Paul and James: Did They Contradict Each Other?

“Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2:17)

This is one of the more well known verses in James. James is telling his congregation that faith is good, but faith is dead if you don't show your faith through good works. In verse 21 James says, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?” You can see here James gives an example, from the bible, of a man showing his faith through his works.

But in Romans Paul seems to completely contradict James by saying in chapter 3 verse 28, “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.” Then Paul continues saying in 4:2-3 , “For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” These two verses seem to completely contradict James by saying that Abraham was justified by faith and not works. And if that doesn't seem to contradict James enough, Paul wrote to the Galatians saying, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.” (Galatians 5:6) Okay so now it looks like they contradict each other again. But it's not added works like circumcision that earns God's favor. What will earn it then? “Faith” But what kind of faith? “Faith working through love.” Okay so now we can see that they don't contradict each other. At least as much as we thought.

But how can scripture seemingly contradict each other? It can't. In 2 Timothy it says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” (2T 3:16) This says that all scripture comes from God. So how could God's own words contradict each other. It also says in John, “and Scripture cannot be broken.” (John 10:35b) So this verse pretty much seals the fact that God's word can not be contradictory. Paul even said, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.” (Galatians 5:6)

Reading these two views on faith and works, tells us that they are both equally important. You can't have works without faith and you can't have faith without works. 

The California Gold Rush

In 1848 James W. Marshall found gold next to the newly built Sutter's Mill. This is what started the largest gold rush in American history.

John Sutter decided he wanted to build a mill in Coloma, California. This decision changed the nation. Both economically and where people lived. When news spread about the gold that was found near John Sutter's mill, people around the nation rushed to “strike it rich!”

There were three different ways to get to California from the East at that time. One route was the Oregon Trail to the California Trail. This took around 4-6 months just to get from the East coast to the West coast.

Oregon Trail and California Trail.

The second way was sailing in a boat all the way around South America and back up to the West coast. This took around 6-8 months.

Sailing route around Cape Horn

The third way was the shortest. You sailed on a ship to the Panama Isthmus, then you walked across the Isthmus, then you sailed the rest of the way. This took around 1 month. But unfortunately this route wasn't created until later into the gold rush.

The Isthmus route.

But what happened when you arrived in California? Well sadly most of the people didn't find huge amounts of gold. But some of them got lucky and “struck it rich.”

In 1849 President James K. Polk gave a speech telling the people that the gold rush was real. So it took a whole year for news of gold to reach the President! Talk about slow moving news. But when everyone knew, it was madness. People flocked to California by the thousands. In 1848 there were only around 800 people living there. In 1860 there were over 380,000 people living there. That is a 47,400% increase! In twelve years!

What about the money? How much money was made during the gold rush? Well for the first few years after 1849 the amount of money a year increased until it peaked in 1852 at about $81 million dollars! And that is without the change for inflation! But in years following the amount decreased and in 1857 it was only $45 million and shrinking. But that is still a lot of money. That's over $1.2 billion in today's money! The total amount of gold found during the rush was more than 750,000 pounds of gold! That is around $2 billion! That is just under $55 billion in today's money. 

Sir Sleepolot

Twas early morning,

When the gallant and clumsy,

Sir Sleepolot was awoken,

He was awoken by a strange,

No less, peculiar noise.

But alas!

He did not knoweth of where this strange,

No less, peculiar noise,

Had cometh from,

'Where has this strange noise come from?'

Sir Sleepolot asketh himself

'And what great beast,

Does make this strange noise?'

So it was,

That the gallant and clumsy,

Sir Sleepolot,

Goeth out of his great castle,

To search for this great beastly noise,

His great sword Exdrowsybur by his side.

Sir Sleepolot takes his first step slowly,

No less sluggish,

Second, third, reluctant,

But alas his fourth is mistaken,

Sir Sleepolot falleth to the dirt,

What doth he do now?

Alas!

A noise!

A beastly noise!

Vehement no less,

Has Sleepolot woken the slumbering giant?

No, this thunderous noise,

Is Sir Sleepolot himself,

The gallant and clumsy knight,

Hath fallen asleep!

But alas!

What is this noise?

Tis not Sir Sleepolot,

Could it be the beast,

The gallant and sleeping knight,

Hath been looking for in this short time?

Tis true,

The giant beast that he hath been searching for,

But alas,

Tis not a beast 'tall,

This beast,

Tis a squirrel!

How?

How could this be?

The peculiar noise,

Does cometh from,

the mouth of a squirrel!,

Impossible, no less,

But tis true,

The noise,

Peculiar no less,

Doth cometh from the mouth,

Of a tiny little rodent.

Sir Sleepolot has awoken,

From his nap,

He hears a noise,

Peculiar no less,

'Where doth it come from?'

Asks the gallant knight,

'Who goeth there?'

He asks,

And out cometh the squirrel,

He roars his thunderous roar,

Peculiar no less,

'How could this be?'

Asks the now puzzled knight,

But tis true,

The noise he was so fearful of,

Cometh from the mouth of a rodent.

Treasures up in Heaven

He grew with a yearning inside of his soul,

A millionaire at age 40,

This, was his goal.

But alas!

His goal was not reached,

His dreams not accomplished ,

He surely was not happy,

With his desires not being achieved.

But as time wore on,

He realized,

Money was not all that mattered,

For treasures up in Heaven,

Is what truly is of value.

He took this to heart,

He lived the life of a man,

Who stores treasures,

With the great I Am.

Let us take heed of his decision,

And live a life,

That stores treasures up in Heaven.

The Declaration of Independence: And the Second Continental Congress

The Declaration of Independence is a document in which the 13 colonies unanimously declared independence from Great Britain.

