Independence Day by Don

American Independence Day

Dominion Day/Canada Day

Flags

The use of banners or insignia goes back to at least 1500 BC. Moses and David make reference to these in their writings (Exodus 17:15; Numbers 2:2; Psalm 20:5). Egyptian monuments depict the use of standards used in sacred ceremonies and in battle. It is thought that the current cloth flags have been in use since 1000 AD.

Many of the flags of countries with Christian origins carried the symbol of the cross. The British Union Jack with the red and white cross appears on the flags of a number of countries in the British Empire, including New Zealand, Australia, and certain Pacific islands. Some European countries have the symbol of the cross on their flag.

In 1967 the Canadian Red Ensign flag was replaced with the current flag with the two red banners representing the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and the well know maple leaf.

The earliest US flag had 13 stars and 13 stripes representing the 13 New England Colonies. The present flag has 13 stripes representing the original colonies but with 51 stars representing the current number of States in the Union.

The Canadian national motto "from sea to sea" is based on Biblical Scripture: "He (God) shall have dominion from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth (Psalm 72:8)". This was first officially used in 1906 and in 1921 it was approved by Royal Proclamation for use on the Canadian Coat of Arms.

The American national motto has become "In God we trust". One possible origin of this motto is the final stanza of "The Star-Spangled Banner" written in 1814 and later adopted as the US National Anthem.

Citizenship

Citizenship is one of the most coveted gifts that the free world governments can bestow, and is sought after by many people around the world. Citizen means a person owing allegiance to and entitled to the protection of a Sovereign State. Some people spend large sums to obtain Citizenship.

Many people consider themselves as citizens of the world - that is their allegiance to the world at large and supersedes that to a particular country. Which laws take precedence? International or those of the country in which you live? Where is your ultimate loyalty? To your country or somewhere else?

The Christian

In a sense the Christian can be likened to a person whose allegiance goes beyond his own country. We in fact live in this world but are not really a part of this world. Jesus said we are not of this world, even as He was not of the world (John 17:16).

The born again believer in Jesus is a Citizen of Heaven (Philippians 3:20; Ephesians 2:6). Our allegiance is to our heavenly King - the Lord Jesus Christ. We receive many great benefits from this position, and are given protection from our King. As Citizens of Heaven we are Ambassadors for Christ in this world (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Our independence - from the powers and control of the world - came when we received Christ as our personal savior. Our Declaration of Independence from this world’s powers and pleasures is that we have been crucified with Christ and have been risen to a new life - dead to the Law but alive unto Christ. (Romans 6:6; 7:4)

The symbol of our life is the cross of Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:24; Galatians 6:14). His banner (flag) over us is His love (Song of Solomon 2:4).

Whose law is higher - God or country. We are told in Romans 13:5-7 to be subject to our earthly rulers and give to them all that is due them including taxes, customs and honor. On the other hand when there is a conflict between God and country the Apostle Peter instructed us to serve God rather than man (Acts 5:28, 29).

Conclusion

I personally hold dual citizenship. I am a Citizen of Heaven and my first loyalty is to the Lord Jesus Christ who sits on His throne in Heaven. I am also a Citizen of Canada, and where the laws of Canada don’t conflict with the Bible, my allegiance is to Canada. However, as one born in Canada, it does distress me to see my country moving away from our founding Christian principles. Examples are the removal of the cross from our flag and the change of our national identity from being under God’s Dominion from sea to sea to the primacy of the rule of the Government of Canada.

Repeatable Evolution or Repeated Creation?  Excerpted from an article by Fazale Rana, 2000.

Any casual observer of nature recognizes that many creatures bear some resemblance to one another. Many species of frogs, lizards, fish, and other animals and plants from different parts of the world appear to be nearly identical. This similarity has been the pattern throughout life’s history. Recent biological studies have shed light on the nature of this physical resemblance and carry significant implications. Many species that look identical are, in fact, genetically different, and therefore unrelated. In accounting for these unexpected differences, evolutionary biologists have proffered inadequate explanations. This article will discuss one of the many recent discoveries that continue to buttress the case for a biblical creator while continuing to erode the foundation for the evolutionary paradigm.

According to evolutionary theory, organisms that possess identical morphologies (forms or structures) must share a common ancestry. Evolutionary biologists, therefore, have employed the study of the relationships among organisms according to physical characteristics when classifying species, and thus have concluded that similar groups share common ancestry. However, with the advent and widespread application of molecular genetics, in which DNA sequences are used instead of morphologies to determine biological relationships, science now is beginning to identify an increasing number of challenges to the evolutionary classification. Biologists are uncovering numerous examples of organisms that cluster together morphologically (structurally), and yet are genetically distinct. Frogs, lizards, or herbs that appear to be identical are actually different at the genetic level. An evolutionary interpretation of this data, then, demands that the morphologically identical organisms must have evolved independently of one another in a "repeatable" fashion.

