The Countdown Has Begun

I live in the South where football reigns from August to December.  You do not plan weddings, reunions, deaths, funerals, anything during this time frame unless it is an away game.  I am not a football fan....yet, for some funny reason...some of my favorite movies are Remember the Titans, Rudy, Blind Side, Facing the Giants, We Are Marshall, Radio, etc...If there is a tender story in a football movie....I love it.  I did graduate from college so you would think I would be a huge football fan....but I am not.  I do pull for my Benjamin Russell Wildcats (high school football).  I am a graduate from Auburn University....AND the University of Alabama.  I love both campuses.  I am glad to be part of them.  I do not choose sides....and if I have not already told you...I will tell you now.  I am NOT a football fan.  My precious Frank, on the other hand, is a huge Seminole fan.  He loved them so much that he has a Seminole tat on his right upper arm....and it is because of him that I am fully aware of how many days until kickoff.  30 days for Florida State and 28 for Auburn and Alabama.  With that said I thought I would add my small contribution today to college football.

Of course this is for my sistahs too.  I have just as many female friends who love football.  Whether you truly like football(high school, college, or pro)....or live in a house where football is King...this is for you!  Can I get an Amen?

1774 Revolution Rising - Boston Port Act

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On this day in 1774, British Parliament passes the Boston Port Act, closing the port of Boston and demanding that the city’s residents pay for the nearly $1 million worth (in today’s money) of tea dumped into Boston Harbor during the “Boston Tea Party” of December 16, 1773.

The Boston Port Act was the first and easiest to enforce of four acts that together were known as the Coercive Acts. The other three were a new Quartering Act, the Administration of Justice Act and the Massachusetts Government Act.

As part of the Crown’s attempt to intimidate Boston’s increasingly unruly residents, King George III appointed General Thomas Gage, who commanded the British army in North America, as the new governor of Massachusetts. Gage became governor in May 1774, before the Massachusetts Government Act revoked the colony’s 1691 charter and curtailed the powers of the traditional town meeting and colonial council. These moves made it clear to Bostonians that the crown intended to impose martial law.

In June, Gage easily sealed the ports of Boston and Charlestown using the formidable British navy, leaving merchants terrified of impending economic disaster. Many merchants wanted to simply pay for the tea and disband the Boston Committee of Correspondence, which had served to organize anti-British protests. The merchants’ attempt at convincing their neighbors to assuage the British failed. A town meeting called to discuss the matter voted them down by a substantial margin.

The Boston Port Act is an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain (citation 14 Geo. III. c. 19) which became law on March 30, 1774, and is one of the measures (variously called the Intolerable Acts, the Punitive Acts or the Coercive Acts) that were designed to secure Great Britain's jurisdictions over her American dominions.

A response to the Boston Tea Party, it outlawed the use of the Port of Boston (by setting up a barricade/blockade) for "landing and discharging, loading or shipping, of goods, wares, and merchandise" until such time as restitution was made to the King's treasury (for customs duty lost) and to the East India Company for damages suffered. In other words, it closed Boston Port to all ships, no matter what business the ship had. Colonists objected that the Port Act punished all of Boston rather than just the individuals who had destroyed the tea, and that they were being punished without having been given an opportunity to testify in their own defence.

As Boston Port was a major source of supplies for the citizens of Massachusetts, sympathetic colonies as far away as South Carolina sent relief supplies to the settlers of Massachusetts Bay. This was the first step in the unification of the thirteen colonies. The First Continental Congress was convened in Philadelphia on September 5, 1774, to coordinate a colonial response to the Port Act and the other Coercive Acts.
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A Date With My Son

I have dates with my children.

I think it’s important to take them out one at a time so they are able to get my full focus. I can imagine it’s hard for Tommy to be heard at times with a sister like Natalie.

So I make sure to take him out, just the two of us.

When we were at Disney World, I left Natalie with her Grandma and took my boy to Downtown Disney.

