In Memory of Sparky

It was a tough weekend and a terrible Monday.

Our oldest dog, Sparky, a Lab/Golden mix, has been in failing health for a couple of months now. We got him in 2010, he was a 1-year old rescue boy. Yesterday we had to let him go, it was a long drive to the vet’s office. But it was time, he needed to pass on.

The thing about Sparky and me…well, I spent a year building our house. A year with only occasional trips back home to be with my dear wife for a weekend. But to keep me company, I had Sparky with me. We shared a small 240sq’ cabin, a queen size bed, and a lot of burritos eaten together. Every morning and evening he and I would go on long hikes together stretching our legs, breathing in fresh air, collecting rocks, and exploring the new property. He would stay by me for the first few minutes, then go off and explore on his own. He always returned every few minutes just ro check-in with me to let me know he was okay. Well, truth be told…he was probably just checking to make sure I was okay.

Sparky was an odd soul, he was quirky in so many ways, but loyal to the bone. He would love to lay beside you for hours, but run like the wind on walks. He was afraid of almost everything, especially the wind. He was one of the best friends I ever had.

I will miss him. I already do.

In this chaotic and uncertain world you can take refuge in this simple truth…

He is Risen!

The last several days the website has blown up with traffic!!!

4200 people have read chapters from The Wars…that is amazing!

On top of that 1600 people have downloaded the various checklists.

Thank you so much! That really gives me hope that we are getting the word out to prepare from what is coming. I can’t ask for more than that.

Thank you again,

249 years ago next month was a monumental day in the history of the world, or at least in the history of North America. On that day the struggle of a bunch of farmers, tradesmen, hunters, and fur traders against the most powerful country on earth began. Two months before, the American colonials had been declared in a state of rebellion by the oppressive and tyrannical British Empire.

But the story actually started the year before. In response to numerous acts of colonial defiance, including the Boston Tea Party, the British government enacted strong laws against the colonies. Along with those law came a change in how the colonies were governed, with ever increasing taxes and oppression. Responding to those draconian laws and changes in government, the colonists held an assembly forming a Patriot Provisional Government and calling for local militias to train for possible hostilities with the British.

In April of 1775 the British government received information there might be arms, ammunition, and other military supplies hidden at Concord. Early in the morning of April 19^th 700 British soldiers, the British equivalent of the current ATF, were marching to Concord to seize or destroy those militia supplies.

At sunrise in Lexington, the British first shots were fired against the local militia and 8 militia men were killed, the British suffered one casualty. The American Revolution had begun. Ralph Waldo Emerson coined the original phrase “the shot heard around the world” appearing in his 1837 poem “Concord Hymn“.

You might ask why was that phrase so expansive and global in nature? That day, that battle, started a struggle of an oppressed people that ended with the first Constitutional Republic the world had ever seen. A divinely inspired governmental system that had never before previously existed on earth. A system of government formed by “we the people”, limiting government, and declaring rights come from God…and that government existed to protect and deffend those rights.

After killing the militia men at Lexington the British troops continued their march to Concord.

Arriving in Concord, at about 11am, the British were met by about 400 local militia men and another battle ensued. As the British began their retreat march back to Boston they were continually ambushed by members of local militias. Estimates are as high as 1000 colonial militia men took place in the ambushes. As the battle-weary British arrived back in Lexington they were rescued by another 1,000 British troops and began a combined retreat back to Boston.

The combined British units were able to reach the safety of Charlestown but suffered casualties throughout the day after being ambushed almost continually by local militias along their march. By the end of the day the British had suffered approximately 300 causalities, the colonial militias about 100. It would be another 8 years before Americans won their freedom, liberties, and rights away from the tyranny of the British Empire and their King…having defeated the most powerful military in the world.

That was 249 years ago next month, April 19th.

