"The Founders' Key" by Larry Arnn

“The Founders’ Key” by Larry P. Arnn

Dr. Larry Arnn’s recent writing focuses on the symbiotic relationship between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. “The Founders’ Key” aims to educate and refocus readers on little known or overlooked histories and points of the documents that make up America’s foundation.

What I enjoyed most about this book is the way it challenged my knowledge and view on America’s history. It’s a shame when a natural born citizen isn’t intimately familiar with such important documents. Arnn does an excellent job breaking down his arguments. He even goes so far as to provide text of the actual documents he references such as the Constitution and Declaration and even some of the Federalist papers. However, what I didn’t like about this book was he breaks down others’ views that we may or may not have heard of anyways. 

Overall, this is an excellent book that is a must read for any citizen. Even if you don’t agree with all the points made, it at least causes you to think more about where our nation came from and where it might be heading.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I. Love. You. Scary, I know.

    Language can be powerful. We tend to carelessly think about the words we choose to put together, but word combinations can be life-giving, destructive, healing, the list goes on. In a world where we’ve cheapened language, we don’t pause to think about the words we use. We’ve even gone as far as reducing laughing, something that is good for the soul, to mere letters. “lol”

    On their own, the words “love”, “you”, and “I”, aren’t anything to bat your eyelashes at. We use them in a variety of combinations. “I really like this restaurant.” “Have you seen that new movie?” “I just absolutely love this brownie a la mode.” But put them together and they are powerful and can leave you vulnerable all at the same time: I love you.

    I. Love. You. A trio of words where you take personally admit that you put someone above all else, that you value someone more than life itself, that you value someone regardless of what they do or where they’ve been. It may sound hokey, but it’s true. It only sounds hokey, because we’re afraid the admittance of that statement. When 1 Corinthians 13 says “love never fails” it means that the affection you have for someone never perishes.

    I’ve noticed that our culture has become uncomfortable with the vulnerability and strength of “I love you.” We’ve cheapened it to “love ya”, “ily”,  “I <3 u”, or we flirt with it by saying “love you.” We’ve denied personal responsibility for our love, too nervous of rejection or seeming overzealous. I’m not the only one that has noticed this. Even Beth Moore has noticed this. She mentioned in her recent conference, Living Proof Live, that we need to step up and put the “I” back in I love you.

    Are you guilty of this? I certainly am. So here’s my challenge to you- either say it or don’t bother saying it. Be courageous and vulnerable and put the “I” back in your love you. Not just “I love ya.” Be specific. “I love you.”

"The Book of Man" by William Bennett

Here it is! My first review! I picked an excellent book to start off my reviewing with. I've enjoyed it tremendously.

Title: “The Book of Man: Readings on the Path to Manhood”

Author: William Bennett

William Bennett’s “The Book of Man: Readings on the Path to Manhood” reminded me much of his “The Book of Virtues” which championed itself as a “treasury of great moral stories.” Now, fifteen years later, Bennett has done it again, except this time he is targeting men. “The Book of Man” is a compilation of essays, profiles, and poems on what a man of character should and does look like, hoping to set an example for the men of our culture when examples seem to be few and/or forgotten.

Even as a woman, I genuinely enjoyed “The Book of Man.” It is an excellent collection of stories both fictional and nonfictional to inspire both men and women alike towards uplifting character. It’s specifically a good reminder of the necessity of our men to fight for what is honorable as it pertains to six different areas of our lives: work, recreation, war, family, spirituality and country. The book is also put together well with gorgeous binding and a hard cover making it a treasury that could easily last several generations. This is a book I look forward to sharing and passing down in my family.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Sneeze

As an avid reader, I have been given a great opportunity through BookSneeze to receive free books in exchange for honest reviews. I hope you enjoy the reviews that will occasionally be posted!

Interested? Check it out for yourself at BookSneeze.

