QUARANTINE BLOG # 427

May 31, 2021

Before we begin “This Day in May,” here, for Memorial Day, is a powerful strip from “Pearls Before Swine:”

👉  This Day in May

On May 1, 1931, President Herbert Hoover officially dedicated New York City’s Empire State Building, pressing a button from the White House that turned on the building’s lights.  Hoover’s gesture was symbolic; while the president remained in Washington, D.C., someone else flicked the switches in New York. At the time of its completion, the Empire State Building, at 102 stories and 1,250 feet high (1,454 feet to the top of the lightning rod), was the world’s tallest skyscraper.

The modern legend of the Loch Ness Monster was born when a sighting made news on May 2, 1933. The newspaper Inverness Courier related an account of a local couple who claimed to have seen “an enormous animal rolling and plunging on the surface.” The story of the “monster” (a moniker chosen by the Courier editor) became a media phenomenon, with London newspapers sending correspondents to Scotland offering a 20,000 pound sterling reward for capture of the beast.

In the early 20th century, American explorers Robert Peary and Dr. Frederick Cook, both claiming to have separately reached the North Pole by land, publicly disputed each other’s claims. In 1911, Congress formally recognized Peary’s claim, but Peary was actually 30 miles short. On May 3, 1952, a ski-modified U.S. Air Force C-47 piloted by Lieutenant Colonel Joseph O. Fletcher and Lieutenant Colonel William P. Benedict became the first aircraft to land on the North Pole.  A moment later, Fletcher climbed out of the plane and walked to the exact geographic North Pole, probably the first person in history to do so.  

On May 5, 1961, Navy Commander Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. was launched into space aboard the Freedom 7 space capsule, becoming the first American to travel into space. The suborbital flight lasted 15 minutes and reached a height of 116 miles into the atmosphere. On February 5, 1971, Shepard became the fifth astronaut to walk on the moon as part of the Apollo 14 lunar landing mission.  

In a ceremony presided over by England’s Queen Elizabeth II and French President Francois Mitterrand, a rail tunnel under the English Channel was officially opened, on May 6, 1994, connecting Britain and the European mainland. The Channel Tunnel, or “Chunnel,” cut travel time from Britain to France to 35 minutes. As the world’s longest undersea tunnel, the Chunnel runs under water for 23 miles, with an average depth of 150 feet below the seabed. Each day, about 30,000 people, 6,000 cars and 3,500 trucks journey through the Chunnel.

On May 7, 1824, Ludwig van Beethoven’s ninth and final symphony debuted at Vienna’s Theater am Kärntnertor. The Ninth Symphony, now widely considered to be one of the greatest pieces of music ever written, required the largest orchestra ever employed by Beethoven. He stood on stage and appeared to conduct the orchestra, although due to his deafness the players were instructed to ignore the composer and instead follow Michael Umlauf, the actual conductor. Beethoven was several bars off from the actual music by the time the piece concluded. 

On May 8, 1945, both Great Britain and the United States celebrated Victory in Europe Day. Cities in both nations, as well as formerly occupied cities in Western Europe, put out flags and banners, rejoicing in the defeat of the Nazi war machine. 

The Food and Drug Administration approved the world’s first commercially produced birth-control pill, Enovid-10 on May 9, 1960. Development of “the pill,” as it became popularly known, was initially commissioned by birth-control pioneer Margaret Sanger and funded by heiress Katherine McCormick. Sanger, who opened the first birth-control clinic in the United States in 1916, hoped to encourage the development of a more practical and effective alternative to contraceptives that were in use at the time.

On May 10, 1869, the presidents of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads meet in Promontory, Utah, and drove a ceremonial last spike into a rail line that connects their railroads. This made transcontinental railroad travel possible for the first time in U.S. history. The workers were able to finish the railroad, laying nearly 2,000 miles of track, ahead of schedule and under budget. Their work had an immediate impact: The years following the construction of the railway were years of rapid growth and expansion for the United States, due in large part to the speed and ease of travel that the railroad provided.

On May 12, 1949, an early crisis of the Cold War ended when the Soviet Union lifted  its 11-month blockade against West Berlin. The blockade was broken by a massive U.S.-British airlift of vital supplies to West Berlin’s two million citizens. On June 24, 1948, the Soviets, wanting Western influence out of Berlin,  began a blockade of all rail, road, and water communications between Berlin and the West. Britain and the United States responded by initiating the largest airlift in history, flying 278,288 relief missions to the city during the next 14 months, resulting in the delivery of 2,326,406 tons of supplies. 

