Messiah

I'm sure everyone has heard Messiah by George Frederic Handel Below, I copied a short article by Glenn D. Kittler. I hope you enjoy it. Another sign of God's miracle.

The composer was in despair. Struggling to earn a living in London, he knew days when he could not afford to buy meals. One night in 1741, depressed and defeated, he wandered the lonely streets; it was almost dawn when he returned to his shabby room. On a table was a thick envelope. It was from Charles Jennens, the man who wrote his librettos. Examining the pages, he founds them covered with Scripture texts.

Wearily, he tossed the pages aside and crawled into bed. But he could not sleep. The words he had read returned to him: Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, saith your God... The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light... For unto us a Child is born... Glory to God in the highest...Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Too stirred to sleep, he got up and went to his piano. The music flowed from his heart-rich, majestic, triumphant. He began to write. Night and day for three weeks, he wrote feverishly. He forgot sleep, food, rest. He refused to see anyone. At last, on the day the work was finished, one friend managed to gain entrance.

The composer was at his piano, sheets of music strewn around him, tears streaming down his face. "I do believe I have seen all of Heaven before me, and the great God Himself," he exclaimed.

Millions of  people have been able to believe that. The first audience to hear the composition-in Dublin in 1742- gave it the greatest ovation in the city's history. Weeks later, London heard it for the first time, and again it was a triumph. The King was so impressed during the Hallelujah Chorus that he rose to his feet-a custom that still prevails.

This Christmas, in churches and concert halls around the world, millions of people will once again find hope and faith in the message of what has become the most beloved composition of all time-George Frederic Handel's Messiah.

God turned Handel's dispair into triumph.

As always your can email me your comments. pstinson23@comcast.net  

Advent

                                                                     

                                      Advent

Most Advent Calendars present us with a gift each day leading up to Christmas. The purpose of this Advent of Gratitude is to remind us of the gifts we already have, what we often take for granted, what we can and should be grateful for. Each daily reminder includes a suggestion for payment, a small monetary gift that in 24 days will grow into a donation payable to a charity of your choice.

Day 1 Pay $ .50 for each woman in your family
who graduated from high school.

Day 2 If you rode in a car today, pay $1. Pay $2. if you drove the vehicle.

Day 3 Count the light switches in you home. Pay $ .25 for each one.

Day 4 How many pairs of shoes/boots do you own? Pay $ .10 per pair.

Day 5 If you have never experienced having your electricity or heat shut off due to the inability to pay the bill, pay $5.

Day 6 If you have traveled outside of the U.S. pay $ 2. Pay an extra $ 2. if you have travelled within the past six months.

Day 7. Pay $2. if you bought a gourmet cup of coffee in the past month.

Day 8 If you went to work today and earned an income, pay $2.

Day 9 Pay $1. for every refrigerator/freezer in you home.

Day 10 Count every cell phone in you home. Pay $1 per phone.

Day 11 If you graduated from college, pay $1. per degree.

Day 12 How many televisions do you have? Pay $1. per TV. Pay $1. extra if you subscribe to Netflix, Hulu, or a similar subscription.

Day 13 Open you pantry. If there is more food than you can consume in 2 days, pay $2.

Day 14 Pay $2 if you have more than one bank account. Pay an extra $2 if you have investments that earn income.

Day 15 If you slept in a warm bed last night, pay $2.

Day 16 If you have visited your doctor this year, for something relatively minor, pay $2.

Day 17 Count the faucets in you home. Pay $.50 per faucet.

Day 18 If you've bought gifts for others this season, pay $1.. If you added "a little something" for yourself, pay an extra $1.

Day 19 If your home has over 25 books, pay $1. If more than 50 pay $2.

Day 20 If your parents had a high school education, Pay $1. If one attended college, pay $2. Pay $3. if both attended college.

Day 21. If you are traveling over 100 miles for Christmas festivities, pay $1. Pay $2. if you are confident your vehicle will get you there or you are taking a plane.

Day 22 Count the coats in your closet. Pay $ .25 per coat or jacket.

