Lincoln's favorite poem

Oh why should the spirit of mortal be proud!
Like a swift, fleeting meteor - a fast flying cloud -
A flash of the lightning - a break of the wave -
He passeth from life to his rest in the grave.

The leaves of the oak and the willow shall fade,
Be scattered around, and together be laid;
And the young and the old, and the low and the high
Shall molder to dust and together shall lie.

- from William Knox, "Oh! Why Should the Spirit of Mortal Be Proud"

Five Woods Farm

Last weekend we were down at our family farm, and here are a few of the more interesting photographs I took while walking around the property.

Mere Christianity

I just finished reading Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, and I have to say it's a really interesting approach to the topic of religion. Lewis writes about Christianity from the angle of a logical argument where he explains that God's actions may seem mysterious at the time, but there is a system in place designed to benefit us if we are willing to come to Christ, to recognize our own humility, and to forgive the actions of others. Although it's not necessarily an easy read, Lewis writes in a conversational tone that is fairly direct and to the point.



Some points that I found interesting are:

On The Law of Human Nature:
"First, that human beings, all over the earth, have this curious idea that they ought to behave in a certain way, and cannot really get rid of it. Secondly, that they do not in fact behave in that way. They know the Law of Nature; they break it. These two facts are the foundation of all clear thinking about ourselves and the universe we live in."

On The Great Sin:
"Today I come to that part of Christian morals where they differ most sharply from all other morals. There is one vice of which no man in the world is free; which every one in the world loathes when he sees it in someone else; and of which every one in the world loathes when he sees it in someone else; and of which hardly any people, except Christians, every imagine that they are guilty themselves. The vice I am talking of is Pride or Self-Conceit: and the virtue opposite to it, in Christian morals, is called Humility."

On the Next step In Evolution:
"I cannot help thinking that the Next Step will be really new; it will go off in a new direction you could never have dreamed of. Now, if you care to talk in these terms, the Christian view is that the Next Step has already appeared - a change from being creature of God to being sons of God."

Safari Explorers

On our way to our farm in southeast Kansas we always pass signs for the "Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum" in Chanute, Kansas. So this weekend we were headed to our farm, and decided to stop in and see the museum. It turns out there is quite a story behind it. These two young people from Kansas, Martin and Osa Johnson, wanted to explore the world and document it through photography and film. They ended up traveling to exotic lands, including East and Central Africa, and made films and wrote several books about their experiences. They basically introduced the world to nature films and documentaries.

However, in 1937 on a trip back in America their plane crashed and killed Martin. Osa lived until 1953 when she died of a heart attack. They are remembered as great adventurers and the museum had all kinds of masks, photos, and movie posters from their travels. Recently American Eagle launched the Martin + Osa, a chain of "refined casual" stores, in tribute to their passion for adventure in life.

Yes We Did

In honor of the election of our 44th President last night... here are some photos I took of Obama back in 2006 when he was still relatively unknown. This was during a visit he made to Topeka, Kansas.











"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.”

“It’s the answer that led those who’ve been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve, to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.”

-- President elect Obama