Tate Donald Herrington was born on May 13, 2015. The third son of Jack and Amy Herrington, he is today a kindergarten student at Blue Ridge Elementary, and along with his 2 older brothers is a big fan of Legos Star Wars. He also has a very large collection of Matchbox-style cars.

On May 14, 1948, in Tel Aviv, David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the State of Israel, establishing the first Jewish state in 2,000 years. In the distance, the rumble of guns could be heard from fighting that broke out between Jews and Arabs immediately following the British army withdrawal earlier that day. Egypt launched an air assault against Israel that evening. Despite a blackout in Tel Aviv – and the expected Arab invasion – Jews joyously celebrated the birth of their new nation, especially after word was received that the United States had recognized the Jewish state.

During an outdoor rally in Laurel, Maryland, on May 15, 1972, George Wallace, the governor of Alabama and a presidential candidate, was shot by 21-year-old Arthur Bremer. Three others were wounded, and Wallace was permanently paralyzed from the waist down. The next day, while fighting for his life in a hospital, he won major primary victories in Michigan and Maryland.

On May 16, 1929, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented its first awards, at a dinner party for around 250 people at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, California. The first official Best Picture winner was Wings. The most expensive movie of its time, with a budget of $2 million, the movie told the story of two World War I pilots who fall for the same woman. German actor Emil Jannings won the Best Actor honor for his roles in The Last Command and The Way of All Flesh, while 22-year-old Janet Gaynor who received three Best Actress nods, won for all three roles, in Seventh Heaven, Street Angel and Sunrise.

Abraham Lincoln was nominated for the U.S. presidency by the Republican National Convention meeting in Chicago, Illinois, on May 18, 1860. Hannibal Hamlin of Maine was nominated for the vice presidency. On November 6, 1860, Lincoln defeated his opponents with only 40 percent of the popular vote, becoming the first Republican to win the presidency.

On May 20, 1873, San Francisco businessman Levi Strauss and tailor Jacob Davis were given a patent to create work pants reinforced with metal rivets, marking the birth of one of the world’s most famous garments: blue jeans (known initially as “waist overalls”). The famous 501 brand jean was soon a bestseller. By the 1920s, Levi’s denim waist overalls were the top-selling men’s work pant in the United States. 

Charles A. Lindbergh landed at Le Bourget Field in Paris, on May 21, 1927, successfully completing the first solo, nonstop transatlantic flight and the first ever nonstop flight between New York and Paris. His single-engine monoplane, “The Spirit of St. Louis,” had lifted off from Roosevelt Field in New York 33½  hours before.

On May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge over the East River opened, connecting New York and Brooklyn for the first time in history. Thousands of residents of Brooklyn and Manhattan Island turned out to witness the dedication ceremony, which was presided over by President Chester A. Arthur and New York Governor Grover Cleveland. The Brooklyn Bridge was the largest suspension bridge ever built to that date. 

On May 25, 1977, Memorial Day weekend opened with an intergalactic bang as the first of George Lucas’ blockbuster Star Wars movies hits American theaters. The first of the eventual nine movies, received seven Oscars, and earned $461 million in U.S. ticket sales and a gross of close to $800 million worldwide. 

The first copies of the classic vampire novel “Dracula,” by Irish writer Bram Stoker, appeared in London bookshops on May 26, 1897. Stoker would go on to publish 17 novels in all, but it was “Dracula” that eventually earned him literary fame. Upon its release, “Dracula” enjoyed moderate success, though when Stoker died in 1912 none of his obituaries even mentioned the book by name. Sales began to take off in the 1920s, when the novel was adapted for Broadway. “Dracula” mania kicked into even higher gear with Universal’s blockbuster 1931 film, starring the Hungarian actor Bela Lugosi.

At 11:30 a.m. on May 29, 1953, Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay, a Sherpa of Nepal, became the first explorers to reach the summit of Mount Everest, 29,035 feet above sea level, the highest point on earth. The two made their final assault on the summit after spending a fitful night at 27,900 feet. News of their achievement broke around the world on June 2, the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.

Big Ben, the huge bell located at the top of the 320-foot-high Elizabeth Tower, rang out over the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London, for the first time on May 31, 1859. Two main stories exist about how Big Ben got its name. Many claim it was named after the famously long-winded Sir Benjamin Hall, the London commissioner of works at the time it was built. The other story argues that the bell was named for the popular heavyweight boxer Benjamin Caunt, because it was the largest of its kind.

