Are You Embarassed by Your Civil War Uniform Impression?
October 22, 2007
“Authentic,” “authentic,” “authentic” is all you hear if you are new or a hard core reenactor. You look all over to find period Civil War Uniform articles. But when you finally get them, do you feel like you know what to do with them?
Following are some researched tips on how to wear your Civil War Uniform once you have gathered it all together:
*Civil War soldiers wore their haversack and canteen on the left side. A typical soldier’s haversack included a pipe kit, tobacco, coffee, a sewing kit, rations, personal photos and letters.
*Purchase an inexpensive shirt from a sutler. Learn how to do a little bit of stitching - all you need to learn is a basic running stitch. Top stitch around the pockets, cuffs, collar and give the shirt a more authentic look with the hand stitching. Your $20 shirt is now worth $100.
For a definitive book on the Civil War Uniform, ECHOES OF GLORY contains accurate pictures and descriptions of arms and equipment of the Civil War.
The Story of Joshua and Caleb
October 22, 2007
The story of Joshua and Caleb is one of the most powerful and dramatic stories in the entire Bible. There are major lessons in this story for all Christians to grab hold of!
Most Christians have heard of the story of Moses, but many Christians are not aware of the story involving these two. They are an extension off the story of Moses. They are the climax to the story of Moses, as I will show you below. I’ll first give you a brief synopsis of their story and then give you what needs to be learned from their story and how it personally applies to the situation that you are now facing.
Brief Synopsis Of Joshua and Caleb
God sends Moses into the land of Egypt to rescue and pull His people out of slavery from the Egyptians. He parts the Red Sea so they have a way to escape from the Egyptians. He throws 10 whopper plaques at the Pharaoh in order to get him to release His people from their bondage. God the Father performs one of the most powerful supernatural displays of signs and wonders that the world has ever seen to get His people pulled out of Egypt.
Get Right! Make a Difference
October 21, 2007
Want to make a difference? What can one person do? The answer is everything! In its finest sense, the behavior of every one of us is central to the peace of the world. For the individual, the best thing we can all do is to practice Right Action, with all of its many implications. I have farmed some of them here for you from the book "Looking for a Better World."
. Do nothing that will harm others.
. Be informed. Follow the news. Form opinions that will promote peace and discuss such opinions openly.
. Encourage diversity, discourage bigotry.
. Study the World’s Religions.
. Try to understand and appreciate the belief systems of others.
. Respect one another. Respect divergent views and differing habits.
. Be ethical, honest, trustworthy, loyal and open.
. Visit the Houses of other religions. Attend a service. Explore New Age concepts. Be open to all ideas while retaining the belief system of your choice.
. Discourage dissension at all levels. That does not mean honest agreement … it means discourage travel away from the Right Path.
. Preserve the planet. Recycle. respect Nature.
How to Clean Your Civil War Uniform
October 20, 2007
How necessary is cleaning your Civil War Uniform?
The every day Confederate or Union soldier’s uniform was actually never made to be washed. They wore out so fast that many of them were never cleaned - ever.
This leaves us with the question ?
Do you really need to wash or dry clean your Civil War uniform?
Some reasons for cleaning a uniform may be
1. To prevent it from smelling really bad.
(Some hardcore reenactors feel that smelling really bad is part of the mystique? What do you think about having an "authentic smell?)
2. To prevent the various body chemicals that the uniform can absorb or acquire like sweat, body oils, from destroying the integrity of the fabric.
3. To have your uniform look good.
4. To do some type of seasonal, yearly, monthly maintenance to preserve your uniform.
So, considering all of these things, if you still want to clean your uniform, here are my suggestions.
1. Do as little as possible. Less is better.
2. Jackets, pants, and vests (wool/jean cloth) - None of mine have ever been laundered.
Spring Into Gods Love
October 19, 2007
Spring is springing here in the Pacific Northwest the plants and trees are blooming. We are fast approaching the Christian celebration of Easter Sunday and if my Catholic is correct we should be in Lent right now.
Lent is a Catholic season of soul-searching and repentance. Lent is a time for reflection and taking a good look at what our lives are all about. By observing the forty days of Lent, the individual Catholic imitates Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days. This would account for the gesture of, "Giving up something for Lent".
I was Catholic when I was growing up in New York City, back then giving up something for Lent which started forty days before Easter Sunday, kicked off by Ash Wednesday, (which is a whole other story in itself) I tried my hardest to give up something I really liked, something like RC Cola. It never worked and mainly because I didn’t understand why I was giving something up.
Today I understand it and in some twisted way the symbolic gesture of giving up something we like between the days of the passion and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ seems like a good idea since our Heavenly Father gave up His only begotten Son for our sins the least we can do is take a break from Starbucks Lattes or something like that.
