Ashes to Ashes: A Devotion for Ash Wednesday

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

ASHES TO ASHES:

A DEVOTION FOR ASH WEDNESDAY

Guest writer Monte W. Holland

SCRIPTURE: Matthew 6, selected verses: “Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven—when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you—do not let your right hand know what your left hand is doing—when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret—when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret.” (RSV)

DEVOTION: In the Western church, Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and the seventh Wednesday before Easter. Its name comes from the practice of

Basic Biblical Teachings for the Godly and Moral Life: 1

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

BASIC BIBLICAL TEACHINGS FOR

THE GODLY AND MORAL LIFE: 1

Guest writer the Rev. Monte W. Holland

For some time, my husband, Monte, has been concerned about today’s young generation and the ethical behavior, which they are exposed to in today’s society. He sees the inconsistencies in what they experience in society and what is taught by Biblical Scripture, where lessons on “The Godly, Moral Life,” are presented.
As a step in counteracting society’s UnGodly, Immoral life lessons, he developed a series of six lessons, one for each week in Lent, beginning today, Ash Wednesday. Each lesson is divided into seven daily sections. Below is an introduction for the first week, and a link to its entire writings, hosted by the Open Hands Ministry site. Open Hands is a ministry of the United Methodist Churches in the Ligonier, PA, area, which provides layettes for WIC babies in Westmoreland County, and operates second-hand clothing and furnishings stores in Stahlstown and Jeannette.

Introduction- In this day and age, as it was in years past, many people live without an adequate knowledge of basic Godly and moral principles as taught in the Bible. Today, more than ever, individuals in public and private life are pushing the bounds of their life choices beyond traditional moral standards. On the other hand, we are not talking about going back to

Compagnie du Scioto Meeting at Cafe le Procope (Novel #3B)

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

COMPAGNIE DU SCIOTO MEETING AT CAFÉ LE PROCOPE: Novel #3B

 

 

To read the first part of this post click on: Compagnie du Scioto Meeting at Café le Procope: Novel #3A

   “This coffee is superb,” Jean-Jacques said, standing up to greet them, and, tilting his head almost inaudibly said, “and this table is in a spot where we can talk with some privacy of the matter before us.”
    As the men as they settled down, making certain the stranger was between them, Jean-Jacques asked   “How was the trip from Alencon?” Then he took his seat, all the while eyeing the stranger before him.
     “This is Richard,” Charles said softly to Jean-Jacques while not quite looking at him. “He heard about the American lands, how they offer the opportunity to have a French settlement in the new land, and is quite interested. I brought him with me so he can hear more about our plans.”
     The man, not quite looking up, shook his head, as a confirmation of Charles’ words. There was something quite appealing in his gesture, something familiar to Jean-Jacques, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
     “Are you sure he should be here?” Although Jean-Jacques asked Charles this question with his eyes, Charles understood

Route 30: A Review of John Putch’s Movie

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

ROUTE 30: A Review of John Putch’s Movie

      This afternoon a friend and I attended a movie that had great raves. Attendance at the local Ligonier Theater, which I’ve heard has poor movie attendance, was almost SRO. I splurged (diet-wise) with hot buttered popcorn and settled in for an afternoon of enjoyment.
     Within the first five minutes, I was disappointed. I guess I didn’t expect

Compagnie du Scioto Meeting at Café le Procope: Novel #3A

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

COMPAGNIE DU SCIOTO MEETING AT CAFÉ LE PROCOPE Novel #3A

 

     In 1787 High-level American politicians and military officers succeeded pressing the Scioto Land Grant, a sub-grant of the Northwest Territory Ohio Land Grant, through Congress. In 1788 these men, hoping to reap a fortune from their investment in this land, sent poet/politician Joel Barlow to France to sell a large chunk of it. Joel failed dismally until he met an Englishman, William Playfair, and an aristocrat, a monarchiens, a leader of the National Assembly of France Jean-Jacques d’Epremesmil.
     Hoping to make money in land speculation, William and Jean-Jacques helped Joel craft a land-sale deed that included the formation of a land-sales company, Compagnie du Scioto, on November 3, 1789. Persons joining this company were well-to-do capitalists, military men, noblemen, officials and visionaries. The major participants, many who bought acreage for their own land speculation, became known as The Societe des Vingt-Quatres. Members purchased at least one thousand acres, while Jean-Jacques, realizing the potential for a huge financial gain, purchased 11,000 acres.
January 1790, Paris, France
      Joel Barlow, William Playfair and Jean-Jacques d’Epremesnil occupied a table that offered privacy at the crowded Café le Procope (view photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/carolyncholland/3298110433/ ) while waiting for Jean Baptiste de la Roche, Louis Des Isles and Charles de Laittre, to join them. The three men waiting, founders of The Societe des Vingt-Quatres, sipped