Time Capsule: September 12, 2001

Ten years ago my computer teacher wanted a way for her class of eighth graders to cope with the images they were seeing on the news at home. Although I knew that the attacks on September 11 were horrible, I didn't really know how I was supposed to respond for the assignment of "just write." I mostly stuck with the facts since I hadn't really developed an emotional connection to the terrorist acts. Thought it'd be appropriate to share since it's already been ten years since that clear Tuesday morning that turned dark so quickly... (Pardon any spelling or grammatical errors. I was 13.)

9-12-01

12:45 p.m.

Dear Diary,

I haven't written you since around the beginning of the school year. Things have been going great until yesterday...

Today's 911! Mrs. Deadwyler told us this morning. (September 11. (9-11-01) Paul goes today's going to be an emergency! We all thought nothing of it until lunch...

"The Pentagon's been bombed! We're all going to die." Kenny stated at lunchtime. None of us believed him, because Kenny talks about this kind of stuff all the time. Near the end of lunch Mr. Ingraham tells us not to be scared, and he read Psalm 46:1-7. Scared of what? Was the Pentagon really bombed?

Well, Kenny was right. The Pentagon had been bombed. So, had the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. Around eight o'clock a.m. three planes were hi-jacked from the Boston airport. Two of the planes flew toward Manhattan, New York. The other, the Pentagon, Washington D.C.

The two planes reached New York around nine. The first plane flew straight through the Northern tower. Nearly five minutes later the second plane dove through the Southern tower.

People at the Pentagon were gathered  in one of the conference rooms. Watching the horrible pictures on the television. What in the world was going on in New York? About nine ten. The third plane dove and intentionally hit the Pentagon. The plane just desinigrated as it went through three of the Pentagon's building.

Another plane was hi-jacked yesterday morning from a New Jersey airport. The hi-jackers steered the plane towards Camp David. A vacation for the President, not far from the White House. Later, they found that plane on the ground in Pennsylvania. There were no found survivors.

The southern tower in New York stood for about two hours after it was hit, then it collapsed. Shortly after, so did the Northern. Around 5:30 yesterday evening, one of the smaller buildings of the World Trade, number 7, collapsed, even though it was not hit. The number 5 building is now so weak, that they said they might have to take it down.

Andy's sister and cousin works in the Twin Towers. His cousin left to get breakfast, shortly after she left the first plane hit the towers. She wanted to get in to find his sister, but guards wouldn't let her in an unstable building. Andy's sister is still unaccounted for as of now.

The Apsey's are right now vacationing in Manhattan. We haven't heard from them yet. I'm kind of worried. Dad's leaving the 24th on a business trip to D.C.

They still don't know who's behind it. They think it might be Osama bin Laden. An extreme Muslim. They have found a car at Daytona Beach. They think it might be related to the terrorism. People are scared. Bases are on High Alert. Even Kennedy Space Center is on High Alert. They found a car across the street from Boston Airport that is linked to one of the terrorists. It had a picture of Osama bin Laden (spelling?) in it, United Airline times, and it was loaned out to a student of a local college that taught how to fly one of the jets that was used.

People have been calling from under the rubble of the Twin Towers on their cell phones, pleading for people to come and rescue them. People all over the United States are donating blood. Nobody's been recovered yet, except for one man who had one of his legs amputated.

Last night, at 8:30, President Bush addressed the nation. He gave a phenomenal speech referring to the terrorists, and he also said that we need to look to a being greater than all of us (God) and then quoted Psalm 23.

Right now I don't know a whole bunch more, but I will keep a close watch. Now is the time to really pray. I just pray that God will use this to turn our nation back to him. We have turned away from Him, and he really wants our attention. I think this is one of the ways he is trying to grasp it. We also really need to pray for those under the debris, and they will be rescued quickly, and that they will look to God for protection. We also need to pray for the terrorists, that we will find them, and punish them, but not before giving them a chance to hear the Gospel of God. We need to pray for President Bush, that he will make the wise decisions discerning the terrorists, and clean up. I will close now. Hoping that justice will be done, and the terrorists will find You, Father.