We had lunch at Wolfgang Pucks. The food is amazing and yes, you can use your meal plan.

“It sure is quieter without Natalie,” he observed.

Very true.

We did some shopping afterwards. He doesn’t mind shopping. Well, to a point. If I start to take too long, he will begin to sigh. He’ll keep quiet but I can see his lips start to tighten. He’s better than his father. Tom will be like, “Why are we looking at shoes? We don’t need shoes!” or, “Why are we down the candy aisle?”

My son loves Nintendo and there was a little area set up.

You could play the new Wii U, which he loved.

“Sorry,” I said. “It’s $350 and we’ve all grown accustomed to eating and if we get that, we won’t be able to for a very long time.”

We ended up having a great time.

(And Natalie did end up getting to experience Downtown Disney at another time. She was picked to do some Irish dancing!)

Five Minute Friday - Story

On Fridays a group of people who love to throw caution to the wind and just write without worrying if it’s just right gather to share what five minutes buys them. While the kids are changing into their swim suits, while the pop corn is popping, while the dog is outside doing his business, while the show cuts to commercial. Just five minutes. Your words. This shared feast. So I know you are asking yourself....How do I get in on this fun?  It is simple. 
Here is how to join: It’s easy peasy, just: Check what the prompt is on Lisa Jo's blog. Write a post in only five minutes on that topic on your blog (or in the comments below if you don’t have a blog). Link over here and invite friends to join in. Using the blue linky tool at the bottom of Lisa Jo's Five Minute Friday post enter your link. It will also walk you through selecting which photo you want to show up in the linky. Your post will show up in the Five Minute Friday linky. The most important requirement for participation: There’s really only one absolute, no ifs, ands or buts about it Five Minute Friday rule: you must visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community. Today's word is:

STORY

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As my timer ticks off five minutes all I can think about at this very moment are the lyrics to Blessed Redeemer.  You know that part that goes, "This is my story, this is my song."  My mind is a flutter and I am not sure that I will be able to fence it in today....right this moment it jumps back many years to when my mom would share bedtime stories with my brother and I. Our favorite stories were the ones from the Giant Storybook Treasury and Black Beauty. Reading stories was a nightly ritual and she would read from our beloved books each night.  I would want to hear her read every page in the book....but alas....all we got was one chapter/story for my brother and one for me. 

When my brother died....right after Christmas...the story she read pretty much every night was The Littlest Angel.  I would fall asleep most every night in tears because he looked so much like my brother.  The story was a great healer.  One night my mom read it and I did not cry as much....and I realized that life went on.....and my story was not finished.  Stories have always been an important factor in my life.  I come from a long line of story tellers and we are proud of it.  Stories come at you in many forms in my family.  We sing, we write music, we sit around and share stories....and we love oral tradition.   One of my favorite expressions when something goes very much wrong is, "well that is the story of my life."  When my blogging days began it was started to share stories about dealing with a parent with lung cancer/short term memory loss and a parent with full blown dementia/Alzheimer's Disease.  I needed somewhere/someway to vent.  I found my solution through telling my story.  I have met many people along this road who shared their stories with me and slowly I began to heal.  I have discovered stories everywhere...everyone has one....some I like...some I don't.  A Christmas Story( I am a purist when it comes to Christmas)....you know the one about Ralphie is NOT a favorite story....yet I love Toy Story with Woodie and the gang.  I love the Christmas story being read from the Bible at Christmas as the manger is placed in its place of honor.  I love the stories of Anne of Green Gables, Mary Queen of Scotts, Amish stories, Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Black Beauty, Jonah, Noah, Jesus, the REAL Christmas Story, Huck Finn(taking a deep breath), and all the rest of the gang.  I love stories. I love hearing my friends and strangers stories.  I love having the chance to ask anyone, so..."What is your story today?"....and then sitting back while the story unfolds.

STOP

Things That Annoy Me Thursday: No Helmets

It never fails.

Whenever I go somewhere, I always see a motorcyclist without his or her helmet.

I don’t understand why.

