions on how to establish a judiciary, western land claims and voting procedures and general questions on how to conduct day to day business. Eventually a consensus was achieved by allowing each state to retain its sovereignty, the power of western land claims was given to the states, and established a unicameral legislature with limited powers. The final draft would be approved on November 15, 1777.

The Articles consist of a preamble, 13 articles, a conclusion, and a signatory section. Each individual article set rules for current and future operations of the central government. Here is a summarized version of each article:

1.  Establishes the country’s new name as the United State of America.

2. Asserts the sovereignty of each state.

3. Declares the purpose of the Confederation as a “firm league of friendship” for the common defense, security of liberties and mutual and general well-being.

4. Establishes equal treatment and freedom of movement for free residents of each state as well as extradition powers for fugitives to be returned to the state of their crimes.

5. Allocates one vote per state in the Congress of the Confederation and each state was entitled to a delegation of 2-7 members who were appointed by their state’s legislatures for service of no more than 3 of 6 years.

6. The power to declare war is allocated to the Congress as well as the power to conduct foreign political or commercial relationships. While each state is required to keep ready a well-trained, disciplined, and equipped militia.

7. State legislatures are assigned military ranks of Colonel and below.

8. Government expenditures will be paid with funds raised by the state legislatures.

9. Details the specific powers and functions of the Congress including war powers, foreign powers, appointed judges to the courts, appointed a president to serve no longer than 1 year per a 3-year Congressional term.

10. When the Congress is in recess, nine states are needed to form a committee to execute any of the congressional powers.

11. No new states shall be admitted without the consent of nine states.

12. Confederations will honor all bills of credit incurred, monies borrowed, and debts contracted by Congress before the Articles’ existence.

13. The Articles can be altered only by Congressional approach and ratification of the state legislatures.

 After the Articles were ratified by the states on March 1, 1781, it wasn’t long until its weaknesses were exposed. After the war, a debt crisis rose among the citizens in Massachusetts and the state’s increased efforts to collect taxes on both individuals and their trades. With no relief in sight, war veteran and farmer Daniel Shays led 4,000 men to protest the economic and civil rights injustices. On August 29, 1787, Shay led an armed march on the federal Springfield Armory to seize the weaponry and overthrown the government. It was unsuccessful but other skirmishes would follow until the rebellion was stopped by the Massachusetts State militia and a privately funded local militia. At the time of the rebellion, it weakness of the Articles were apparent, and it was widely debated among the Federalists and the Antifederalists about revisions to the Articles. It has been widely taught that Shays’ Rebellion was the catalyst for the Constitutional Convention and the creation of the Constitution we know today; however, many scholars still debate whether the rebellion really had an influence on the creation of the Constitution and its ratification.

In conclusion, the Articles of Confederation was our nation’s first attempt at a constitution. While it has its weaknesses and was thrown out in favor for the current Constitution, the Articles was a start for a community who know what they wanted to avoid in a government and the liberty they wanted to protect. From identifying the powers of Congress and the country’s leaders, the Articles of Confederation served as the starting point for a new nation. Its greatest achievement was to bring the 13 colonies together to form one nation. Whether Shays’ Rebellion was the catalyst to throw out the Articles, or just the final straw, it influenced the creation of the new US Constitution. Today, we remember the Articles of Confederation. 

First Instinct: a powerful and dramatic story of love and friendship

First Instinct is the first book in the Northstar series by Suzie O’Connell. It is the story of Nick Hammond and his best friend, Beth Carlyle. Nick and Beth had been best friends since childhood as their families have neighboring ranches. Nick saves Beth from an attack from Beth’s boyfriend, Trey. The two become entangled in a series of harassments and accusations as Nick tries to help Beth heal from her attack as well as shield her from further guilt and shame. When Trey accused Nick of assault, Beth must come to a difficult decision, does she tell the truth behind Nick’s attack on Trey? Can she find the strength and courage to speak up despite the ramifications from the community? Or will she be intimidated into silence?