In 1775 people all around the colonies thought that the only way to gain alliances for the war was to be independent from Great Britain. So the colonies gathered for the second Continental Congress. At first the delegates weren't so sure that they should take such a giant move but the war started and they would need an alliance from another country if they wanted to win the war. But nobody was going to ally colonies of Great Britain, so they ended up asking Thomas Jefferson to write a declaration of independence. It was accepted by the congress on July 2^nd, 1776 and signed and sent to the colonies to be ratified on July 4^th, 1776. But it wasn't ratified by all of the now states until five years later in 1781.

In the document it states all the things the King has not done for the states. For example:

"He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures."

And these are just a few of the many things the states didn't like. Thomas Jefferson also mentioned that they had written petitions to the king in a very gentle way but they were returned with, “repeated injury.”

And to wrap up the document it states this,

"We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

The result of the Declaration of Independence was this;

The delegates thought that now they were a free country they needed to put a governing document into place, so they decided to write a whole new document called the Articles of Confederation.

When the second Continental Congress started, they weren't so sure about the Declaration, so they wrote another petition. This petition was called the Olive Branch Petition. This was sent to the King in one last hope that a war could be avoided. But the King refused to read it and declared the colonies to be in full rebellion. After that, the King officially declared war on the colonies. So, seeing that the King wanted war, the delegates asked Thomas Jefferson to write the Declaration of Independence. After they had written this they saw the need to put a governing document into place. So, in November of 1777 they approved the Articles of Confederation and sent it to the new states for ratification. Just like the Declaration, it wasn't ratified by all the states until 1781. Of course we all know they weren't officially a country until 1784 when the Revolutionary War ended. But at least they were ready to be a full running country when it did end. 

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: Written by Mark Twain

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was written by Mark Twain in 1876. The book is based in the early to mid 19^th century.

Tom Sawyer is a boy of about 10. He has no parents so he is being raised by his Aunt Polly. He has two cousins, Sid and Mary. Tom is a very clever and mischievous boy. He is always trying to outwit his Aunt and succeeds most of the time. Except when Sid finds out what really happened and tells on Tom.

One example of Tom outwitting his Aunt is when she told him to paint the entire fence with white paint. And to make matters worse he has to do it on a Saturday! But Tom finds a way out. One of his friends comes over to ask Tom if he can play. Tom says that he can't. “Why?” asked his friend. “I have to be a man and work instead,” said Tom. His friend is intrigued and wants to know if he could be a man too. “Oh no, you can't paint this fence only I can do it,” said Tom. But his friend kept insisting that he wanted to paint the fence. “Okay, give me the rest of the apple in your hand and you can paint the fence,” said Tom. His friend was delighted. This went on for the rest of the time that the fence was being painted. More of Tom's friends would come and prove himself worthy of painting the fence. Tom would ask them to give him something and then they could paint the fence. So instead of losing the day, Tom actually gained a lot. After the fence was painted in record time (even with three coats) Tom went inside and told his Aunt the fence was done. She was shocked that he had done it that quickly. Naturally she didn't believe him. But when she checked herself she was even more surprised that it actually had been painted. With three coats too! So she excused Tom and he went running off to find his friends.

The book continues with a lot of stories like this one. In one story Tom and two of his friends sail to an island in the middle of the Mississippi River and become pirates.

Another one describes how Tom fell in love with a girl named Becky Thatcher.

This book has its ups and downs like any other book. But I like how Mark Twain retells the adventures of his boyhood friends in this novel. He said at the beginning of the book that these were real people that he knew in his childhood. I think that's kind of cool.

Lewis and Clark: As Told by Red Thompson

Meriweather Lewis and William Clark

These fine men are to lead the Corps of Discovery

Will you be one of the fine young men to explore

the west with them?

Sign up in St. Louis, Missouri today!

This is what the poster said and I wasn't about to let this opportunity go by. I wanted to explore the west with Lewis and Clark!

Hi, I'm Red Thompson, I grew up in the frontier state of Tennessee. So it was expected that when I read this ad I would be in St. Louis as fast as possible. I'm 24 but I still live in the house I grew up in. So naturally my Ma wasn't too happy with me deciding to sign up. But my Pa was thrilled, in fact I think he would have signed up himself if he hadn't of been 73 years old!

I bought my stage coach ticket the day after reading the ad. I was leaving the next day at 9:00 AM! So the next day at nine, I said my goodbyes and I was off.

I arrived in St. Louis at 6:00 PM after a bumpy ride in the stage coach. I paid my fees and I immediately went to the town hall to sign up. The Captains were going to pick their team in four days!

So in four day's time we finally met the two captains, Lewis and Clark. They looked all of us over and finally chose a group of about fifty young men. I was one of them! Yeehaw!!!! I'm going west!

We packed all the things we needed for the long journey ahead of us on two keel boats. And we were off within a week.

We started our journey in 1804 and none of us knew that it would be two years before we saw the U.S. again. Most of the expedition took place on the Missouri river. We paddled our way upstream on our keel boats. And let me tell you, it was hard work! To start, we had to have people resting and some men paddling. Then after a bit we would swap. But even with short rests we were exhausted by the end of the first day. The rest of the summer basically was the same as the first day, paddling, eating, paddling, etc.

But we also had encounters with Native Americans more frequently as we paddled closer to the Rocky Mountains. A handful of the Indians were friendly but others not so much. One of the less friendly was the Sioux Nation. When we arrived at one of there many villages we were all prepared for a fight. It was a good thing too because the village Chief wasn't pleased with the gifts we were presenting to him. Most of the other tribes were very pleased but not the Sioux. We also didn't have a very good translator. So when the the Captain tried to explain what had happened to the land we were on, the Chief didn't really know what was happening. And once again this didn't please him. Things weren't looking to good. Especially when the Chief ordered his Braves to take our canoes for themselves. We scrambled to take them back. Eventually we paddled away safely with no one injured but that was the worst experience with Native Americans so far.

When winter started to approach the Captains decided that we needed to find a friendly Indian tribe to spend the winter with. When we came upon the Mandan tribe we all thought this was the tribe we had been looking for. They were very friendly and even gave us food in return of our usual gifts to the Indians. Metal beads, medals, gems, and other trinkets like that.