During the last few years numerous examples of "repeatable" evolution have come to light as genetic data has been increasingly used in biology. These findings demonstrate that the evolutionary paradigm fails the test of contingency. The discovery of morphologically identical, yet genetically unrelated organisms does, however, offer powerful support for biblical creation. These examples of "repeatable" evolution include anolis lizards, ranid frogs, cichlids, sticklebacks, mangabeys, river dolphins, and Pericallis, an island plant.

One example is the Cichlid species. These freshwater fish are widely diverse in form, color and habits and are scattered throughout the Southern Hemisphere. Numerous examples of cichlid types have been recognized in lakes Victoria, Malawi and Tanganyika of East Africa. An evolutionary explanation would postulate that each of the types evolved a single time and then was independently isolated in each lake after water levels subsided, causing a single lake to split into three geographically separated lakes.

After their kind Then God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with seed in them, on the earth"; and it was so ... and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:11,12) And God created the great sea monsters, and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:21) And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth. (Genesis 1:22) Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind"; and it was so ... and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:24,25)

Analysis of DNA, however, indicates that the cichlids found in the three East African lakes must have evolved independently, multiple times, assuming an evolutionary explanation. Even more striking is the recent recognition that multiple independent origins occurred within different regions of a single lake, Tanganyika. That is, from an evolutionary perspective, some cichlid species in Lake Tanganyika are viewed as separate, morphologically indistinguishable species that "evolved" in exactly the same way multiple times.

How then could an evolutionary process based upon random mutational changes result in remarkable physical similarities among genetically diverse species that theoretically originated through separate evolutionary pathways including different environmental circumstances?

Conclusion: Scientists are just begriming to scratch the surface of the true meaning of "after their kind" of the creation record and it is proposed that more and more the Biblical creation record will be verified.

Home schooling: A Rewarding Way of Lifeby Brenda Anderson

The book of Psalms talks about children being a blessing from the Lord (Psalms 127:3), and Deuteronomy talks about teaching the words of God to our children when we sit in our house, lie down and get up etc. (Deuteronomy 6:6-8) This can be interpreted in different ways, but our family has chosen a lifestyle that takes these verses fairly literally, which has led us to pursuing the choice of home schooling for the education of our children for the past 15 years. Home schooling has been very rewarding for our family, both spiritually and educationally, and I would like to challenge those of you reading this to consider it as a viable option for your family.

There are many things that come to one's mind when the word home schooling is mentioned in conversation. Invariably, someone who does not homeschool will bring up three excuses as to why they could never do it. The first is that "my kids will not be socialized properly". Those of us in the home schooling community have a little joke about this one. It goes something like this: "Socialization" is indeed an issue. My children are so busy with museum trips, science workshops, swimming lessons, ski trips, art classes, sports groups, and music lessons that they just have no time to socialize!" The second excuse that is mentioned is that "my children will grow up to be weird". Now to me this one is an unfortunate commentary on how Christians today feel uncomfortable when they don't fit into the mold of our society. I say, I hope my children do grow up to be "different" from the normal school kid. To me it is a testimony to their Christian witness that they are somewhat different from the average school kid out there. The third excuse I hear all the time is that "I don't have the patience to homeschool my children". Perhaps, just perhaps, home schooling is the perfect venue for teaching you the patience that God says is a desired fruit of the spirit. The fact that I am not perfect does not excuse me from being obedient to what God would have me to do. No parent is ever perfect, and yet God has chosen to allow us to raise up children to honor and serve Him.

The benefits of home schooling to the Christian family are huge! Academically this type of learning has been proven to be successful. There are many studies done which show that homeschoolers, in general, excel in academics. Home schooling parents can tailor curriculum to each individual child, based on their learning styles and their level of ability.

Apart from the academics, the lifestyle is very fun and rewarding for the family unit. There are so many opportunities to do activities that are interesting and educational, and they don't have to be done on Saturdays when the majority of families have to do them. Home-schooled children have opportunities to make wonderful friendships with people that we, as a family, choose to spend time with.

Definitely, most importantly, we can choose what to teach our children, and what not to teach them, and since we know our children best, we can direct them in their future paths according to our knowledge of them, and God's word. The values and Godly standards that we choose to live by can be passed on directly to our children much more easily when we spend as much time with them as home schooling parents do.