I thoroughly enjoyed First Instinct as a sweet story of protective friendship between Nick and Beth as well as the drama of Beth’s attack and the aftermath. Nick is the quintessential knight in shining armor as he comes to Beth’s defense time and time again. However, Beth is not the typical damsel in distress as she learns to fight back and decides enough’s enough. I look forward to reading more books in this series. I recommend First Instinct.

 

First Instinct is available in paperback and eBook 

Beautifully Broken Pieces: a fun and entertaining romance set in Oregon

 

Beautifully Broken Pieces by Catherine Cowles is the first book in the Sutter Lake series. It is the story of Taylor Lawson as she escapes to the remote town of Sutter Lake, Oregon as she grieves the death of her mother. She rents a cabin from the Cole family and soon gains the attention of Walker Cole, the local deputy sheriff. As the attraction between the two is evident from the beginning, their perspective griefs keep them at arm’s length. Walker worries about her safety as there is a rash of missing young girls from the area and Taylor is determined to show that she is fine. But is she fine? Will the abductor come after her? Can Walker keep her safe? When will they finally give in to the growing attraction between them?

Beautifully Broken Pieces is a sweet and enticing story about grief and moving on with one’s life. Some of the language the author uses was very cringey and awkward. I’m not a big fan of slang and some of it used in the story, I feel, didn’t fit the characters. However, I enjoyed the story as I loved the character of Walker and I learned to love Taylor by the end of the story. The revelation of who was abducting these girls and why was shocking and from left field. I look forward to more books in this series. I recommend Beautifully Broken Pieces.

 

Beautifully Broken Pieces is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Remembering Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton on the 166th anniversary of her death

Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton has come back into the spotlight due to the popularity of Hamilton (2015). She was more than just the widow of Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804). She a philanthropist in her own right. She was the co-founder and deputy director of Graham Windham, a private orphanage in New York City. She helped Dolley Madison and Louisa Adams raise money for the Washington Monument, She was also a strong defender of her husband’s work and legacy. Today is the 166^th anniversary of her death. I wanted to look deeper into the woman, the Founding Mother, who was more than just the wife of a Founding Father.

Elizabeth, Eliza to her family, was born on August 9, 1757, the second daughter of Continental Army General Philip Schuyler, and Catherine Van Rensselaer Schuyler, the daughter of one of the richest and most politically influential families in the state of New York. She was raised in the Reformed Dutch Church of Albany which instilled in her a strong and unwavering faith she would have throughout her life. On December 14, 1780, she married Alexander Hamilton. Her first child, Philip, was born on January 22, 1782. She and Hamilton would have a total of 8 children with the last child, another son named Philip, born June 1, 1802. In addition to their own children, Eliza and Hamilton often took in orphan. Frances “Fanny” Antill, was the two-year-old daughter of Colonel Edward Antill, a family friend, was taken in by the Hamilton when her mother died and stay with them when her father died, until her older sister was married and able to take over her care. Eliza would be more than just a wife and mother. She would also aid her husband in his political career, serving as an intermediary and helping him write out his papers when he was too weak and too tired to hold a pen. Many of his surviving writings have portions in were written in her hand. Even after the very public revelation of her husband’s affair, Eliza would reconcile with Hamilton and she would two more children. When Hamilton died on July 12, 1804, she and their children were by his side.

Eliza would dedicate the rest of her life to various endeavors. She was determined to preserve her husband’s work and memory. Eliza was determined to make sure Americans remembered and acknowledged Alexander’s contributions to America and his achievements from a humble birth to the pantheon of American heroes. She has a steady stream of visitors whom she would interview for their memories and recollections of her husband. In June 1848, she petitioned Congress to buy and publish Hamilton’s works. In August 1848, it would be granted, and the works would be added to the Library of Congress. Her son, John C. Hamilton would go on to publish History of the Republic of the United States America, as Traced in the Writings of Alexander Hamilton and his Contemporaries (1861). History of the Republic would set the bar for future biographies of Alexander Hamilton. She was a committed abolitionist who delighted in entertaining slaves children and referred to the slaveholding states as the African States. Unfortunately, there are no records which detail her abolitionist; however, after reading Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton, I have a feeling she did most of her work in privately conservations rather than public activism.