The Captains found an area to build a fort for us to stay in during the winter. This fort would be called Fort Mandan in honor of the Indian tribe right next to it. We all helped build the fort and after a few weeks of intense labor we finished it. It wasn't pretty but it would do nicely.

That winter was a very cold winter. We didn't enjoy the cold but we did enjoy the fun we had. Singing around the campfires at night. Dancing to the fiddle and other things like that.

When spring rolled around we didn't want to say goodbye to our Indian friends but we had to. During the winter an Indian girl and her husband had decided to go along with us. Their names were Sacagawea and Charbonneu. Charbonneu was a French trader. Sacagawea was a Shoshone Indian who had been captured by the Mandans in a war.

And so the expedition continued. The first leg of the journey was grueling. We had to go through the Rocky mountains. During the winter we had traded our canoes for horses. That was so it would be easier to go across the mountains with all of our cargo. We didn't want to carry our canoes all the way. That would be tough.

After hard weeks of hiking we made it to the top of the Rockies. We found the head waters of the Snake River we made dugouts. Dugouts are canoes that are made by carving or burning ou the inside of a tree trunk.

After we had made enough dugouts for all of us to fit into, we found suitable water and continued our journey. This time instead of paddling against the current we were going with the current. So all we had to do was steer and hold on tight. The reason I say hold on tight is because there were a lot of rapids. Sometimes we would even have to go around the rapids by land because the current was to strong for our tiny canoes.

We made our way down the Snake River and eventually ended up finding the Shoshones. That's right the Shoshones, Sacagaweas family, Shoshones. She was thrilled to finally get home. And to make things better, she found out that her brother was the Chief! They were overjoyed to see each other.

After the family reunion, we made our way to the Columbia River. We all started to get restless. Where was the Pacific Ocean?

A few days later we had in view what looked to be the Pacific Ocean! We had arrived! But in the morning we spotted land on the other side of the water. If this was the Pacific then how could we see land on the other side? We finally concluded that the river had just gotten sooo wide that it made it look like an ocean.

So we continued our journey. A few weeks later we finally reached the Pacific Ocean! And this time we had actually found it! Wa-hoo!

But the celebrations were short lived. We realized that winter was coming and we needed a place to stay and fast. So the Captains searched for suitable places to build a fort. We finally found a spot. And it was near the Clatsop Indian tribe too. Which was a good thing because they were friendly and offered food to us. So, we built Fort Clatsop.

That winter there was hardly one day without rain. It rained and rained and RAINED! And to make matters worse it was really cold. I can't believe it didn't snow!

After a grueling winter we headed back up the Columbia River towards home. Our journey home took a whole year less than our trip going. One and a half years going, six months back. But that doesn't mean it wasn't just as hard. Because it was just as hard.

After the Rockies it was smooth sailing. Instead of paddling against the Missouri, we were paddling with it. We arrived back in St. Louis on September 23, 1806.

There were huge crowds to welcome us back! We were heroes! And guess what?! My Ma and Pa were there to welcome me back to the states too!

That day was even better than the day we found the Pacific Ocean!

The End

Little Men: By Louisa May Alcott

Little Men was written by Louisa May Alcott. It is a realistic fiction book based in the late 1800s.

Not to get confused with its prequel Little Women it tells the story of a group of boys who go to a sort of boarding school. At the beginning of the book a 12 year old orphan boy named Nat comes to the school and is accepted into the “family.” The owners of the house/school are Fritz and Jo Bhaer, they quickly accept the challenge of making this homeless orphan boy into a fine young man. Nat loves to play the violin and he is quickly made part of the band that the house has.

Each chapter tells a different story in the life of the boys and even girls that live at the house. After the first chapter introduces the newest member of the house (Nat). The second chapter introduces the rest of the group. It tells you all the needed information about every boy and girl there. Then it goes on telling you what happens in the house every day for six months till the book's end. The book really is a bunch of tales put together.

The favorite thing for Ms. Jo to do for her “children” is to create new games for them. She creates things from a working play kitchen for Daisy to a museum of nature for everyone to put all the things they find in the great outdoors. They also like huckleberry picking, so every summer they go out into the huckleberry field and pick as many as possible. After they harvest the berries they make pies and tarts out of all the huckleberries they pick. That makes for a lot of pies!

One day while picking berries Nan and little Rob decide to hide in a cave and wait for everyone to find them. Nan being an adventurous and brave girl talks little Rob into hiding with her. They end up being in the cave till the sun is almost down below the horizon. Nan realizes that nobody came looking for them so she decides to try and lead Rob back home before it gets dark. They end up getting lost after dark. They lay down in the grass to sleep and quickly fell asleep from exhaustion. As you can imagine Ms. Jo is very worried to find that her son Rob and Nan never made it back from picking berries. And to add onto her worries, it was almost dark! So, with lanterns in hand, they all go searching for Nan and little Rob. They search and search to no avail but finally after a couple of hours Ms. Jo found them sound asleep with little Rob lying in Nan's lap.

Little Men has its ups and downs but overall it's an okay book. Filled with joy, play, and a little sorrow as well, it has the components of a great book. The writing style of Louisa May Alcott is unique in the sense that she writes each chapter almost like different tales with the same characters in them. So if you like realistic fiction books maybe you should give it a try.          

An Achievable Small Business

There are many small businesses out there in the world, from baking to fixing things. But in this short paper I'll talk about one small business that is achievable. Lawn mowing.

I have already started a quasi lawn mowing business, but there are a few things that could make it even more successful and I want to share my ideas with you.

First you need to have a mower that works. Once you have that, create a name (i.e. A/M Lawncare etc.) To start just hand write a flier with your options on it and then copy it in a copier. Make sure it includes either your phone number or e-mail address.