Do they not care what will happen if they get injured?

To me it’s like they’re saying, “Hey, I don’t care if my brains get splattered all over the road.”

I really don’t get it.

Military members MUST wear helmets and protective gear.

I wish ALL motorcyclists would follow the rule. They might think they will never get hurt but one never knows. A car could accidentally smack into them and then what? They could lose control and roll across the street.

If you know a motorcyclist or are one, please wear your helmet. It might be drastically hot outside. It might not look cool to you. But it’ll probably save your life.

Ragged Hope

 

About The Book:  Cynthia Ruchti Encourages Readers to Cling to Hope, No Matter How Ragged it May Be.  Seattle: It’s one thing to live with the consequences of your own actions. It’s quite another to live with the outcome of someone else’s choices. Regardless of what has happened in your life, there is hope. In Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other People’s Choices (Abingdon Press/July 1, 2013/ISBN: 978-1426751172/$15.99), Cynthia Ruchti offers an inspirational look into the lives of those who were dramatically affected by wrong or misguided choices, sins, offenses and crimes others committed.  Where is God when you are doing everything right yet, because of someone else’s actions, everything is wrong? Where do we find hope when it’s clouded by the ashes of other people’s choices? Ragged Hope is an insightful and hope-giving guide offering readers comfort and support, as well as encouraging them through whatever situation they may face, including the aftereffects of divorce, disease, drugs, drunk drivers, death, downsizing, disasters and bad decisions.  Ruchti, who has walked this road herself, assures readers that God is ever-present and offers unwavering love. There is hope, grace and a future in every circumstance—even (and especially) for those we did not cause but now live through. “How ragged is the hope you’re clutching? It’s no less valuable or essential than it was when it was new,” writes Ruchti. “Hope—true hope—is indestructible. It can be battered, but not extinguished.”  Ragged Hope’s dedication reads: “To the wounded, the worn, the wondering, and to those who let us see their scars so others can discover Hope’s hideout.” The book was written for survivors and for those who care about, counsel or long to make a difference in their lives. Vetted by professional counselors and caregivers, this is the one guide everyone needs to thrive, no matter what situation they may be facing.  After each of the 26 stories shared in the book, Ruchti includes reflection questions as well as prompts so readers can consider how to reach out to the survivors they know. Each chapter also ends with a scripture, offering hope and encouragement that God is with us, no matter what.
Other people’s choices don’t always have a life-changing effect on us, sometimes they’re merely annoying or mildly disturbing in the short-term. It doesn’t mean we don’t need grace to cope with their negative consequences. Ruchti gives readers perspective in these cases as well, interjecting humor as a relief valve when appropriate.  “When we stand in a muddle of misery someone else created for us, too weary to be creative, too worn down to embrace a trendy problem-solving technique or follow a seven-step plan to a new, improved life, we need an arm around our shoulder assuring us God hears, God understands, and He is not stingy with Hope.”  Join Cynthia Ruchti for a Facebook chat on August 1 at 8:00 PM EDT. Readers will be able to discuss the book, answer and ask questions, and win prizes. Watch the Cynthia Ruchti Reader Page on Facebook for details.  