In 1798. Eliza accepted the invitation of her friend, Isabella Graham, and joined the Society for the Relief of Poor Widows with Small Children. New York in 1806 was a harsh place even with the best of circumstances with poverty, hunger and diseases being rampant. As life expectancy was short, countless children would lose one or both parents. And with no child protective services or a public child welfare program, many children would be placed in the care of family or a church family. Sadly, many children would end up indentured or placed in almshouses. To answer this need, Eliza, along with several other woman including her friend, Joanna Bethune, founded the Orphan Asylum Society. She would service as its first director in 1821 and held that position for 27 years until she left New York in 1848. She would raise funds, collected the needed goods, and oversaw the care and education of at least 765 children. She had a particular interest in one child, Henry McKavitt (Long, 2016). She personally paid for his schooling and arranged for a military commission at West Point. When he died in the Mexican American War, he left his entire estate to the orphanage. The orphanage is now known as the Graham Windham which operates as a family and youth development agency. It currently serves approximately 5,000 children and families every year. The services they provide include family counseling and treatment, after school academic support and health services.

In conclusion, Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton is a hero in her own right. Without her determination to preserve his papers, biographers like Ron Chernow would have had very little information to research. And Lin Manuel Miranda’s musical would have never been. As Alexander Hamilton deserves to be among American heroes like Washington and Jefferson, America owes her a great debt as it was her efforts to see that he was remembered. When she died at the age of 97, she held firm to her belief that she would see her beloved Hamilton again. She was buried next to him in the Trinity Churchyard.

 

 

References

 

Long, Kat (February 25, 2016). Why Elizabeth Hamilton Is Deserving of a Musical of Her Own. Smithsonian Magazine. www.smithsonianmag.com/history/why-elizabeth-hamilton-deserving-musical-her-own-180958214/. Retrieved November 7, 2020.

 

 

For Further Reading

 

Chernow, Ron (2004). Alexander Hamilton. Penguin Books. Available in hardcover, paperback and eBook

 

Graham Windham www.graham-windham.org.

If I had A Parenting Do Over: useful information for all parents

 If I Had A Parenting Do Over: 7 Vital Changes I’d Make by Jonathan McKee offers real advice from a parent who made many mistakes with his own children and he acknowledges areas in which he overparented and where he would have done more. While many of his advice is applied mostly to teenagers as they try to gain more independence, the advice can certainly be applied to older children before the troubled teen years. He urges parents to have conversations rather than interrogations and not to let boundaries hinder your bonding time with your kids. Mr. McKee explains the difference between quality time and quantity time. While both are important, quality time are moments that just happen while quantity time takes a bit more planning and effort. Each chapter highlights each of his vital 7 changes and ending with practical questions to ask yourself and apply to your own parenting situation.

I first heard about If I Had A Parenting Do Over from my husband who had heard Mr. McKee on the radio, talking about this book. He was intrigued and asked me to look it up. We both agreed to order it and read it. While our children are not teenagers yet, the book offers practical advice that when put into practice and “perfected” so by the time our children are teenagers, these practices will be second nature…hopefully. Even though he writes from a Christian perspective, his advice can be helpful to non-Christian parents as well. I highly recommend If I Had A Parenting Do Over.

 

If I Had A Parenting Do Over is available in paperback and eBook

November is Family Stories Month

 November is Family Stories Month. There is a great line in Hamilton (2015) which relates to family stories and histories. Aaron Burr sings “And when you're gone, who remembers your name? /Who keeps your flame? /Who tells your story?” With the rise of DNA testing and ancestry searches, people are searching for their roots. Where did we come from? And the need for family stories is growing. Many people learn amazing stories from their ancestors. These discoveries often pull us closer to history than ever before. Why are family stories important to us? What are ways we can celebrate Family Stories Month? Any time family gathers together is a great chance to take an opportunity to share those stories. I will write about one of my favorite family stories.