A Singapore Pine Tree & Kampong Buangkok, Singapore

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

A SINGAPORE PINE TREE & KAMPONG BUANGKOK, SINGAPORE

     A pine tree grows on our property in rural Slippery Rock, PA. It’s not just any pine tree. It has a nickname. It is our “Singapore pine.”
     Lest you think that there is a species of tree called Singapore pine, let me correct you. We refer to this particular tree

THE OHIO COMPANY AND SCIOTO ASSOCIATES LAND PURCHASES (Novel #2)

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

THE OHIO COMPANY AND SCIOTO ASSOCIATES

LAND PURCHASES (Novel #2)

 

     The blog category, NOVEL SEGMENTS, will present information and scenes being developed for a historic romance novel to be written in three sections. Numerous actual romances intertwine throughout the segments. One romance replicates Tennyson’s poem, Enoch Arden.
     The writing is historical in that it follows real people in real situations. It’s a novel because conversations must be created and scene material filled in. Characters cannot be interviewed, since the dateline of the story is about 1786 to 1845. However, numerous lines are factual, since they come from actual documents.
The complete tale travels from Boston, Massachusetts to Revolutionary France to the Virginia-Boston Atlantic corridor to Lamoine, Maine, British Guiana, and finally ends in Alencon, France.
     The first few segments being posted recreate a political backdrop of the novel. The romance parts will follow. The first segment was: A 1786 MEETING IN VERMONT (Novel #1) Visit the category “1790s BACKGROUND at www.carolyncholland.wordpress.com for interesting background information.

     On March 8, 1787, the Ohio Company met at Bracket’s Tavern, Boston, where accounts showed that 250 Ohio Company shares, at $1,000 a share, were sold. This provided them with $250,000 to purchase land in the Ohio section of the Northwest Territory. Three directors—Rufus Putnam, Samuel Parsons and Manasseh Cutler—were appointed to apply to Congress for a private land purchase in the Northwest Territory, and to bargain on its price.  Dr. Cutler was ill, and did not attend.
     “Since the Doctor sold the most shares, over one hundred, and his skills are such that could lead us to success, I think we should appoint him to go to New York and purchase as much land as our money will buy,” Rufus suggested. “Samuel, you could go with him.”
     “It won’t be easy, negotiating for a private purchase of land,” Samuel noted.
 “No, it won’t,” Rufus acknowledged. “But surely Dr. Cutler will agree.

ARE YOU PUNISHING OR DISCIPLINING YOUR CHILD?

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

ARE YOU PUNISHING OR DISCIPLINING YOUR CHILD?

This post is part of a continuing series about child abuse and parenting. At the end of this article are links to the other posts on this subject. If the links do not work, go to www.carolyncholland.wordpress.com , click on the folder CHILD ABUSE, and scroll down the posts to find answers to your questions. Links to the posta are listed at the end of this post.

     Confusion exists among both parents and professionals when it comes to differentiating between punishment and discipline.
     Webster’s dictionary defines punishment: “a penalty for a crime or offense; to injure or hurt.” It defines discipline: “training intended to produce a specified character or pattern of behavior.”
     The goal of punishment is control, its basis is

FIRST, DO NO HARM…THE SULEMAN OCTUPLET CASE

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

FIRST, DO NO HARM…THE SULEMAN OCTUPLET CASE

     Much controversy surrounds the birth of octuplets born to Nadya Suleman on January 26, 2009.
     Suleman is a single mother of six children under the age of seven, that she suffered a work-related back injury, and that she receives food stamps are undisputable facts. Suleman and her parents relate conflicting stories about

CANDIED VIOLETS: Remembering My Mother on Her Birthday

     While living in the home we built in Slippery Rock, in the midst of seventy acres, part of our experience is what many would describe as “back to earth.” We gardened, canned, kept chickens. We also had lots of violets that bloomed in the spring and in the fall. (click to view photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/carolyncholland/3271288076/ )
     It was the early seventies when I discovered that one could make what was considered a delicacy: candied violets, a violet blossom preserved by