Sincerely,
AGW

July 6

I’ve had several travel goals this year. I’ve been compelled to get back to Ohio to visit the cemetery by choice. Not while having to bury someone. To get a small sense of closure and try to move on. Seeing my best friend was another one. Good thing she had just moved back to Ohio. The last one was to get to Tennessee to visit a woman who helped shape who I am today. So far I’ve reached two of my three goals. A couple weeks ago I visited Kate on my way to DC. She graciously agreed to take me to the cemetery. I thought I was ready. I was past the six months point, had been mentally prepared for this trip, and finally didn’t have the weight of being strong for everyone else.  I could just simply go and let go.

What I didn’t anticipate was the drive over. The last time I had made this drive, it was to bury my grandmother. The time before that was with my grandmother to bury my grandfather- the last large chunk of time I had spent with Bear. It seemed like the closer we got to the cemetery, the more each corner held a memory of some of my final conversations with my grandmother- waiting at the airport to be picked up seeing her triumphant smile after living through her first airplane ride, hearing the GPS incessantly reminding us to stay on “30-Tweast,” passing the hotel with loads of memories, dinner at Frisch’s splurging on desserts, stopping at Walgreens to get lemon drops for her to suck on, me trying to convince everyone that Chipotle was really good, and all the random spots she’d point out that had some sort of childhood or family memory. The memories were playing out in my mind just as if they were happening.

The cemetery was beautiful… and blazing hot, a stark contrast to the last time I was there. As I got out of the car my one mental and emotional goal was to get to the plot. Poor Kate. In my determination to be ok and to not cry, I nearly missed her hug. For seven months I had wanted a shoulder to cry on and a hug, and in the moment I had it, I didn’t know what to do with it. I had become accustomed to doing this on my own with only God at my side.

Things looked good. All the engraving had been finished, and a plaque had been added honoring my grandpa’s service in the Korean War. My dad was able to join us, because he had been in town. Even though it was harder than I expected with memories vividly replaying in my mind, it was a relief to know that we were past the hard part. As we stood there, God reassured us that we were still standing. We weren’t the people that were standing a year ago, but he had brought us this far, and he would continue to help us through.

Page 7...

Life is rude. It doesn’t care to pause because you’re hurting. It continues on, as it did with us. We returned home and attempted to find a new normal, as if we even had a definition of normal to begin with. I wrestled with why I was still grieving. Grandparents are supposed to go first. It’s expected. It’s normal. Then why was it so hard? I immersed myself in work and tried to get back to regular life, but as I’ve said before, emotions shoved under a figurative rug can be dangerous. They decide to show themselves at the most random times.

                My random time came at a routine dentist check near the end of January. I was told that I was going to have to have five fillings and braces and a bill that was way past what I could afford. It was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Darn dust bunnies. A normal person would have been severely bummed and asked about payment plan options. I started to do that, and I lost it. The tears I had been holding back came forth unbidden, and I began bawling and hyperventilating. I was emotionally out of control and no matter how embarrassed I was over my public display, there was nothing I could do to stop the flood.

                The dentist and his wife were shocked at my reaction to fillings. I’m sure they hadn’t had such a reaction from a patient before. I tried to assure them that it wasn’t the bill, it was just too much bad news within a few month span to handle, but I was too busy crying uncontrollably and gasping for breath.

                After a half hour, God mustered up some control for me, I apologized profusely to the staff, and left out the side door with head hung. I got into my car and started laughing at the whole experience. It was that or start crying again, and I had no more tears. That poor office. They must have thought I was a crazy person, but the crying jag had been cathartic in an embarrassing way. I went home, sat down with my money, and began crunching numbers with an extreme focus that I wouldn’t have been capable of before. God showed me once more that he was still in control, because somehow the numbers worked themselves out. And believe me when I say, there was no extra money in my budget before, but there was several hundred now. Just enough to pay for five fillings and braces. God wanted me to believe that he was still in the business of filling oil jugs, and he was still looking out for me despite whether I felt he was or not.