Day 23 Pay $2. if you can name over five people who love you.

Day 24 If you have a pet, pay $2. Pay an additional $2 if you have more than one.

Day 25 Enjoy the day.

If you think the money suggested is too much, lower it to what you think you can pay, or if you think it is too little add more money per day

.

White House

                            Oh, That White House!

Our People's House has been a part of our history for over 200 years. Our first President, George Washington, chose the site where it was to be built. Mr. Jamnes Hoban won the 500 dollar prize and was commissioned to design the  President's House (later known as the White House.) 

John Adams was the first President to live in the White House in June1800. It was not completed and Mrs. Adams wrote to her daughter that there was no bell to summon servants, no firewood for heat as people could not be found to go into the forest to cut trees and cart in the wood.  The grounds were filled with old kilns, water filled pits for brickmaking,  sheds for supplies, a stonecutter's shack, rubbish and mud. She told her daughter not to share with anyone her displeasure. The building was completed  on November, 1, 1800.

President Jefferson was the first President to live in the House his entire first term.He hired Benjamin Henry Latrobe to fix the leaking East Wing roof and wall damage. Mr. Latrobe used sheet iron for the repairs. The White House is made of sandstone, which is porous so it was whitewashed.

Then the British came along and burned the President's House down on August 24, 1814. .A summer downpour finally put out the fire.By 1817 the White House was again livable.Twelve new fireplaces were added.The building was painted white in 1818. It was known as the President's House or the Executive House.

James Monroe entered the residence and installed gas lights in 1849. 

Running water from the city's system happened with Jackson.

President Harrison's wife ordered the green mold caused by faulty plumbing scrubbed off old walls and had layers of rotting floorboards taken out of the ground floor and replaced.

During Andrew Johnson's time the Commission of Public Buildings found that a large ceiling section had collapsed and almost all the ceilings were cracked and some cracks were several inches. The basement was very damp and unhealthy, and no closets were found in the entire building.  ( No one had closets in the 1790 when the White House was built.)All repairs were made. 

President Van Buren had a furnace installed.

Grover Cleveland had the East Room floor propped up with stout posts as they were sagging.

Theodore Roosevelt hired the architects McKim, Mead& White. They found the Ground Floor in poor condition, the State Floor was settling dangerously, the flooring in the second floor needed replacement. Rainwater was still draining through the walls in hollowed-out logs, the sanitary system was beyond description, the wiring was obsolete, as its insulation was worn off and had charred the wooden beams and the building needed a new basement for the heating system. Everything was repaired.He nicknamed the President's House the White House in 1901 and added a tennis court in 1902.

 

Calvin Coolridge wanted a third floor added. In doing so it was found that some of the old wooden drainage system for rainwater caused the thick beams ends crumbled so the roof had decayed to a dangerous point. The second-floor ceilings were removed, steel girders were added and the third floor in 1927.

In World War II the building was used for the three stories of offices and the first white House bomb shelter.

In 1949, the Commission on Renovation of the Executive Mansion was established. The partitions and floors of the entire building were dismantled, steel shoring was installed and the bulldozers began digging. Concrete underpinning was added to the the old walls, a new two-story basement, new foundations, a new steel frame installed and the interior was restored.The East Wing was added 1942.

A swimming pool was installed. in 1934, to help President Roosevelt with his polio exercise 

President Truman had fireproofing added and a modern fire-detection system in 1965. There was cracking plaster and sagging floors. Truman had the entire White House gutted.New subflooring in the second-story corridor, new foundation with load-bearing materials were added. He added the balcony off the second floor, which he paid for money set aside by Congress to maintain the W.H.

The Kennedy's created the modern Rose Garden in 1963.

In 1970, President Nixon converted the indoor swimming pool in to the Press Room and added a one lane bowling alley.

President Ford had a swimming pool added to the outside of the White House. 

President Obama adapted the tennis court for basket ball. and Michelle planted the W.H. Kitchen Garden on the South Lawn.

Many Presidents and their wives updated the inside paint, wallpaper, and furniture. 

