U S Grant the Uxorious

Twitter @john316marshall
www.facebook.com/john316marshallWhile on vacation, I read a book about the remarkable final year of General Grant. Having been scammed of all his money, he set himself to the task of writing his memoirs while battling throat cancer.

The race was on, Grant's last battle was engaged, and as usual, Grant won. He finished his autobiography three days before he died. Its publication made his wife very wealthy.

This would have pleased Grant. His biographer said he was uxorious. That was a new word to me. I looked it up. It means having a highly developed love for your wife. Amen. I hope Ruth thinks I am uxorious.

Legends

Dr. John 3:16 Marshall, Pastor
Second Baptist Church
3111 E. Battlefield Road
Springfield MO 65804
417-887-3111 x110

Twitter @john316marshall
www.facebook.com/john316marshallOne of our favorite family stories entails how my beautiful mother got a straight up and down scar in the middle of her forehead.

She and her brother decided to race around a church building in opposite directions. When they crashed into each other, Mom ended up with blood pouring from her forehead. Grandma thought Mom would die, but she survived, with only a scar to show for it.

While Ruth and I were on vacation this month, we took a new route to Destin. In MS I saw a sign pointing to the town of Walnut. Sounded familiar. I called Mom. She verified it was the place where she lived when the accident occurred. She also said it was the church her dad was Pastor of when he enlisted as an Army chaplain in WW2.

Ruth and I wheeled into the town, and found the church. I sent pictures to mom. It seemed to please her that the church building was still there.

Boll Weevil

Twitter @john316marshall
www.facebook.com/john316marshallWhile on vacation I preached at a missions conference near Destin in Enterprise AL. Hillcrest Baptist Church there is a large congregation. Several hundred were there on a Monday night.

I wanted to have my picture made with the only monument in the world dedicated to the boll weevil. Most cotton farmers hate boll weevils, but not in Enterprise AL.

One year boll weevils totally destroyed the cotton crop. To survive, the locals planted rice, and made a fortune. Thus they are grateful for the boll weevil.

I call this the Romans 8:28 monument. By the way, it is in the middle of the street at a busy intersection. The Missions Pastor who took this picture of Pastor Michael Mynatt and me almost got hit buy a SUV. No kidding.

The Jesus-footprint in Man of Steel

Yesterday Ruth and I saw the new Superman movie, Man of Steel. I couldn't help but be amazed by the Christ-symbols in it: only birth of its kind, sent to save the world, bearded scene in which Superman, floating in the position of the cross, looks amazingly like our traditional pictures of Jesus. Evil beings were released from an evil "Purgatory". Evolution lost (an interesting observation).

The movie reminds me that the mega-story of Western Culture, the ideals by which we live, are drawn straight from the life of Christ. Our enemies may hate it and assail it, but the Jesus-footprint is still strong in our country. We cannot escape the idea of a loving God who comes to rescue our planet by fighting evil forces and seeking to bring about good in us all.

The movie emotionally exhausted me. I am a lifelong Superman fan. I take a personal interest in his well being. I jerked, jumped, dodged, and hunkered down in my seat often. Ruth kept saying, "It's just a movie." Just a movie? Not when its Superman fighting for truth, justice, and the American Way.

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I Still Love to Read

I can remember how I learned to read. My parents bought Superman comics for me and I devoured them. Interestingly, Superman is still by far my number one Superhero.

I don't recall enjoying to read that much during my school days. It was when I was free to read whatever I wanted that the craving took hold. I could easily read 8 hours a day every day. My eyes give out before my interest does.

I read leadership books, and books about church health. Biographies also fascinate me. My favorite genre, though, is history, especially Civil War history. My reading teaches me many good lessons for life. I learn from the mistakes and successes of the people I read about. An old adage spurs me on. A wise man learns from his own mistakes; an even wiser man learns from the mistakes of others.

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Fireworks

On the night of the day in 1776 when the Continental Congress voted for Independence (on July 2, not July 4), John Adams wrote his wife Abigail. He said this day of deliverance should be celebrated with, among other things, fireworks.

Yes that's right. Fireworks have been a part of our July 4 celebrations since the first. I guess that's why they continue to be with us, despite their dangers.

People everywhere end up in emergency rooms with skin burns and other ailments. Also, more dogs run away from home on July 4 than on any other day. They flee in terror from the fireworks.

Despite the negatives, USA Americans will spend over $400 million on fireworks this year. John Adams would be proud.

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