👉  Today’s sermon, “The Wind of the Spirit,” from the Crawfordville Pulpit.

👉  Today’s close is from Praying with the Psalms, by Eugene H. Peterson.

“Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses, but our pride is in the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7).

Answered prayers are occasions for boasting!  When God shows himself to be the God who brings victory, the God who enters history and responds to human need with salvation, the proper response is boasting that matures into praise.

Prayer: “Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ my God: all the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood” (Isaac Watts, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”).  Amen.

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QUARANTINE BLOG # 426

May 30, 2021

Outside – Inside

Rio De Janeiro is the plastic surgery capital of the world. There are more plastic surgeons per capita in Rio than in any other city in the world, almost 1000 practitioners for the city’s 6.3 million residents. So many people come to have a face lift, a tummy tuck, or a more serious reconstruction, that travel agents book “plastic surgery vacations” into Brazil’s largest city.

A taxi driver who is directed to 65 Rua Dona Mariana will give a knowing wink. That is the address of Ivo Pitanguy, a plastic surgeon who is considered a national celebrity in Brazil. For $15,000 you can get a face lift at his elegant clinic, a nose job for $10,000, or if you are one of Brazil’s poor, plastic surgery is done for free at his Holy House Plastic Surgery Clinic.

Pitanguy has developed an international reputation for his techniques. He performs face lifts “that are brilliantly imperfect,” according to Carlos Pestalardo, a Buenos Aires plastic surgeon. “He has a way of making the face look as if it is younger, but without seeming too perfect – Pitanguy’s faces don’t have that stretched look that advertises to everyone ‘I’ve had plastic surgery.’”

In 1960, Pitanguy, who had served as a doctor in the Brazilian army in World War II, founded a clinic for the poor. “I saw soldiers in horrible physical condition, but I also saw the emotional scars of their wounds,” he said. “Restoration of the body became important to me.”

Patients who come to the clinic at Holy House Plastic Surgery Clinic must pay for only the cost of materials, such as medicines and gauze, not for the services of the 20 international plastic surgery residents who have come to learn Pitanguy’s techniques. For the many who cannot pay that small amount, the fee is waived.

Regina was at the clinic because she had her breasts injected with silicone by one of the back alley practitioners who have sprung up to take advantage of the perfection craze which is sweeping Rio De Janeiro. His technique left her breasts with a lumpy appearance and she had come to Holy House to have the damage repaired.

More typical may be Eliza, a six-year-old who lives six hours away. Eliza was born with a hairy brown growth on her face. Dr. Pitanguy said he could make her beautiful.

Maria’s case is far more severe. Six years ago she was mopping a factory floor with gasoline when she was accidentally burned. Her nose and eyelids were burned away. So much skin was burned off of her face that her bones could be seen pushing through what remained of her face. On an earlier visit to Holy House, skin from her arm was grafted onto her face to begin forming a new nose.

“What I want is a face,” Maria said. “I think in a few more years I may have one.”

The waiting list, as can easily be imagined, is long. Some times patients must wait for years to be treated. Burn patients and patients with severe birth defects are moved as quickly as possible to the top of the list.

Most of us carry some type of scar, some type of deformity, some type of birth defect –  but on the inside of our lives, not on the outside. They may have been caused by accident, they may have been deliberately inflicted (by ourselves or with the connivance of others), but the deformities are just as crippling and debilitating as those on the outside. Maybe more so.

There is a clinic for the healing of these deformities. There is no waiting list. There is no preferential treatment – everyone is seen immediately, no matter how minor or how severe the scars. The fee is waived completely – no one, regardless of wealth or social standing has to pay for the treatment. It has already been paid in full by someone else.

Do you remember the story of Israel’s search for its first king? A tall, good looking man stood in front of the prophet Samuel. He was so physically attractive that the prophet thought, “This must be the man God has chosen!”

But God said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Get a face lift or a tummy tuck? If you think it will help. Have reconstructive surgery to correct a disfigurement or defect? By all means. But ultimately it does not matter how beautiful you are on the outside. What counts is how you look on the inside, where God sees everything. That reconstructive surgery can only be performed by His Son.

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QUARANTINE BLOG # 425

May 29, 2021

Marooned in London

Alexander Selkirk had left London with little more than the clothes in his sea chest. Now, eight years later, he returned to the city a wealthy man.

The sale of the treasure aboard the Manila galleon, and from 20 captured merchant ships brought $25 million. Investors – who had bought and outfitted the Duke and Duchess for $2 million – took two-thirds of the profit. The remaining third was shared by the two crews according to rank and duties. Rogers’s share came to $250,000. Selkirk received $125,000.