Second you need to come up with those options that will be available to potential customers. A few examples are:

Mowing (obviously)

Edging

Leaf Removal

Seeding

Weeding (pull weeds in their garden)

Aeration

Snow Removal and

Shrub Trimming

Now this might seem like a lot of work for you but remember, you can only do what you have available. So, for example, if you wrote down that you can remove snow but you don't have a snow blower that won't go to well for someone who wants snow removed. It wouldn't be good for your reputation at all. So I say all that to say, go down the list of possible options and by process of elimination, eliminate the things you can't do.

Third go around your neighborhood and tape the fliers to people's mailboxes. And what I like to do is for the people you know need someone to mow their lawn. Go up to their door with a flier and tell them about it. It creates a relationship between you and the customer. That way they are more likely to remember you over the bigger lawn care businesses.

Fourth BE ON TIME. Being on time is 80% of the the job the other 20% is hard work. But being at your customers house the day you said you would be there is KEY! It is especially important for the first few months. It leaves a good first impression and you only get one!

My Top Ten Books: Honorable Mentions

We've come to the final post in My Top Ten Books!

First I'd like to give some guidelines on my honorable mentions, sort of like the key or legend.

Some of these books just missed the cut and some of these books I read while making my list.

The ones that just missed the cut will be marked with this, ~

The ones that I read while making the list will be marked with this, ^

Okay, here they are...

~Lincolns Grave Robbers Steve Sheinkin History

The title pretty much says it. A couple of counterfeiters decide to rob Abraham Lincoln's grave in

the middle of the night.

^Little Britches Ralph Moody History

In this autobiography Ralph Moody tells us how he moved from the city to the west in the early 20^th

century. And how it changed him from a boy to a man.

~Spy School Stuart Gibbs Fiction

Ben Ripley a normal kid from Virginia is selected to be in the top secret spy school in Washington

D.C.

^The Great Turkey Walk Kathleen Karr Fiction

Simon Green has always been called pea brain but when he decides to walk a flock of turkeys from

Missouri, where you can only get a dollar a head. To Denver where you can get five

dollars a head. Will they be calling him pea brained any more?

^Seaman Gail Langer Karwoski Historical Fiction

Seaman, a Newfoundland dog, travels with the Corps of Discovery through the West. He proves to

be a useful hunter, protector, and navigator.

Here are the links to all these fine books,

https://www.amazon.com/Great-Turkey-Walk-Kathleen-Karr/dp/0374427984/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1472753486&sr=1-1&keywords=the+great+turkey+walk

https://www.amazon.com/Spy-School-Stuart-Gibbs/dp/1442421835/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1472753516&sr=1-1&keywords=spy+school

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Britches-Father-Were-Ranchers/dp/0803281781/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1472753544&sr=1-1&keywords=little+britches+father+and+i+were+ranchers

https://www.amazon.com/Lincolns-Grave-Robbers-Steve-Sheinkin/dp/0545405726/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1472753575&sr=1-1&keywords=lincolns+grave+robbers

https://www.amazon.com/Seaman-Explored-Peachtree-Junior-Publication/dp/1561451908/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473259969&sr=8-1&keywords=seaman

Gordon Enger: An Entrepreneur I Look up to

On January 1, 1974 Precision Builders was established. This company was founded by Gordon Enger. Little did he know that this small business would grow into a stable company. “He started the company because he wanted to move on from managing at a manufacturing company to a less stressful and more enjoyable job” said his wife Sue Enger. “He didn't like sitting behind a desk all day,” said his son Doug. Doug helped Gordon to learn about building houses, “he had to learn from a bunch of books,” said Doug. After learning the trade of building houses Gordon decided he might enjoy doing it for a living. And that's exactly what he did. From 1974, when the business started, Gordon was working hard to build his business (no pun intended) all the way up till he passed away in 2015.

There were a couple more reasons why Gordon thought he might like to be a business owner. “He liked the thought of being his own boss,” said his second son Eric. He also liked the freedom he had. “He was always driving around town to check on all his job sites, and he liked that,” said Doug. The freedom meant Gordon had more free time to do what he loved most, mission trips.

Mission trips were a huge part in Gordon's life. And since he knew how to build houses, he got to build houses for people in foreign countries. He went to countless different countries for mission trips through his life. From Brazil to Greece, he traveled all around the world with the good news.

But not everything benefited him, at least to start with. “We didn't have a steady income,” said Sue. Starting out, Gordon also didn't have a reputation... yet. “We went around all summer going from bank to bank trying to get them to loan money for houses,” said Doug. Gordon had to build relationships with the bankers so they would see that he was trustworthy. “Back then banks didn't work the same as they do now. A banker could just loan you money for no other reason than thinking that you were trustworthy,” said Doug. Also not many people wanted to let Gordon build or remodel their homes because they didn't know who he was yet. “He started off by building our house. Then he remodeled our friends houses,” said Sue. Then the business grew from there. People started to see that he could build houses and now the company has one of the best reputations you can get.

There are a couple of reasons why I look up to Gordon Enger. He was a great man who loved his family and most importantly God. He built his business on good reputation and hard work. And he used his free time from being an entrepreneur to help others around the globe.

In loving memory of Gordon Enger

June 7, 1942 – February 20, 2015

My Top Ten Books #1

My Top Ten Books is a series of short book reviews. My next post will be my honorable mentions.

The #1 book on my list was written by Nancy Gentry, Tod Comes Home.

First a little background on the story. The Carter family was living peacefully in their home in Franklin, Tennessee, (now known as The Carter House) when the Battle of Franklin started to come together literally right at their front door.