Happiness
October 18, 2007
What is happiness? If we mean by it a state of fulfillment, when everything is going our way, in terms of results as well as efforts (which requires a providential combination of pluck and luck), then it cannot simply be willed; it is partly, if not largely, a gift of fate.
Having said this, even this sort of happiness is a product of positive thinking and positive action, with good fortune lending a helping hand. In short, it is a product of will in relatively favorable circumstances. But isn’t it peculiar to imply that happiness can be of one sort or another? Are there not simply happiness and unhappiness? I think not. The sort of happiness that the sage talks about is compatible with misfortune. It is preeminently a doing from within ? while without, the only prerequisite for it is that the sage be alive and capable of thought. It is a feeling of serenity, of being at peace with his situation and his conscience, as a well-adjusted and fully committed servant of life, of humanity, of God as he sees them.
Are These People Putting You In Danger Of Eternal Hell Fire?
October 17, 2007
Most people put a lot of effort into being like others around them. We also tend to follow the thoughts or opinions of society threw television, movies, books and the internet. People just have a natural tendency to just want to fit in.
But, as believers we are under particular scrutiny, especially by people who do not share our faith.
We should be Holy because we should reflect God’s character, He is our heavenly father, He has created us, He has chosen us as His own, therefore we should be Holy because He wants us to be like Him.
So instead of trying to fit into society we should be concentrating our efforts on fitting into God’s plan and likewise getting others to fit into His plan as well.
1st Corinthians 10:31-32 “Therefore whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offence, either to the Jews, or to the Greeks, or to the church of God.”
God wants us to take seriously the privilege of representing Christ in our homes, communities, and workplaces.
Bits of Heritage, Whose Heritage
October 17, 2007
Change is the only inevitably constant aspect of life in this world we all live in. Our cultures have been dynamic. In some places we experience a rapidly vanishing heritage. While others keep theirs and improve on them, others simply do not know what to do with theirs. Technology and new discoveries in science have greatly influenced global cultural values including a supposedly described ‘uninformed and primitive’ African continent. This is truly not the case. In fact Africa has gradually embraced a foreign culture as its traditional values are fast loosing their place in the scheme of things.
Across many races, many traditional items are quite symbolic as they serve the emotional and utilitarian needs within the immediate environment. These sociological elements differ from place to place. As humans there are similarities of purpose. There are some common needs and challenges even basic emotions in some cases irrespective of places of origin. At a point in time such solutions to these problems could be referred to in some quarters as being primitive, uncivilized, civilized, modernized, post-modernized or even futuristic. However, it is these similarities that ought to be recognised always.
God Uses Internet People
October 16, 2007
So often I am asked, "How do you know that you are operating in God’s will?"
Normally, I need not look beyond the previous week for an example of His miraculous work in my life to answer the question.
This is the first article that I have published under Religion or Spirituality. Hopefully, it will not be my last. I feel that everything that I do ~ or write ~ is a reflection of the problem person that a glorious God has allowed me to become. Not that He gave me the problems; rather I latched on to them all as a result of my own reckless ways. He, however, knew me before I did, and has made provisions to deliver me from myself. To Him be the glory!
Could I have really solved such setbacks myself? The disabling Multiple Sclerosis, loss of prestige, my businesses, my home, my mangled marriages, even forced retirement, have each contributed to my understanding that God’s ways are higher than man’s ways, His thoughts higher than my thoughts. On an exceptional day, I am aware that He can speak thru me to someone like yourself, cause me to say what you need to hear. Maybe, this is our day?
Laws and Ethics?. Who?s Kidding Who?
October 15, 2007
Years ago I read an article by a renowned psychologist wherein he wrote his studies found one percent of all human beings would never lie, cheat or steal. One percent would always lie, cheat or steal and given the right set of circumstances, the rest of us would likely lie, cheat and/or steal.
I mention this to highlight the fact that, if we can buyoff on this one principle ? sobering though it may be ? we have then, a benchmark from which to begin to at least try to understand the denigration of ethics that lead to outcomes like Enron and WorldCom.
Most believe morality walks hand-in-hand with unquestioned ethics. A quick look-up in a dictionary for Morality reveals words like, ethical, good, right, honest, decent, proper, honorable, just, principled and so on. All good words, no doubt. Words too that describe what most of us ? including Enron Exec’s - see in ourselves, Morally Upstanding.
Nevertheless, there is no shortage of those who climb high upon their perch in an attempt to [dare I say] distance themselves from the great unwashed by proclaiming their undaunted commitment to honesty and ethics all the while engaging in activities to the contrary. Foyer walls of most companies utterly ooze words of benevolence and righteousness ? there only for others to see, but in practice, never to be followed.