In 2025, President Trump had a 300 million dollar ballroom. He said it would be next to the East Wing but not part of it.  The East wing was demolished in a few days and the ballroom took its place. 

OOOPS! I forgot to include this information. One of Pat's Snippets called it to my attention. Thank you. Important: The 300million dollar ballroom will be paid for by donations from companies and individuals. No taxpayer money will be used!

I hope this has been informative for you. I included the major changes to the People's House. You can decide if you approve of the changes or not. 

History in Your Birth Year.

                  History in Your Birth Year.

 Have you wondered what happened in history in your birth year? I have. Here are a few years and the events that happened in the year.

1919, The U.S. declared its neutrality in the European conflict.

1941, Franklin Roosevelt's third inauguration and he is the first and only president elected to a third term Japan attacks Hawaii, Guam, and the Philippines.  The U.S. declares war on Japan. Germany and Italy declare war on the United States. The U.S. declares war on both countries

1942,Allies invade North Africa.

1943, Allies invade Italy.

1945,Allies invade France on D-Day.

1945, Franklin Roosevelt's fourth inauguration as President. President Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin meet at Yalta in the USSR to discuss postwar occupation of Germany. President Roosevelt dies of a stroke and is succeeded by his vice president, Harry Truman. Germany surrenders unconditionally. The first atomic bomb is detonated at Alamogordo, New Mexico. President Truman, Churchill, and Stalin meet at Potsdam, Germany to demand Japan's unconditional surrender  and to to discuss postwar Europe. The U.S. drops atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. The U.S. drops atomic bomb on Nagasaski, Japan. Japan agrees to unconditional surrender. Japanese envoys sign surrender terms aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo harbor, Japan.

United Nations is established.

1946, The Philippines, which had been ceded to the U.S. by Spain at the end of the Spanish-American War, becomes and independent republic.

1947 Presidential Succession Act is signed into law by President Truman.  Central Intelligence Agency is established.

1948 Congress passes foreign aid bill including the Marshall Plan, to provide for European postwar recovery. Soviets begin blockade of Berlin in the first major crisis of the Cold War. In response, U.S. and Great Britain begin airlift of food and fuel to West Berlin.

1949 Truman's second inauguration. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is established. Soviets end blockade of Berlin, but airlifts continue for four months.

If you did not find your birth year in this list let me know and I will try to find the historical events. 

                  Brrrr! Cold Weather.

With the cold weather we may be staying in our warm, cozy habitation. We may have more time to read. Here is a suggestion.

At this website www.gutenberg.org there are 75,000 free books to download. there are classics of literature, science & technology, social sciences& society, history, arts and culture, religion and philosophy, lifestyle & hobbies, health,& medicine, education & reference, children's and adult books.  

There are books on animals, countries, crime, fiction, law, music, and wars and much more. And don't forget there are children's books.

                                                       Gerrymandering

I do not take political sides. Democrats, Republicans, and Independents all have a place in our election system. Everyone should vote for what they think is best for the country, not for party or family biases.

There is a lot of news about gerrymandering in some states. That is not new. In the State of New Jersey in 1797, women could vote. Aghast!

In 1790, New Jersey changed their constitution. It said,:No person shall be entitled to vote in any other township or precinct than that in which he or SHE doth actually reside at the time of the election. But they did have to be property owners, and women could not own property. At marriage, the property went to the husbands. 

Then, in 1797, the wording in the Constitution was changed again. This time, it became that property owners no longer needed "clear estate," or clear ownership of their property.  Women in the state went to the polls and voted!!!

The following year, the women voted to block a Republican candidate. The local newspaper wrote this,

 "Although reinforced by the petticoat band

The Republican valor they could not withstand

And of their disasters in triumph we'll sing

For the petticoat faction's a dangerous thing."

 In 1807, the New Jersey constitution was revised again to limit the vote to white male taxpayers (Sorry to say it was the Republicans).

In 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution stated that African Americans could vote.

However, it wasn't until 1920 that the 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution was ratified, and all women could vote throughout the country. 

My take from this snippet of our history is: watch the gerrymandering in your state so you are included.