Yes, there are sacrifices. Most home schooling families are single income families. There are some who manage to have both parents working and still school their children, but that would be the exception. Maybe that means that you will be paying off your mortgage a little more slowly than the average family, or maybe it means that the mom's career is put on hold for 20 years. To those of us who make the sacrifice, it is infinitely worth it! To see our children living for the Lord and also doing well academically is of much greater value than the money or career we lose.

All of this to say that I can't encourage you enough to consider this option of schooling; no, more than schooling, this lifestyle choice, for your family. You will not regret the time and effort you spend to educate and train your children when you see them as godly, useful adults who are able to think, reason and stand up for what they believe!

Snake Stories by Chloe, Isaac, and Simeon

Chloe writes: Here in Guinea it is the season for those creatures who slither and sneak, which some of us would keep for pets, others wouldn't dare touch.

Yep, snakes!

One afternoon last week, two of Phoebe's friends from the village came to play. Phoebe, my little sister, brought out some beads to make bracelets with them, and I rolled out a reed mat for us to sit on. A while later, I looked down at the history book I was reading and noticed a dark, slithering figure sliding its head out from under the mat. It took me a few seconds to register that it was a snake. When you are in a situation like that, things happen so quickly that afterwards you don't know exactly how they did or what you said.

Somehow I communicated to Mom and the others that there was a snake under the mat! Everyone off the mat, we kept an eye on the snake, while we waited for my mom to come back with a stick and smash it. It was only a small, brown snake, most likely not very poisonous, but still surprising.

I think I'll be more careful about snakes under the mat next time!

Several years ago, I was sitting alone on our front porch sewing. Intent on my work, I was unaware that a thick snake had wrapped itself around one of the porch posts. Perhaps he was eyeing me warily. I, however was oblivious to the close proximity of danger - until I looked up and saw him! Frightened, I headed for the nearby door, which happened to be locked.

I ran to the back door and got Dad. I don't remember what type of snake it was but it was unique, and I recall that it had pinkish, brown markings.

Over the years my family has spotted and shot plenty of snakes in and around our shady yard. Green mambas live in trees for the most part and we've seen quite a few of them. Frighteningly, they are very poisonous.

But our God is able to protect us from all things - including mambas. And so far he has protected my family.

I was reminded this morning of the story in Numbers where the Israelites were being bitten by poisonous snakes, and if they looked up to the bronze snake on the staff, they would be healed (Numbers 21: 4-9). In the midst of trouble let's look up to our Rock, Jesus Christ.

Isaac's Friend with snake skin

Hello, I am Chloe's brother Isaac. I live in Guinea, West Africa, in a village. My mom and dad are missionaries here. I have two sisters and four brothers. Our mom homeschools us.

A couple of weeks ago some of my village friends killed a big python. When they found it, it was strangling a dog. They killed the python, and when they cut it open, there was a big rat like thing in it's stomach. In Susu, (the language that the villagers speak) the rat is called a yen ye. Some people in the village cooked up the barely digested yen ye, along with the python. Silas (my oldest brother) and I ate the meat with them. It was very good. The python was a little longer than two of my arms held out lengthwise as far as they can go.

I am Simeon, Chloe's brother. One day a long time ago I was standing under a palm tree and somebody was taking my picture. A snake dropped down from the palm tree I was standing under and slithered into the bushes. Then I ran inside and told my mom and dad. My mom ran out and grabbed a stick from the shed. She asked me where the snake had gone and I told her to the bushes.

Last Monday evening we were bringing a wagon over to our neighbor’s well to pull water. We don't have much water in our well right now because we haven't had a lot of rain, so we were pulling water from our neighbor's well. On the way I nearly stepped on a snake that was crossing my path! It was a small, brown one and my dad told me that it was a kind that gets mad easily. We yelled "snake" and Isaac quickly got a stick and killed the snake with it.

Summer Salad  by Claire

When it is salad weather, give this recipe a try. The goodies on top are our current favourites, and can be customized to your family’s tastes. To toast any nuts for a salad, I just sprinkle some on a small pan and set my toaster oven to ‘medium’ toast setting. After burning pecans last Christmas in the oven, I find the automatic shut-off of a toast setting a real help!

Berries and Nuts Salad Mixed greens, blueberries, toasted pecans, sliced fresh mushrooms Wash and trim the greens, then gently drain off moisture using spinner or clean tea towel, avoiding crushing the greens. Tear into bite-sized portions (using a metal knife to cut the greens results in browning). Top with cleaned blueberries and sliced fresh mushrooms and toasted pecans. Serve dressing separately and use sparingly. This is best with a creamy mild dressing with a citrus accent, but why not try blue cheese?