Greetings!

In evaluating my life and times (mentally) I realized that after a long break, I have been doing quite a bit of reading.  Partly this is because I found a couple of good/provoking science fiction series.  [The following authors are not Christian, and should be read advisedly, but I found their work entertaining and/or thought provoking - in speculative ways: S.M. Stirling, Eric Flint/David Weber, Catherine Asaro]  The result of reading through this lighter material was that I eventually whetted my appetite for some more serious reading (and had built into my weekly schedule the time for doing so).

Of particular interest to me at the moment are works related to colonial and survival topics.  At the moment, I am reading through William Bradford's "History of Plymouth Plantation".  When I finish with that, I hope to read a couple of monograms (scholarly books on the topic), and then turn my attention to "U.S. Army Survival Manual" and "Survival: how to prevail in hostile environments".  This reading program was sparked when I realized that it has been 10 years since I lived on a farm and had any close and sustained contact with (sort of) colonial style life.

Do I remember how to build a fire, or create a shelter in the woods?  Could I find food or navigate my way through field and forest if lost?  What should one do in the case of raiding raccoons, inquisitive bears, or rampaging army ants?  How does one locate the capital of Tuvalu using a single square of TP and a rusty pruning shear?

Having read halfway through the account by William Bradford, I am freshly amazed at the active hand of God at work in their lives and adventure.  Many other settlements were attempted, and most were better manned and supplied when they began.  Yet time and again these failed, while the Plymouth settlement slowly and painfully survived and then began to prosper.  These people suffered amazing trials, were persecuted, abandoned, and betrayed time and again by friends and partners (both in England and at Plymouth), their cargos were robbed by French and Turkish pirates, and they were generally met with misfortune after misfortune.  But they persevered and trusted in God and worked diligently to provide for their own needs, to pay their debts, and to help others as they were able.  From such humble beginnings, what a might work hath God wrought in this land!

And so, with many things to ponder, I leave you to your glowing computer screens with this admonition: make sure you are well stocked with lemonade fixings - for the heat of the summer months is soon upon you!

Thor