Family stories are important, and it is sad that many families no longer share those stories. Family stories can bring history alive. Talking with and sharing the stories of family members who served in the military. I have always loved learning about the events of World War II because both my grandfathers served during the war. My paternal grandfather served in Europe and my maternal grandfather served in the Pacific on an aircraft carrier. Learning about the different battles came alive as I imagined my grandfathers as young men, engaged in these battles. Family stories also can help boost our identity. These stories connect our families to history as they experienced it. They highlight family characteristics such as a sense of adventures, courage, and creativity as we learn who are ancestors were and what they did in their life in the historical events in which they lived. Family stories also strengthens connections between generations. The more we know about our family history, the stronger our sense of control over our lives and the higher their self-esteem. When I learned what my grandparents survived and thrived, it gives me confidence that my chances of surviving and thriving are good too because I descend from them.

There are countless ways to celebrate Family Stories Month. There is no wrong way to tell these stories. Here are a few ideas to get started. First, go through old photos and ask questions about the people in the pictures. Any anecdotes of adventures, travel, and romance. Are there any humorous stories? Stories about an epic historical event? Can you incorporate music, TV shows or movies in your stories? Second, stories about childhood are always great topics. My husband likes to tell the stories of him and his best friend playing video games at a local liquor store. They would pump gas for people to get money for those arcade games. Third, discover if there is a special story behind a family recipe or dinner tradition. Lastly, talk about fun facts about each other especially if you have kids. For example, the wild storm that was going on when he or she was born. Or a funny thing they used to do or say. For example, my oldest daughter used to say “tortilla” when she was hungry. It didn’t matter what we were eating, she was would say “tortilla” when asked if she was hungry.

One of my family stories is how my maternal grandparents met and fell in love. My grandfather grew up in Boston, Massachusetts. His best friend was a young man named John. After the Attack on Pearl Harbor, both answered the call to serve their country. My grandfather went into the Navy while John went into the Marines. My grandmother grew in Oklahoma and during the depths of the Great Depression, her parents packed up their family and moved to Los Angeles, California. John eventually met my grandmother in LA. I’m not sure how they met and when, but they began to date. On February 23, 1945, John was killed on Iwo Jima. My grandfather’s ship docked in San Pedro, CA when he heard the news of his friend’s death. After leaving the service, he sought out my grandmother to tell her the news, which she had already knew. My grandfather headed back home to Boston, only to return to LA and propose to my grandmother. They were married on May 11, 1946. When my grandfather died in 1996, they were married for 50 years, they had 12 children and 29 grandchildren. At the time I write this, there are currently 32 great-grandchildren.

In conclusion, no story is insignificant. Even if there is no great warrior story or participation in an historical event, members of our family lived through these events and we need to hear their memories, their thoughts, their feelings about the time and situations. As I’ve learned about my family history and the people who came before me, I developed a closeness to them. They become more than just names on a family tree. They become as a real as the historical figures we learn about in school. I strongly urge everyone to tell their family stories, to write them down and preserve them for future generations so that our voices, our stories can be taught to our descendants so that we become more than just a name on a family tree to them too.

Good Man, Dalton: a sweet, fun story about finding yourself

Good Man, Dalton by Karen McQuestion is the story of self-discovery and learning that not everything you see on social media is real. Greta Hansen is off to New York City to spend the summer interning with her famous cousin’s company. Cece Vanderhaven is a social media queen who influences young girls as she dazzles on the city’s social scene. Great soon learns that her cousin’s life is a highly regulated schedule of makeup, film crews, and well-orchestrated outings. Dalton Bishop is heading to New York on a two-week experiment. He’s leaving everything behind except the clothes on his back to live on the streets as a homeless person. Soon, events begin to place Greta, Cece and Dalton a path together. Will they be able to achieve all they set out to do?

Good Man, Dalton is a sweet, fun story. Full of heart, all the characters are likable and relatable. Greta, the country mouse, off to visit her cousin, learns that Cece’s life isn’t so grand, and she is as special as the dazzling people on social media. Cece learns to stand up for herself and demand a say in her life from her rich, influential parents. And Dalton, who wants to show his father that his endeavors aren’t worthless simply because he didn’t follow the path into the family business. Each character finds the strength and courage they didn’t know they had to follow the path they needed to take. As I closed the final chapter, I had a smile on my face as a feel good, warm story would brighten any gloomy day. I highly recommend Good Man, Dalton.

 

Good Man, Dalton is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook