Don't you just love how Eliphaz wrongly accuses Job of folly? The "righteous" have been using those same words to lay blame for centuries. The Christian group, Casting Crown, has a great lyric for this sort of on-going behavior. "Open our eyes to the end of our pointing fingers." From their mouths to God's ears.
The above spurred on by some things better not brought to light. But, writing about it, even though in a vague fashion, helps me.
Genealogy tidbits:
A quote from Ross Calvin, a Episcopal clergyman who lived 1889-1970, sent to New Mexico in the early 1900s for it's sunny, healing power for people suffering from tuberculosis, is this: "Today the progeny of the Conquistadores is a mixed race, backward, illiterate, poor-disinherited in the land of their fathers. They retain a mellow quaintness because they cannot help it." The quote is in his book Sky Determines. First publication 1934, last publication 1965.
1965?!?!? "Backward? Illiterate? I was a 14 year old sophomore in high school. Almost everyone I knew was well read, forward thinking and although not wealthy, certainly not poor. What the hell is this man talking about? Don't mistake a stoic, reticent people as backward and illiterate. One of the redeeming parts of his book was that he made his reader aware that New Mexico does not end at the southern border of Albuquerque. A sticking point for a lot of New Mexicans to say the least.
I must say that I was leaning toward giving Calvin the benefit of the doubt when first reading the above quote. He was good at describing the flora and fauna response to our arid state, but like most non-native New Mexicans with an Eastern seaboard upbringing, he just didn't get the people.
I've been spending quite a few hours on family history. Isn't "quite a few" an oxymoron? But I digress. One of our family's mysteries was of my Grandpa Julian`s brother Luis. As a kid I listened to so many legends of various sizes, types, and kinds from so many family interactions. A great deal not necessarily meant for my ears.Be careful what you say in front of quiet children. They absorb more than we think. Anyway, one of these legends was of "the six Garcia brothers". Well as I grew older I couldn't make sense of it. I knew all my living granduncles and there was only five. Luis was only mentioned when I asked, "Who is the 6th Garcia brother?" Then all these legends, stories and personal interpretations were put forth. Not one of them concrete.
One of the "Luis" stories was that at 16 years of age he had joined the service during WWI. WWI was 7/28/1914-11/18/1918. It was a belief that he joined the army because of a broken heart. Luis was the 3rd son, which put his birth date between 1898-1902. But...the 3 youngest brothers were born between 1896-1899. Makes no mathematical sense.
BUT......
The mystery was solved when Ancestry recently published New Mexico WWI Military records. New Mexico and Arizona were still territories owned by the United States government until 1912. I looked Luis up and a wealth of information became revealed. He was born in 1894. Joined the Army July 1918 while living in Flagstaff. Sadly he died from pneumonia at the age of 24 on Sep 1918 at Camp Dix, NJ. Two months before the end of the war. I was able to get copies of his enlistment, Notice of Death and Death Certificate. The dates became clear! Elesta, my g-grandmother, requested a Military headstone in 1929. The headstone was placed in Nov 1930, 3 months before her death. So, in addition to his signature, I have her signature.
I traipsed all over the Santa Barbara Cemetery to get a picture of Luis' headstone.
Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence. John Adams, US President 1735-1826
One mystery solved. On to the next one. I love this stuff:))
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Is the United State of America a sinking ship? ISIS is believed to have joined the rioting in Ferguson, Missouri. Will we be attacked from within as they claim? Pray for our country to see relief from all this inner turmoil. Hopefully we will become the UNITED States again, and soon.
Joel Rosenberg is a US accomplished author, speaker and, along with his wife, established The Joshua Fund. He and his family have moved to Israel. Please keep them in your prayers as they heed God's call.
Pray for the protection of Israel and her people.
Thank God that a huge part of NM is free of the 'drought' status. Hopefully the flooding caused by our rainstorms will be minimal.
May He bless your days and keep you safe.
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