Remembering Shiloh.....and wondering.....

In April 1862 over two days of what is known as the bloodiest battle in US history up to that time, nearly 24,000 men were killed wounded or missing on the battlefields at Shiloh.

As The Principal, Wonder Boy and I walked through Shiloh National Cemetery located at the battleground site yesterday I was struck by the incredible sacrifices made by these Americans for their country. Having been born and raised in Canada, this is not something that I grew up around and quite honestly it chokes me up every time. This country is so rich in heritage and history and it is an honorable and godly heritage and history. What really weighed on me yesterday as I walked through this place where time stands just a little still was this......what would these soldiers who gave their lives for love of country think if they could see what is going on in modern day America?

I can only imagine what heaviness it would bring to their hearts to see the recklessness in which our nation functions on so many levels. Unborn babies dying, drugs rampantly taking lives, marriages dissolving in record numbers, families being redefined in ways that God never intended, hatred insidiously infecting how we treat each other and families trading time with each other for time surfing the web to feed addictions or pursue activities that are not at all family oriented. Can you imagine how devastating it would be to them to see what we have done with the country that they fought and in many cases died for ? Now I understand that this was a civil war and that even in that there was in fighting, but none the less it made me reflect and where my thoughts took me made me wonder......have we advanced or retreated ? For though we clearly have moved forward in many areas in our advancement have we been blinded? Fooled? I for one think yes, without question. If we look at the simple lives that people lived in 1860's we can see that much of what I listed as modern day "life" was not even something that polite, well mannered people would have spoken of in those days.

We have come a long way and we have an even longer way to go to get back to the values that were the very fabric of the lives surrendered on the battlefields of war in a time before the minds of a nation were polluted, poisoned, diseased and deceived.

2 Chronicles 7:14

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

God Forgive us and God Bless America !!

Learning as I go,

Leisha

A Tybee Birthday

You need a little background to understand how we ended up in Tybee Island for my 44th Birthday - counting backwards the last 4 birthdays have been .....well to be honest pretty lousy for one reason or another. The Principal has tried so hard to make them happy and memorable - they have been memorable -but well, I'll leave it at that. It seems something always finds a way to spring up and attack on that "special day" so this year The Principal decided to take matters into his own hands and get us out of town - distraction being the method that would lead to a successful natal day !!

We like lighthouses - Tybee has one. Wonder Boy had never been to the ocean - Tybee has one. We love to Letterbox - Tybee has several - it was a done deal - the plan was in place - I was going to turn 44 yrs. old in Tybee Island, Georgia ;-)

We spent 4 great days on Tybee Island - we climbed the lighthouse - which was a blast - what a great view of the ocean - makes you aware of how small we are and how big God is.We visited Fort Pulaski and Fort Screven (the first photographed baseball game in the US was taken here during the Civil War) which date back to the Civil War and of course snuck a little homeschooling in while we were in the area ;-)

Tybee is a really neat place - time almost stands still - it is very unaffected by modern day USA if you knw what I mean - life seems to be very simple and self contained on the island. There is very little influence from large corporate America, the homes are funky, people ride their bikes everywhere - I almost felt like I was not in the United States at all. One other thing we noticed as we explored around the island was the huge population of fat happy cats that seemed to greet you everywhere - well not really greet you so much as look at you while lazing happily in the sun on porches and verandas all over the island.

On my actual birthday we did some letterboxing and shopping and while we were in one shop we met a little fellow who was to become a member of our family. A lady who owns a gift shop in Tybee takes in strays and adopts them out to homes across the country - she says that cats have gone as far as California and that there are cats all over the USA named Tybee & Savannah (which is about 18 miles from Tybee). Over the next few days I could not get the story of the 2 kittens that had been found in the marsh after what they think was an alligator attack on Mom and the rest of the litter. I made a few comments to The Principal - well not really comments so much as "meows" and remarks like - "don't forget we need to stop on the way off the island to pick up my birthday present". This went on playfully for a few days and I really was only half serious - still I could not shake the thought of the kittens and their story. Apparently I was not the only one, because the morning we were leaving when I made a comment with only a note of seriousness in my tone - The Principal surprised me when he said "We can get one of those kittens if you really want one" - picture me standing there in a shop with my mouth hanging open and trying to smile at the same time. We didn't even know if they were still there but after a brief discussion we determined that if we were supposed to adopt one they would be waiting for us when we left later that morning. Well....they were both there and funny as it seems now (I really wish sometimes that we had gotten them both) we took the "girl" and headed to Huntsville, happily with "Tybee" in our care. It is with great pleasure I introduce to you - our little boy Tybee ;-) Yep turns out she is a he - good thing Tybee works both ways - we had a hard enough time calling him him when we found out!! lol

He has completely captivated us in the few short weeks that we have been home. He is the best cat I have EVER had - sweet as he can be and fits in like an old pair of favorite blue jeans. This is by far the best souvenir /birthday gift I can imagine!!

Learning as I go,
Leisha