About The Author:  Cynthia Ruchti tells stories of Hope-that-glows-in-the-dark through her novels and novellas, nonfiction projects, speaking events and a history of 33 years of on-air storytelling through The Heartbeat of the Home radio broadcast.
Her books have been recognized by Retailers’ Choice, RT Reviewers’ Choice, Family Fiction Readers’ Choice, ACFW’s Carol Award nomination, and other honors. In addition to Ruchti’s four previously released books, her novel When the Morning Glory Blooms (Abingdon Press Fiction) released in April 2013, followed by Ragged Hope, her second non-fiction release in July. Ruchti has also written articles for numerous magazines and industry publications and currently serves as Professional Relations Liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers.  Ruchti lives in Wisconsin where she spends her days diving into words, worship and wonder. It is her delight to serve on her church’s worship team and creative arts team. One of her greatest joys is helping other writers grow in their craft. Cynthia and her husband have been married for 40-plus years and have three grown children and five grandchildren.
My Thoughts On The Book:  It is one thing when hope is robbed by our own choices, but it is something else when hope is robbed by someone else’s choices.  Choices made by others can alter another person’s life forever, forgiveness can be hard and it can be even more difficult to forget.  Cynthia Ruchti's Ragged Hope is a godsend is a beacon for those who are trying to be tough in difficult circumstances not of their own making. There are several short stories in the book and each of them is a tale of betrayal, pain and loss.  The uplifting nugget buried there is found in the proof that God offers hope to everyone in all circumstances. He may not answer our prayers the way we pray them,  or remove our troubles entirely, but I promise you He will provide a way to get you through it. He will give you a future in spite of the actions of others.  Ragged Hope shows the reader that life is hard. Recovery is rarely easy and sometimes there is no recovery ever. The tough things that happen in life most often leave us wondering, “What just happened?”   The stories Ruchti shares are those teachable moments we find in hard life events.  Life does hand us bitter lemons to make lemonade with and with His help we can forgive, forget, and move on.  This book is a good read.  I would recommend it to anyone who has ever had to pick up the pieces in their lives as a result of someone else’s actions.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group, as part of their Book Review Blogger 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."

1772 Revolution Rising - The Gaspee Affair

The Gaspee Affair occurred on June 9, 1772. The HMS Gaspee, a British customs ship, ran aground in Rhode Island and a Sons of Liberty group attacked and set fire to the ship. The British Government threatened to send the American perpetrators for trial in England, but no arrests were made. However their threat to send Americans to trial in England sparked alarmed protests in the colonies who were informed of the affair via the Committees of Correspondence. The establishment of the permanent Committees of Correspondence led to the founding of the First Continental Congress and eventually the Declaration of Independence.

On June 9, the Gaspee attempted to stop and search the Hannah, a small trader from Newport bound for Providence. The captain of the Hannah, Benjamin Lindsey, refused to comply even after warning shots were fired from the Gaspee. Lindsey lured Dudingston into an area off Namquid point, an area which Lindsey knew to be very shallow at low tide. By two o'clock, the Gaspee had run aground and the Hannah raced away. Upon arrival in Providence, Lindsey informed John Brown of his experiences. Brown saw this as an opportunity for revenge and called upon his loyal sea captain, Abraham Whipple, to muster a crew. Within a few hours, the 60 men shoved off from Fenner's Warf to make the 6 mile journey to where the Gaspee was stranded.

The dark moonless evening kept the longboats out of sight until they were within 60 to 100 yards of the ship. This was important because each man knew that if they were detected, the eight large guns of the Gaspee would tear them to shreds. By the time the Gaspee's sentinel raised the alarm, the ship was surrounded. John Brown, describing himself as the Sheriff of Kent County, called for the surrender of the Gaspee and Lieutenant Dudingston. In response, Dudingston ordered the crew to fire upon anyone who attempted to board the ship. Shortly thereafter, the Rhode Islanders rushed the decks of the Gaspee and, in the melee, Dudingston was struck by a musket ball in the arm and fell to the deck. The remainder of the crew, most of whom were asleep below deck, were overcome by the raiding party and Dudingston was forced to surrender. The captured crew was bound, placed into the longboats, and placed on shore in the Pawtuxet area. The leaders then removed most of the documents aboard the Gaspee and ordered the ship to be burned. Little did they realize that the flames that reached into the night sky were, in reality, lighting the way to the forthcoming American Revolution.

The following day, the towns of Providence, Bristol, and Newport were abuzz with the events of the previous evening. Many people saw the flames and heard the explosions. Yet, when the investigation of the Gaspee affair was opened on June 10, 1772 until its closure a year later, not one individual claimed to know any detail surrounding those involved or the course of action. It was not until after the Americans had succeeded in obtaining their independence that the stories were told and written.
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