Skipping through part of the book- Tod Carter finds out that his regiment is marching towards Franklin! So naturally he asks if he could leave the regiment to go home for a little while to see his family. He is told that he could leave whenever he wanted. He was going home! He also agreed to bring along James Cooper, another Franklin native. So they left the camp and started on their way to Franklin. James led Tod to his cousin's house and Tod was glad of it. It reminded him of his own home and it gave his horse a needed rest. After an hour or so Tod and James went on their way. After dark they make their way to the Neely's home and ended up finding out that the Yankees got past his men on the pike. Neely said that they weren't safe there but they could stay as long as they needed. But Tod decides that it is just not possible to go home, especially with Yankees right on his front lawn. He told James that they needed to go back to the army but James said he was going all the way to his home. They shook hands and James left.

Tod moved on as well, just in the opposite direction. He came close to the pike and heard soldiers walking. But who? It would be logical for the Tennessee boys to be on the road but they hadn't stopped the Yankees back down the road. So it could be either army. Tod puts a blanket over him to cover his uniform and walks closer to the troops.

Which side are these mystery troops on? And will Tod eventually see his family? All these questions will be answered if you read the book.

This, along with the last book on my list, is my absolute favorite book of all time. I've owned it for around three years I think and have read it at least three times. I'll probably be reading it after writing this review. Even though I know the ending of the book it will most likely never be boring to me. And it's a true story! That is probably part of the reason I like it soooo much! Make sure to read the epilogues at the end. And maybe you should take a trip down to Franklin, Tennessee to see the Carter house and other cool buildings that were there during the Civil War. I've been there and can tell you, it will not disappoint.

So if this book sounds interesting to you here is a link to buy it, https://www.amazon.com/Tod-Comes-Home-Nancy-Gentry/dp/0986024473/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1472487008&sr=1-1&keywords=tod+comes+home 

My Top Ten Books: #2

My Top Ten Books is a series of short book reviews.

The top two books on my list aren't really ranked because they are my all time favorites. With that said the #2 book on my list is written by Romaine Stauffer, Aaron's Civil War.

This book is based on a true story, every character but one or two was actually a real person. Romaine Stauffer is a descendant of the family in the book.

The Stauffer family lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania on a farm. Aaron's father has just died and it has been a rough time without him. But -skipping through time a bit- Aaron's mother eventually remarries Abraham Brubaker and that's when things started to change even more than it already had. The Brubakers lived in Snyder County which was a days trip away. When Aaron heard that his mother was moving there he didn't like it. Then when he heard that his brother Enos was going too, and Aaron had to stay and help his older brother David with the farm. He hated it even more. “I've been pushed around all my life, somebody is always telling me what to do, when to do it, and where to go. I'm sick of it,” thought Aaron. Skipping through time a little more- Aaron is now sixteen and the Civil War has been going for two years now. Aaron and a couple of his friends meet in the barn next to the church meeting house and talk for a little bit and then they all end up agreeing to go to Camp Curtin, the troops training base. So a couple nights later Aaron meets with his friend on a road off his farm, they wait for someone else but when he doesn't come they move on. As they start to see the outline of buildings in the small town they hear someone running up to them, they turn around and see......... Well you'll just have to read the book to find out.

I don't even know where to begin with this book it is sooo good. But I'll try and put it into words for you. This book tells the story of someone who sees “glory” (the war) and wants it, but finds out it isn't glory at all. It's just gory and not good whatsoever. After the war, Aaron struggles with the thought that he might have killed someone and that not even God can forgive him. It becomes his own personal Civil War. And make sure to read the epilogue at the end. It tells some more about what happened after the end of the book that's really interesting.

If you think you might want to read this book here is a link, https://www.amazon.com/Aarons-Civil-War-Romaine-Stauffer/dp/087813705X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1472141272&sr=8-1&keywords=Aarons+civil+war+romaine+stauffer

My Top Ten Books: #3

My Top Ten Books is a series of short book reviews.

The next book on my list was written by Carolyn Reeder, Shades of Gray.

Now don't get this book confused with the movie 50 Shades of Gray because this book is completely different than the movie. It's actually a story based right after the end of the Civil War.

The main character, Will Page, has to go live with his Uncle and Aunt because his entire family died during the war. Will comes into his Uncle's household thinking that he was a traitor for not fighting for the South even though he didn't fight for the North either. So you can pretty much see where this is going. Will doesn't like his Uncle, so when he tells Will to call him by his name right then and there Will vows to himself that he will never call his Uncle by name... EVER. So the time passes and Will starts to see that his Uncle didn't fight because he was a traitor or coward but because his Uncle simply didn't believe in what the war was fighting for. At least that's what Will was told. But he was never going to believe it! He would never call his Uncle by name right? Or would time mold Will?

Well you'll just have to read the book to find out!

I would highly recommend this book to all the history lovers out there. Even though the story might be fictional it tells what a lot of families had to go through after the war. And I'm not talking about thinking that your Uncle is a traitor. I'm talking about the struggles the war brought for the well being of farmers and a lot of other occupations in the South.

If you would like to read the book, here is a link,https://www.amazon.com/Shades-Gray-Carolyn-Reeder/dp/0689826966/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1471884462&sr=8-1&keywords=shades+of+gray

The Continental Congress: As Told by George Wilson

“No, I think we should send that letter to the king!” I said. “Yeah!!” Shouted most of the rest here in the Pennsylvania State House.

“Oh, Hello! My name is George Wilson and I am a delegate in the Continental Congress representing North Carolina. Right know we're discussing whether to send a letter of grievances to the King or not. I think it's pretty unanimous that we will be. But let me take you back to where it started.”

“It started around two weeks ago, I received a letter from John Adams saying that there was going to be a gathering of all 13 colonies in two weeks. (It ended up only being 12 because Georgia needed British troops for fighting Indians) Anyway where was I? Ah yes, so I received a letter that said I was chosen to be a delegate of the fine colony of North Carolina. I was really excited about that because now I could speak for all of North Carolina in the Continental Congress. But that also put a lot of responsibility on my shoulders. But George Wilson was ready! So I made preparations, met with the other delegates of North Carolina to see what their point of views were. And we also met with a lot of the authorities from around the colony to see what the people wanted. So in ten days we were ready to leave, we said goodbye and left for Philadelphia. We arrived on the evening of the third day on the road. Philadelphia was magnificent big brick buildings, cobblestone roads, and best of all, the Pennsylvania State House! Wow! The tall spire, the length of the building, and just the grandeur of the building. Inside and out.