                                                 Widow's Peak

Many years ago, I was in college. ( an aside point-)At this point, if I were teaching, a sweet child would spurt out, "Were you alive when Lincoln was President?" 

I would say," No, I missed him by a few years."

Now, to go back to college days. My grandmother, no, she wasn't alive when Mr. Lincoln was either, she wanted a picture of me. She asked me to reveal my Widow's Peak by brushing my hair sideways.

Perhaps you're not familiar with a widow's peak?  It is estimated that one out of three people have one.  It's a typical hairline featuring a v-shaped point on the forehead.

If you are as curious as I am about trivia that is not needed, this is why it is called a widow's peak.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, English widows in mourning for their husbands' deaths wore pointed hoods that formed a V-shape point on the forehead.

If you're unsure if you have one, check in a mirror. If you don't, don't worry. I've never heard of non-widow's peak people being discriminated against. 

                                                                     *          *          *

I am recovering from a broken hip. So, I have watched too much TV.

Do any of you watch the program Dr. Pimple Popper? The title turns me off. I can't imagine spending time watching someone getting their pimples popped. They may need to have it done, but on TV? They must be paid a lot of money. Please let me know if you watch it and if you find it worthwhile. If I receive a lot of positive feedback, I'll try it.

                                                              *           *           *

During this downtime, I also see a lot of commercials.

Have you seen the emu wearing a yellow shirt and a man wearing a yellow shirt who says he is a duck? They are selling insurance. I would not look into any insurance company that has an emu and a man (duck) as a representative.  But I know I am odd. Do you have insurance based on commercials like these?

Another commercial that has me wondering. Does my smeller, my nose, work? The commercial has clothes coming out of the dryer, and they smell. The solution is to buy another product in a plastic bottle to add to the wash.

I take my clothes out of the dryer, and they seem fine. I use Arm and Hammer Laundry Soap in the cardboard box, not the plastic bottle. Cardboard can be recycled. I do add Twenty Mule Team Borax to the wash (also in a cardboard box), mainly because my mother and grandmother did. I figured what worked back then would work now. If we run into each other, smell my clothes, and let me know if they are odorous.

                                                             *          *          *

So long as I'm spouting off, I wonder if I'm the only one who does not like to watch couples argue. It is supposed to be the real life of someone getting out of prison, marrying or living with someone, and finding they have issues and not bliss. I know the TV is only showing the worst instances, but why would I want to sit and watch two people argue, badmouth, and swear at each other? There is enough misery in this world, at least in my opinion, which doesn't count for much, without seeing it on TV. I would much rather read a book. 

Well, enough sounding off from me. Please let me know if you disagree or agree. Do you have something you'd like to share? Send it to my email.  pstinson23@comcast.net

Celebrating July Fourth

                                       July Fourth Celebrating

Soon we will be celebrating the birth of our nation. It is a time to learn about and honor all those who made our democracy possible.

We are all familiar with George Washington and the men we refer to as our founding fathers. However, there were many we do not think about. Let's take a look at two of the lesser-known

Anna Marie Lane lived in Virginia with her husband. When he enlisted in the Continental Army, she dressed like a man and fought alongside her husband from 1776 to 1781. After the war, she was awarded a pension for her heroic actions during the Battle of Germantown. 

Margaret Corbin (also known as Molly Pitcher) was a camp follower after her husband enlisted in the army. She and the other wives cooked, cleaned, and cared for the wounded. 

Molly would bring water to the front line for the soldiers and to cool the cannons. While she was delivering water to the men at the Battle of Fort Washington in 1776,.her husband was killed while manning a cannon. She took his place operating the artillery until she was wounded. Later, she became the first woman to receive an army pension.

Some women served as spies for the Continental Army, warning George Washington and other leaders of British plans.

Some were Mary Ludwig Hays, Deborah Sampson, and Mercy Otis Warren, to name a few. 

Let's stop during our celebrations and thank all the people past and present, known and unknown, who have served our country with honor, integrity, sacrifice, and love. 

patriots.