The Battle of Gettysburg - 50th Anniversary Reunion

In April 1908, General H. S. Huidekoper, a Philadelphia native who lost his right arm at Gettysburg in 1863, suggested a fitting semi centennial observance of the three-day battle to Pennsylvania Governor Edwin S. Stuart.

Stuart, who presented the idea to the state’s General Assembly in January 1909 and established the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg Commission later that year, envisioned a reunion of Union and Confederate soldiers that would be talked about for years to come. “Other States, both north and south, whose sons fought at Gettysburg, will surely co-operate in making the occasion one that will stand foremost in the martial history of the world,” he said.

With assistance from the War Department, the Commission helped prepare Gettysburg, a town of 4,500, for the 100,000 visitors (about half of them non-veterans) expected to attend the reunion. The official celebration would be held from July 1 (Veteran’s Day) to July 4.

Cat VS Dog

 

What Happens After We Die?

Benjamin Franklin said, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” His words, though slightly humorous, remind us of a very real truth: One of the things we all have in common is that everyone dies.

At one time or another, most people wonder what will happen when they die. Death feels frightening and mysterious, and perspectives on what happens and what it means vary significantly.

Yet, the Bible teaches that God has set eternity in the hearts of humans (Ecclesiastes 3:11). This is one of the main reasons why death makes us sad; we were not created to die. That is why there are many passages in the Bible that make it clear we do not cease to exist when our earthly bodies die. Here are five questions the Bible answers about death:

Where Do People Spend Eternity?

Heaven or Hell. The Bible teaches that there are only two choices: eternity with God or eternity separated from God, often referred to as heaven and hell. From an eternal standpoint, to be present in one is to be absent from the other. The choice of where you will reside in eternity is the greatest question you will face in this life. 

"And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?" (Mark 8:36)

My Favorite Chapter (Romans 8)

Romans, Chapter 8 (ESV) [A Letter to Believers]

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin,he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

American Pie

In honor of one of the greatest songs in recent history, the 50th anniversary of Don McLean's classic, "American Pie". The true meaning of this song has been a source of interest since it's release but I personally love Don McLean's response the best. Asked to convey the meaning of his greatest hit Don replied,  "It means I never have to work again.".