We arrived just in time for roll call of the different colonies' delegates. Everyone was present, other than the Georgian delegates. And a couple of other people who couldn't make it for other reasons.

The next day at nine o'clock all the delegates met for the first discussion topic, boycotting British goods. Now this was pretty much already in action throughout the colonies but there had never been an executive decision to boycott. Colonists just started one day and it spread.

So as you may have guessed already by 11:30 we took a vote. It was a unanimous vote to keep boycotting British goods until the taxes were lifted. After a break for dinner (lunch was called dinner in the old days, Editor) we met back at the State house in two hours and discussed the letter to the King. The points of view were mixed at first with 3/4ths of the delegates being in favor but the other ¼ weren't so sure. They thought that it might anger the King and Parliament even more than they already were. But others, like myself, thought differently. We thought that if we sent a calm and peaceful letter of grievances maybe the King would actually listen to us. “No, I think we should send that letter to the king!” I said. “Yeah!!” Shouted most of the delegates. “Lets vote.” said one of the delegates from Virginia. So we voted. It came out almost unanimous that we would send a petition to the King.

Now the final discussion, who would write the letter/petition? It was decided after unanimous vote once again that John Dickinson would write the letter/petition.

And that my friends is what happened at the First Continental Congress. The next day we came back to the State House and told John what the colonies wanted in the letter. We went all went back to our homes and a week and a half later went back to Philadelphia to read and edit the letter.

The End

My Top Ten Books: #4

My Top Ten Books is a series of short book reviews.

#4 on my list is written by Ed Dunlop. Escape to Liechtenstein.

This book is set in the second world war in Austria. Hans and Gretchen, the main characters, live in a small village by themselves. Their mother was killed and their father was forced to serve for the Nazis.

It starts out a peaceful day but when Gretchen sees Nazi soldiers walking towards the village she yells for Hans, “Nazi soldiers are coming! What will we do!?” Hans being a good brother said calmly back to her, “stay quiet and calm maybe they won't come here.” But they did come...

Bang Bang, “open up!” Said a Nazi soldier, “open up!” “We're coming,” Hans called, “just a moment.”

The soldiers asked if they were the only ones there and they answered truthfully saying yes. The soldiers were looking for a runaway boy and asked again if they were the only ones there. But the soldiers had to find out for themselves. They rummaged through every room turning them all upside down to no avail. They went out to the barn to search but they finally gave up. So after all that Hans and Gretchen were finally by themselves again with a huge mess to clean up and even more hatred for those Nazis!

They looked down into the village and saw all the Nazi soldiers marching through the streets finally leaving the village alone. Then Hans heard something up in the loft of the barn, “be quiet Gretchen I hear something.” A board creaked then another, someone was up in the loft! Hans and Gretchen moved over quietly to where they could see the intruder but he couldn't see them. The intruder started backing down the ladder! Will this intruder be armed and dangerous!? Or will he be friendly and kind!? Read the book to find out!

This book makes my top five because it tells the story of hate changing into sympathy While still having plenty of suspense and action. So if you love Historical Fiction look this book up and maybe give it a try!

If you do want to read it, here is the linkhttps://www.amazon.com/Escape-Liechtenstein-Young-Refugees-Book/dp/1591660130/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=JAMJKKA5NJSRVKT5WZGK

My Top Ten Books #5

My Top Ten Books is a series of short book reviews.

The next book on my list is written by Gary Paulsen. The Legend of Bass Reeves.

This book is set in the mid 19^th century. Bass Reeves, the main character, is just a boy of ten. He is one of three slaves on “the mister's” ranch, Mammy, Flowers, who doesn't talk, and Bass. At this time in history the Comanches are the feared tribe of Indians. And one day as Bass is out hunting he hears hoofs patting on the ground. They come nearer and nearer until the horse, no eight horses, It's a Comanche party! Bass tries to find a quick hiding spot but only manages to crouch down into some tall grass. As you probably guessed already Bass is really scared at this point. But he is also a little curious. The leader of the party starts to scan the area and when he looks in Bass's direction, Bass almost pees in his pants with fear. But to Bass's surprise, the Indians just start on the trail again. Bass is saved! Then it hits him. This could be an Indian raiding party! He quickly stands and runs home to tell everyone that there could be an Indian raid coming! What will happen? Will the Comanches raid the mister's ranch? If so what will happen to everyone there?

This book is full of adventure and classic western stories. It is one of the best Historical Fiction books I have ever read. So if you like nail biting westerns, Historical Fiction, or just a good book. This is the book for you! The only complaint I have about this book is that there are unneeded swear words through out the book. So probably not the best book for children.

If you do want to read this book, here is the link,https://www.amazon.com/Legend-Bass-Reeves-Gary-Paulsen/dp/0553494295

My Top Ten Books: #6

My Top Ten Books is a series of short book reviews. I will post every two days.

The next book on my list is a series of four books written by Lemony Snicket. 

All the Wrong Questions.

When you hear the name Lemony Snicket you probably think of his first series, 

A Series of Unfortunate Events. That is his more popular series. While I haven't been “fortunate” enough to read that series, I have read his latest series. All the Wrong Questions.

It starts in a big city at a train station. Lemony Snicket, the main character, (yes the author used his own name for the main character) is with his parents and he receives a note. He opens it and it tells him to meet up in an alley. He finds the alley and his new chauffeur (he works for a sort of investigation group). She tells him that they will be driving to a small town called Stain'd by the Sea. She also tells him her name, Theodora S. Markson. And as any good 13 year old would, he asks what the S stands for and she gives him a sly answer. Of course not telling him what it really means. This becomes an ongoing “joke” throughout the whole series.