Today I am asking you to do something, something that many will jump at the chance, some may waiver, those in government may see it as a threat to their rule. In one month we will celebrate 249th anniversary of April 19^th, a day that all true patriotic Americans should be very proud of, should revel in their victory over oppression and tyranny. To observe the day a shot was heard around the world and began a new era in government.

On April 19^th, one month from now, I would like you to gather with friends and family, enjoy a picnic, a quiet meal, or simply a desert together. Review the events of April 19^th, 1775. Point out that the British government not only was the most powerful government/empire in the world at the time, it was the richest, and had the largest, most powerful, most professional, most lethal military in the world.

Talk about how a group of idealistic colonists formed citizen militias, fought, and won the day. If you have time, discuss the Declaration of Independence that came about the next year, what it meant, what it did, and the movement that it not just documented and started…but what it meant to the entire world in the following years…and what it means to us today.

Take a moment and read aloud the “Concord Hymn” to each other. Feel the swell of pride well up inside of you. Feel the awe and reverence for those men that day, in that place, at that time, what they did, and what they risked.

Then, as if in prayer, read together the last sentence of the Declaration of Independence. Quietly, in deep reverence, listen. Listen to that still small voice inside. Listen to the Spirit that you feel deep in your heart. Then follow that prompting.

Concord Hymn

Please pray for our country. Pray for divine intervention. Pray for softened hearts. Pray for peace.

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You are here for a reason…in this place, at this time, in these circumstances. You have a mission to perform and a responsibility to fulfill. I know this to be true.

Here is what I don’t know; I don’t know your place, your circumstances, or your mission.

This is a pivotal time in history. Maybe not in the history of the world or mankind, but for sure in the history of our country. I do know these are historic times and historic events. And I know you have a place in this history.

Think about this…if we all did our best to fulfill our mission, to meet our responsibility…how would that affect our future, our soon-to-be history? How would we fair as we each do our part to the best of our ability?

Look, I really don’t know what your mission might be, I barely understand some of mine. What I do know is we are here at this point in time for a reason. There is no mistake about that. Our country’s government is so corrupted it almost defies reason. Our country’s citizens are at war with each other. I was going to say, but not in a shooting war. However, shootings and violence occur across the country daily…it is in every sense of the word a shooting war.

Around the world we are involved in so many conflicts, especially the war with Russia. And that war has the potential to go nuclear. We are war-weary! We have been at war for decades costing lives, causing untold family tragedies and suffering, and wasting trillions upon trillions of dollars of treasure.

It is as if the entire world is at its very worse right now and headed down hill even further.

The last couple of weeks I have been pondering where we are at as a people and where the future lies. And honestly, I have a pretty dim view in many respects. Yes, I know who wins in the end, for that I am eternally grateful. What I am concerned with is between now and then…and how we can have a positive impact on others. The I thought of the “butterfly effect” and it became much clearer to me what is possible.

I am so grateful for you! And whatever your mission, our mission, my mission is…it is a positive one I can assure you. Part of that mission is to make the world slightly better by doing good for/to others. That I know. And as we do even the smallest ‘good’ to/for someone, it makes a difference in their life…a difference that they may not even recognize…but it is a difference for good.

Then I can’t help but think if hundreds, thousands, millions of people around the country took the time to just do one minor act of “good” to/for someone during their day. Think of the overall difference it could make in the world…in people’s lives.

Now just imagine just one instance of a good deed having the butterfly effect that makes a small difference in the present…that makes a huge change in the future, away from an evil outcome and for a good outcome. Who knows what that might mean!

Please be that agent of change…do just a single act of good for someone today…and each day from now on. For someone you know or even a total stranger. I think that it is part of everyone’s mission no matter who you are…to do good…regardless of what else you are called to do.

Whatever your mission, big or small, do it to your very best…you can make a difference!!

 2009 - 2024 Copyright © AHTrimble.com ~ All rights reserved
No reproduction or other use of this content 
without expressed written permission from AHTrimble.com
No legal, economic, or financial advice is given, no expertise to be assumed.
See Content Use Policy for more information.