Sometime in 1712 Woodes Rogers published a book. A Cruising Voyage Round the World was an account of his privateering voyage Rogers. Sections told about the rescue of Selkirk on Juan Fernandez and the capture of the Manila galleon. Richard Steele, a London journalist, also told Selkirk’s story for his magazine, The Englishman. 

Selkirk, the man who had survived four years alone on an island, became a celebrity. Rogers escorted him about town and introduced him to rich friends. He was invited to dinner parties.

Following Rogers’s advice, Selkirk tried to talk about his four years alone. A brief mention that he wore a jacket and breeches of goatskin brought on helpless laughter, itching and scratching, the elegant guests pretending the prickly skins touched their flesh.

Interest soon waned. He was a merely an amusement, a novelty to occupy an idle hour. Then, out of the blue, a chance came to return to his island. A meeting with Woodes Rogers offered the possibility.

Rogers had become a successful businessman, sending merchant ships to the Bahamas. Now that peace had been restored between England and Spain, a profitable venture was in the works. The South Sea Company planned to set up trading posts along the coastal towns of South America.

Juan Fernandez would become a supply depot. Selkirk knew the island best. Would he help set up the colony? 

The South Seas Company had already spent $18 million, and more government money was pledged. Even Queen Anne was interested. But within weeks, the money was gone, the venture was over, and the South Seas Company was bankrupt. There would be no supply depot on Juan Fernandez. Queen Anne and all those high government officials refused to say what had happened. For Selkirk, any hope he might have had of returning to his island home was now gone.

Largo and Beyond

In the spring of 1714 Selkirk left London for his home in Largo, Scotland. Arriving on Sunday, he stepped into the Presbyterian church. No one recognized him, elegantly dressed in gold-laced clothes. Eventually, his mother did, and rushed to his arms, unconscious of the impropriety of her conduct and the interruption of the service.

The joy of homecoming lasted only a few days. The questions, the stares, and the hearty slaps on the back began to get on his nerves. He became uncomfortable with well-meaning neighbors and family members. For respite, he enlarged a cave on a hill side. He cobbled together a bench, and sat, staring across the bay.

Soon came the day when Alexander left. He gave a boy a penny to follow with his sea chest on a cart. He boarded the ferry to Edinburgh, and found a ship to London.

In 1716 he enlisted in the Royal Navy, and was assigned to H.M.S. Enterprise. 

In June 1721 as second in command, aboard the H.M.S. Weymouth hunting pirates and slave traders in West Africa, Selkirk sent a boat up the Gambia River to find fresh water and cut wood for the cook stove. The crew was captured by natives. Selkirk was able to rescued his men, but they returned to the ship with a deadly sickness, malaria.

In November, Selkirk became ill. On December 13, 1721, the Weymouth’s  captain entered a new name in the ship’s log. Alexander Selkirk had died.

Selkirk’s body was enclosed in a sack made from an old sail, and weighted with two cannonballs, one at the head and one at the feet. Then it was placed on a plank and lifted onto the ship’s rail. The plank was tilted, and Selkirk’s body slid into the gray waves somewhere off the coast of Africa.

On a hill on Juan Fernandez stands a bronze tablet. The spot is called Selkirk’s Lookout. A tablet was placed by the officers of a British warship, H.M.S. Topaze. The plaque incorrectly says, “He died A.D. 1728, aged 47 years.” It was actually 1721, and he was 41.

Next week the conclusion of “The Real Robinson.”

👉  No one knows the author, of “How Firm a Foundation,” because in its first publication in 1787, the line reserved for the author’s name simply bore the letter K. Because the hymn appeared in a collection published by Rev. John Rippon, pastor Carter’s Lane Baptist Church in London, many attribute the composition to Robert Keene, the minister of music there.

The unique power of this hymn is due to the fact that each of the original stanzas was based on various biblical promises.  The first verse established the hymnist’s theme – God’s Word is a sufficient foundation for our faith.  The author then selected precious promises from the Bible, and converted these into hymn stanzas, among them:

     ■ “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

    ■ “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you” (Isaiah 43:2),

    ■ “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

    ■ “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).

No wonder this hymn was first published under the title “Exceedingly Great and Precious Promises.”

