Abraham Lincoln

 

This week, at the request of one of my grandsons, Notes from Papaw is about Abraham Lincoln. I think I might know a little bit about him since I was born in his home state of Illinois. Lincoln was born in Kentucky, and was mostly self-educated. Even so, in 1836, he became a lawyer in  Springfield Illinois. He worked tirelessly, and was elected to the Illinois State Congress. One of the things he is remembered for is his honesty. He earned the name “Honest Abe” during his years as a lawyer and politician. In 1860 he became the 16^th President of the United States. He worked hard to preserve the Union during the Civil War. On January 1, 1863 he signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed all of the slaves in the southern states. He worked very hard to bring an end to war and end slavery. He may be best known for his speech called The Gettysburg Address that was given after the Battle of Gettysburg in November of 1863. It show how much he cared about our country and our form of government.

The Gettysburg Address

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.  —Abraham Lincoln

On April 9, 1965 the Civil War officially ended. Six days later, on the morning of April 15, 1865, Lincoln died from an assassin’s bullet having been shot the night before at Ford’s Theater by John Wilkes Booth, a pro confederate sympathizer. The whole nation mourned him. There was a funeral service in Washington, DC where there was a funeral procession (kind of like a sad parade) and where he was “laid in state” in the Capitol so the American people could walk by and say goodbye to him.  Then a funeral train took him through 7 states to Springfield, Illinois. The train only traveled 20 miles an hour. In every town it stopped, crowds of people where there to pay their respects. He is buried at the Oakridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois. Here is a picture of Lincoln’s tomb. Papaw actually got to rub the nose of the statue in front as a boy. It was said to bring good luck. Silly Papaw!

 https://www.nps.gov/people/abraham-lincoln.htm

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Abraham-Lincoln

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Tomb

 That’s all for today!

Love Papaw.

He is Risen, As He Said

 

This Sunday is Easter Sunday. It’s often portrayed as the beginning of Spring; a time of pretty flowers, of Easter bunnies and chocolate eggs in finely colored Easter baskets. Now Papaw likes Easter eggs and Easter baskets, and he loves chocolate, but there is so much more. I think,  for the Christian Church, it is the most important holiday, even greater than Christmas. It is the day we celebrate the fact that the angels rolled the stone away from the tomb and Jesus was raised to life. His birth is wonderful, but Easter is where our salvation is finished. The cross is a powerful religious symbol, but without the resurrection, it becomes meaningless. If Jesus had not been raised on the third day, there would be no hope of resurrection for us.

Papaw remembers what it was like being a kid. We looked forward to Easter treats, egg hunts, going to church in new Easter outfits, and then a great feast with family and friends when we got back home. I hope you get an Easter basket. I hope you get to hunt Easter eggs in the yard. If I could be there I would help you. I hope you get a chocolate bunny. ( If you don’t, tell Mema. She will know what to do.) I hope you have a feast with family and friends. Just remember that The resurrection of Jesus is what it’s really about. Don’t forget to thank Him for his gift of salvation!

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Matthew 28: 1-6

 

 

Palm Sunday

 

Matthew 21:1-9  Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” ⁴ This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

⁵ “Say to the daughter of Zion,

‘Behold, your king is coming to you,

    humble, and mounted on a donkey,

    on a colt,^[a] the foal of a beast of burden.’”

⁶ The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. ⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. ⁸ Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 

So this Sunday is Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter. It celebrates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. The Bible says that Jesus told his disciples to go into town and they would find a young donkey that no one had ever ridden on. If anyone ask, they were to say that “the master has need of it.” This was done to fulfil the prophecy in Zachariah. Jesus road on the donkey and started into the city of Jerusalem. The people laid down palm branches in front of him to make the road special. Maybe there was mud or too much dust. Some even laid down their coats. It was a sign of respect. They shouted “Hosanna!” which means, “Save us we pray!”

But they were hoping he would become the king. Jesus would have been a great king, but that is not why he came. He came to start the Kingdom of God here on Earth, but like not all the other kings did. The kingdom was meant to be in our hearts. He came to save us not from physical trouble or from cruel leaders, but from the chains of sin. He came to set our spirits free. Now we can say “Hallelujah! Which means “God be praised!” It is an expression of joy and thankfulness. Be sure to tell God thank you often. He has done so many things for us. Most of all, He sent Jesus to die for our sins and make a way for us to go to heaven. But that’s next week…

Hosanna to God in the highest!

See you next week!

Love, Papaw.

Butterflies!

As long as I can remember, I have loved butterflies. I have raise many different kinds over the years. Butterflies are called insects. Insects have three body parts, a head, a thorax, and an abdomen. They also have 3 pairs of legs. Some have wings, but not all of them. Most insects go through what is called a complete metamorphosis which mean a change from one form to another.

There are many different kinds of butterflies throughout the world. They come in many different colors. Some even have clear see-through wings! There are butterflies as big as a bird and some as small as a dime. Each butterfly has a special kind of plant or plants that its caterpillars likes to eat. Some eat tree leaves. Some like to eat flowers. You might even find caterpillars eating your vegetables in your garden. When a butterfly becomes an adult, they like to drink nectar from flowers. If you plant a flower garden like Papaw’s, you will probably see all kinds of different butterflies. You may even have a humming bird come visit!

When Papaw lived in Arizona he used to volunteer at a place called Butterfly Wonderland. You could say I was a "butterfly whisperer". I would show people all the different butterflies that were in the conservatory and sometimes they even got to hold a butterfly on a special nectar stick. Here is a picture of Papaw with a bunch of his butterfly friends. Butterflies don't bite and they can't hurt you. They tickle if they land on your skin. We used to call them buttery kisses. It was so much fun!

One of my favorite butterflies is the Gulf Fritillary. They start as eggs which the mother lays on the leaves of its host plant called passionflower. The egg hatches into a caterpillar that eats and grows. The caterpillars of the Gulf Fritillary have soft spines all over their backs. This may help keep predators away. 

After about two weeks, when the caterpillars have grown big enough, they stop eating and hang from a branch or leaf in a “J” shape. Soon they form a chrysalis. Here they rest and all of their body gets rearranged inside. After another 2 weeks they eclose (come out of thee chrysalis and are now a butterfly. What an amazing transformation!

The Bible says that in Heaven we will have new, glorified bodies. We won’t get sleepy, we won’t get hungry, (but we can still eat!) and we will never die. That kind of make us like caterpillars I guess. Someday we will get to transform just like a butterfly when we are in heaven.

Here are some butterfly pictures you can color. Be sure to color in the lines and make them beautiful!

Love, Papaw