So after arriving there and not getting a very good first impression of the place, they get news of a stolen item. The stolen item is called the bombinating beast. It is a creepy looking statue of a seahorse. So they start sniffing the trail of the beast. And thus the story is set up for you. But will they find the beast. And if they do, what will it lead to?

Do you like mystery books? Do you like fiction? Do you like missing people, burned buildings or spooky writing? Did you answer yes to any of these questions? If so, this is the series you have been looking for! When I first heard about this book I was very intrigued by it. And by the time I had finished number three, Snicket hadn't even written the final book! But the books kept me wanting

more. So when the fourth book finally came out I was super exited to finally read the last one! So give this series a try. And if you like this one maybe you should try his first series. A Series of Unfortunate Events.

If you do want to give it a try here is the link for the first book,https://www.amazon.com/Could-That-This-Wrong-Questions/dp/0316335479

My Top 10 Books: #7

My Top Ten Books is a series of short book reviews. I will post every two days. Also, I am very sorry for not posting since last Sunday. I was on vacation and didn't have enough reviews written for the entirety of it.

The next book on my list is written by Virginia Sorensen. Plain Girl.

This book is based in an Amish house that has been split apart. Esther, the main character, her brother Dan has run away and was shunned by his family. “We shall never speak his name again” said Esther's father the night Dan went away.

Esther has been schooled at home her entire life but now she has to go to public school or Her father will go to jail. So Esther will have to go to school for the first time on Monday. Her father has always been leery about taking her to school because that was part of the reason Dan had gone away. But now he had no choice. He told Esther to never even look at the other kids. But after a few days she had already begun to talk with another girl named Mary. And after about a month Esther even became her friend. But would Father find out? And if he did what would happen!?

This book dives into the Amish culture and what happens in an Amish household. And I would most definitely recommend this book to Fiction lovers. It is definitely one of my favorite books. So maybe you will like it as much as I did.

If you would like to purchase the book here is the link,https://www.amazon.com/Plain-Girl-Virginia-Sorensen/dp/0152047255

My Top 10 Books: #8

This is a series of short book reviews of my top ten books. I will post every two days.

Number 8 on my list is written by Jules Verne. Journey to the Center of the Earth

It is a story based in the 19^th century and is written in a way that the main character narrates the story.

The main character is Henry and his Uncle is Professor Hardwigg. They live in Germany in a nice house and they both are scientists.

Professor Hardwigg finds an old document from the 16^th century that was written by Arne Saknussemm, an Icelandic explorer. The Professor says that the two of them won't eat until he figures out what it says. It takes the Professor a whole day to figure it out and even then Henry is the one who figures it out. The document has the directions to the center of the earth inscribed on it!

And thus the journey begins. The Professor makes arrangements to leave in the next few days and Henry must come with him. Henry thinks that this is a ludicrous idea but he is forced to go with his uncle. After collecting all the items needed, they leave for Iceland. Even after having a horrible time at sea, they eventually make it. The Professor says he never wants to ride on a boat again and they continue their journey. Their final goal is to get to the top of Mount Sneffels where the supposed entrance to the center of the earth is. Along the way they stay in stranger's houses and some of them are kind but some of them... not so much. Also along the way they recruit a guide, Hans, who is an Eider-Duck hunter and is a very brawny guy but doesn't talk much. Hans proves to be very useful. Eventually they make it to the top of Sneffels and start their descent into the center of the earth!

This book is a very well written book and keeps you turning the page. Jules Verne's writing style is very unique. If you like reading Science Fiction, or more specifically, adventure, you should take some timeand read it. I mean come on, it's only 250 pages!

Here is the link for the book https://www.amazon.com/Journey-Center-Earth-Jules-Verne/dp/1402743378

My Top 10 Books #9

This is a series of short book reviews of my top ten books. I will post every two days.

The 9^th book on the list is written by C. Coco De Young. A Letter to Miss Roosevelt.

A Letter to Miss Roosevelt is a book based in the Great Depression. The main character, Margo Bandini, lives in a small town in Pennsylvania. As the Depression creeps closer to Margo's neighborhood, she receives a project from school. That project was to write to someone that inspires her, whether famous or not. The next day she finds an article on Eleanor Roosevelt and thinks that writing to her would be perfect! But the next day after coming home from school, the banker is at her house telling them that if they didn't pay him the money they owed by the end of the week he would put the sheriff sale sign in their window. The sheriff sale sign means they have to be out of their house by the end of the week! What will the Bandinis do!

This book is based on a true story that happened in the author's family. It is written very well and as a history person my self, I can tell you this is a great read for history lovers! And it won't take too long to read either. It's only 100 Pages!

Here is the link for the book https://www.amazon.com/Letter-Mrs-Roosevelt-Coco-Young/dp/0440415292   

My Top 10 Books #10

My Top 10 Books is going to be a series of short book reviews on my top 10 favorite books. I will be posting a review every two days.

The number ten book on my list is written by Eloise McGraw. The Seventeenth Swap.

The Seventeenth Swap is a book based in the mid 80's in a small town called Iron Mountain. The main character, Eric Greene, is a kid who lives in a run down apartment complex with his Dad. Every couple of days he watches a boy, Jimmy, in another apartment room while Jimmy's mother is gone at work. Jimmy needs someone to watch him because he's paralyzed and can't walk.

One day while watching Jimmy he sees an ad for red cowboy boots that are on sale for $17.99. Jimmy adores the boots and says he would give anything for them. Right then Eric decides to find a way to buy the boots for Jimmy. But only one problem, where is he going to get $18?

This book is very well written and definitely a good read for realistic fiction lovers. It has you wanting to turn the pages to find out what happens next. And at 150 pages it doesn't take a lot of time to read.

I would most definitely recommend this book. So if you think that this would be a good book for you, click on this link,

https://www.amazon.com/Seventeenth-Swap-Eloise-Mcgraw/dp/0689503989

and order it today! Or just go to your local Library!  

Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt: Steamboat and railroad tycoon

Cornelius Vanderbilt was a 19^th century entrepreneur who made made his riches in producing and sailing steamboats and creating some of the biggest railroad lines. He was born on Staten Island on May 27, 1794 into a poor family who couldn't give him a very good education. But with perseverance and hard work Vanderbilt became one of the most wealthy people in American history. As a boy he worked with his father on a steamboat line and found his interest for ships there. As a teenager he started shipping things on his own steamboat and a few years after that he bought a small fleet of ships and became a captain.

During the California gold rush of 1849 Vanderbilt started a steamboat line on the Atlantic and Caribbean to help ship things from California back to the east. And instead of going down to Panama to get to the west, Vanderbilt's ships went through Nicaragua and went back and forth a lot faster than going down to Panama. He even proposed putting a canal in Nicaragua because it was faster and most of it was already there with Lake Nicaragua and the San Jose River but Vanderbilt didn't get enough endorsements so the plans never followed through.

In the 1860s Vanderbilt started focusing on the up and coming Railroad industry. He started by buying a couple of lines that ran between Chicago and New York and introduced a new system called the inter-regional railroad system. It changed the way the railroads work by putting long lines in, instead of a lot of short lines. It made traveling cheaper and faster. Vanderbilt's system changed the railroad industry very positively.

At the start of the Civil War, Vanderbilt went to the Union army and offered his biggest and best steamboat the Vanderbilt but the army wasn't interested at that point claiming the war wouldn't last very long. But when the famous Confederate ship, the Merrimack, started raiding the east coast, the army took Vanderbilt's deal and his ship. The Vanderbilt stopped the Merrimack in its tracks. After stopping the Merrimack, the Vanderbilt helped track down another of the Confederate's ships. And for Vanderbilt's service to the Union army he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

In 1869 the cousin of Vanderbilt's wife talked him into endorsing a University which eventually became, Vanderbilt University named in Vanderbilt's honor. And by no coincidence the schools nickname became the Commodores.

Cornelius Vanderbilt died on January 4, 1877, at his home in New England. His net worth at his death was over $100 million and in today's that's approximately $2,333,296,875 in 2016 dollars! 

For the Love of Money is the Root of All Evil: 1 Timothy 6:10

This is a famous verse from the Bible that even non-Christians know. It talks about money and if you love it too much it becomes like an idol and it can control your life. This is not to say that having a lot of money is bad, just don't let your love for money control you.

There is a song by the O'Jays called “For the Love of Money” it talks about money, obviously, and how people will steal for it and hurt for it. It's actually a pretty good song, lyrically and musically.

If you're thinking that being wealthy is immoral, well it's not necessarily wrong. It's not the amount of money that's immoral, it's the person who has or wants it that's immoral.

So if you ask yourself, “is it immoral or moral to be wealthy?” You can't just say it is or isn't, you have to look at a person and say, “are they being moral or immoral with their wealth?” To answer this question you need to look at what they do with their wealth. Do they love their money so much that it becomes an idol? Do they use their wealth for drugs and alcohol and other immoral things? Or do they put God, their family, and people in need before their wealth? That's how you can decide. It's the person behind the money that makes it right or wrong.

Another thing to point out is that not all people that give to charities are doing it because they want to help. They could be doing it to show off their wealth, like the Pharisees in the Bible. Are the people giving for the right reasons? Like the widow in the Bible. She gave out of her heart and didn't put her money before God.

Mark 12:41-44 (NIV)

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

So the next time you see someone who is wealthy, don't automatically think, “oh they're a horrible person because they're rich.” Look at what they do with their money. Do they use it to make the “world a better place?” or do they use it for themselves and their own well being? I’m not saying “someone should give all their money away” they have to use it for themselves. But are they exclusively thinking about themselves and their money. In other words, selfishness and idolatry.

The Lion of the North: A Story of the 30 Years War

The Lion of the North was written by G. A. Henty and is based around the 30 years war. What is the 30 years war you ask? It was a war that occurred in the 1600's in Europe between Protestants and Catholics. Why you would fight a war purely on disagreements in religion I have no clue. Anyhow, it does make for a good book. Where does the book get its name? Well, one of the main characters in the book, Gustavus, his nickname, in real life I might add, is The Lion of the North. What is the story line? Well, here it is...

Malcom Graheme was just a teenager of about 15 or 16 living in Scotland when the 30 years war broke out. He was recruited along with other Scots to go fight in the war against the Catholics. Just before he was recruited he had saved a couple of horseback riders from the strong currents of a seemingly slow river. The two men thought he was destined for greatness. Boy were they right!

At one point in the story Malcom found himself a prisoner of a band of Guerrillas. He was forced to cook for them and while he was there Malcom overheard their plans to capture a quiet and secluded village. After hearing this, he decided to attempt an escape and tell the village of their coming troubles. He successfully escaped and found himself in the village in no time. He warned them and then he was put in charge of defending the village. The Guerrillas were completely destroyed and the village went back to normal life. Malcom returned to his regiment and everyone was glad he was back.

About a year or two later, Malcom and some of his fellow soldiers came down with a serious disease and were told to choose a place to go to get better. Malcom thought that the village he had saved would be the perfect place. So they all went to the quiet village and recovered from their sickness. As they were getting ready to head back to the army, they received word that the city of Mansfeld was going to be attacked by the Catholics in the next day or two. Malcom decided to leave immediately and head for Mansfeld. He got there before the enemy did and successfully repelled them. While in Mansfeld he fell in love with the Count's, or Governor's daughter and she fell in love with him as well. But, as always, he had to leave to return to the army and she was in a very melancholy mood when he left.

I like this book because the main character, Malcom, is a very well written character and he grabs your attention. It would most definitely be a good book for people who like adventure, suspense, or history. So if you like any of those three things in a book, you should definitely look into getting it.