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QUARANTINE BLOG # 424

May 28, 2021

Since March of last year, cruise ships carrying more than 250 people have been prohibited by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from sailing in U.S. waters.  To start again, they need to follow a complex process that, in some cases, involves simulated cruises designed to test Covid-19 protocols.  On Tuesday, Royal Caribbean became the first cruise line to receive approval from the CDC to conduct simulated voyages, which are planned for its “Freedom of the Seas” ship starting from PortMiami in Florida in late June.

The simulated voyages must be between two to seven days in length with at least one overnight stay.  They are required to test embarkation and disembarkation procedures, medical evacuations, onboard activities such as meal service and entertainment, recreational activities like fitness classes and swimming and shore excursions. 

👉  U.S. motorists will see the highest gasoline prices in seven years when they hit the roads this Memorial Day weekend, the traditional start of the summer driving season, as fuel demand surges.  Retail gasoline prices are at about $3.04 a gallon on average nationwide, the most expensive since 2014, according to data from the American Automobile Association.

Pump prices had already gotten a boost earlier this month after a ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline, the nation's largest fuel pipeline, shut the system for days and stopped fuel supplies from moving across the United States.  Around 6,000 gas stations were still without fuel this week, according to tracking firm GasBuddy.

👉  Observations to consider:

👉  Our exploration of waterfalls continues with a visit to Havasu Falls, one of the most beautiful of the five Havasupai Waterfalls that plummet over orange-red cliffs into bright turquoise-blue pools in a side canyon of the Grand Canyon.  The waterfalls are all located on the Havasupai Indian Reservation and can only be accessed via an overnight 10-mile hike that requires advance reservation and payment of fees, and you must spend at least one night at the campground in the canyon.  The number of people allowed into the canyon is limited, and there is often a waiting list.

Yosemite Falls is the fifth highest waterfall in the world and the tallest in North America.  It consists of three separate falls with a drop of 2,425 feet that give the illusion of one giant cascade of water.  Yosemite Falls is fed by snowmelt, so to see it at its fullest, the best visit is in late spring or early summer when the thunder of the water rolls across Yosemite Valley.  By late summer, however, Yosemite Falls has dwindled to just a trickle and can go dry by August.

The 16 cascading lakes that make up the Plitvice Waterfalls in Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia are an extraordinary sight.  What makes these waterfalls really special though are the distinct shades of blues and greens – from aquamarine to emerald and turquoise – that can be seen in the water as it flows over limestone and chalk rocks.  All of this is surrounded by a lush green landscape that just makes for a visually stunning tableau.  This park attracts more than one million visitors a year.

👉  From donuts to beer, businesses are offering incentives for people who get their COVID-19 shots.  Krispy Kreme is offering a free glazed donut through the end of the year to people who show their vaccination card.  In Connecticut, vaccinated residents are eligible for a free drink with their food at participating restaurants.  Publix is giving employees a $125 gift card to be used in the store, while Kroger employees are awarded a one-time payment of $100 for getting the vaccine.  You can get your vaccine card laminated for free at Office Max, Office Depot, and Staples.  CVS will allow people who are vaccinated at its stores so to enter a sweepstakes giveaway for a variety of prizes, including a trip to the Super Bowl, $5,000 to fund a family reunion, cruises or cash.  Other incentives have included a $1 million Vax-a-Million lottery prize in Ohio, free flights from United Airlines and free beer from Samuel Adams.

You haven’t gotten your vaccination yet?  Roll up your sleeve and pick up some free goodies while reducing your chances by 98% of picking up the coronavirus!

👉  Here are some more Minions:

👉  Today’s close is by Phil Ware.

“I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given to me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” (Acts 20:24).

Thoughts on today’s verse:

How important is grace?  Paul said it was more important than his life!  Telling about grace was more important to Paul than his life!  In fact, that was his life!

Prayer:

Almighty God, Holy Father, thank you for your lavish grace demonstrated and fully expressed in sending Jesus to die for me.  As your child, and in thanks to your sacrificial gift, I pledge to you my life, my love, and my all.  Through Jesus. Amen.

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QUARANTINE BLOG # 423

May 27, 2021

The Bro sent me the following Beatles anthology:

It’s a long and winding network, don’t let it be or it will be a hard day’s night in the yellow submarine.  Sgt. Pepper is taking a magical mystery tour eight days a week on Abbey road.

Here comes the sun, let’s come together in strawberry fields forever.

Don’t let me down, just twist and shout, with-a little help from friends, get back and be a paperback writer.

Can’t buy me love, but you can get a ticket to ride, singing ob-La-di-Ob-La-Da, across the Universe.

Hey Bulldog, it’s a Revolution!

I received his permission to run this in today’s QB, but it wasn’t free.  I had to give him a no-cost subscription to the Quarantine Blog.

👉  In that spirit, I found a mashup medley of every Beatles original song strung together and presented in 13 minutes.  Actually, 13 minutes and 3 seconds.

👉  Amy suggested a while ago that I do a feature on waterfalls for the QB.  Well, when I started researching, I thought I’d do 10, then cut it down to the top 5.  And now, I’m not sure 10 will be enough.  There are some incredible places with incredible views.  I’ve added several of them to my bucket list to visit.

We’ll begin with my favorite, Swallow Falls located inside Swallow Falls State Park, located on the west bank of the Youghiogheny River nine miles northwest of Oakland in Garrett County, Maryland.  The state park, which features Maryland’s highest free-falling waterfall, the 53-foot Muddy Creek Falls, had its beginnings in 1906 with the donation by John and Robert Garrett of Baltimore (and Baltimore and Ohio Railroad fame) of 1,917 acres to be used as a state forest.  

Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, John Burroughs, and Harvey Firestone, camped there in the summers of 1918 and 1921 (The Bro and I camped there too, but not with that famous quartet – all details of those camping trips are sealed under a 100 year order to protect the guilty).  A mile and a quarter hike will take you to all three waterfalls.

Swallow Falls

Muddy Creek Falls

Muddy Creek Falls during a Garrett County Winter.

Tolliver Falls

On the Zambezi River between Zimbabwe and Zambia is Victoria Falls, known locally as “The Smoke that Thunders.”  Victoria Falls is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.  Named after the reigning Queen Victoria, the waterfall also has a large natural pool where visitors can swim.  The spray from this waterfall can be seen from a distance of 30 miles.  During the rainy season, you can expect to get soaked walking along the trail on the Zimbabwe side, where the best views of the falls are found.  The Zambia side takes you up close and personal with the impressive wall of water that plunges over a mile wide precipice that is more than 325 feet deep.

It isn’t the tallest waterfall in the world, but Niagara Falls is certainly impressive in its scope and power.  Niagara Falls is comprised of three waterfalls, the largest of which is Horseshoe Falls.  Straddling the border between the USA and Canada, the water cascades 614 feet down Niagara Gorge.  The falls can be viewed from a number of viewpoints in New York and Ontario.  

One of the most unique viewpoints of Niagara Falls is from “Cave of the Winds.”  Here, you will descend 175 feet into the Niagara Gorge to experience the power of the falls mid-flow from the Hurricane Deck.  You’ll be given a rain jacket because you will get wet.

👉  We can’t visit Niagara Falls without taking a look at the famous routine by The Three Stooges.

👉  Just in from Victoria, BC, QB has received a collection of Minions cartoons from Brian and Elizabeth.

👉  I almost missed this, and you would have been disappointed to have missed the celebration.  Today is Cellophane Tape Day!

In 1929, Richard Drew, working at the 3M Company came up with the idea of using DuPont’s recently invented cellophane to make tape.  Cellophane was moisture proof and was used to wrap baked goods and grocery items.  He wanted to invent a tape made of cellophane that would seal while blending in.  Its patent was published on May 27, 1930, and that is why Cellophane Tape Day is celebrated today.  You can celebrate by making a tape ball, removing hair, fur, and lint from clothing and upholstery, cleaning your keyboard, taping broken crayons, or repairing frayed shoelace ends.  Or you may choose your own way to celebrate.

👉  Today’s close, “Fear Rejection? Keep Eternity in Mind,” is by Rick Warren.

“The Lord says, ‘I am the one who strengthens you. Why should you fear mortals, who are no more enduring than grass?’” (Isaiah 51:12 Good News Translation).

One way to overcome the fear of rejection is by keeping the right perspective. You can listen to the opinions of others – but never overvalue what they say. In Isaiah 51:12, God says, “I am the one who strengthens you. Why should you fear mortals, who are no more enduring than grass?” (GNT). Other people are not God, and their opinions aren’t going to last. In Isaiah, God reminds you he’s the one who counts. 

When people put you down, don’t assume their judgments are the same as God’s. Don’t automatically accept someone’s criticism; instead, judge it for what it’s worth.  Because when people’s approval becomes all-important to you, you set yourself up to live in fear of rejection. 

The Bible says, “In view of all this, what can we say? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31 GNT). If you recognize how much God is for you, it gives you the ability to withstand tremendous rejection from other people.

God is for you, and he wants to see you succeed! Choose to live for him today.

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