Colonial Williamsburg: Before America’s “first freedom”
One of the most interesting things about colonial Williamsburg is that it is preserved as colonial Williamsburg. What you see and experience is Williamsburg as it existed in 1775—the year before America declared her independence from England. That is why, when we got to observe the royal court in action, we all had to rise and declare: “God save […]
Jamestown: The original American underdog story
One of the things that I learned while visiting Jamestown was that its eventual success was not just uncertain…it was downright unlikely. Sure, the settlers were bold adventurers. But they were also what you might call clueless incompetents. Many of the men were not sailors or farmers or soldiers, but gentlemen and manservants, completely unaware […]
The founding of America: Good is hard
Welcome back. I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter and spring break. Whether you traveled or stayed home, it is good to be back with you all. Our family spent the better part of last week down in the Commonwealth of Virginia, visiting the Jamestown settlement, Colonial Williamsburg, and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. It was my […]
“The corner has been turned”
Holy Thursday, or Maundy Thursday, is in Christian tradition the day of Holy Week on which Jesus’ Last Supper with the disciples is remembered. It immediately precedes Good Friday, which marks his crucifixion and death; followed by Holy Saturday, and then Easter Sunday, celebrating the Resurrection. Maundy Thursday, as it does every year, also marks […]
Holy Wednesday: “You must make your choice”
Wednesday of Holy Week is, for many Christians, known as Spy Wednesday. It commemorates the betrayal of Jesus by his disciple Judas. Matthew 26 records: “14 Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty […]
Holy Tuesday: “Have faith in God”
Today Christians around the world celebrate Holy Tuesday in the lead up to Easter. It is often also referred to as Fig Tuesday, referring to the gospel accounts of when Jesus cursed the fig tree. Mark’s narrative reads: 12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, [Jesus] was hungry. 13 And seeing in the distance a fig […]
Holy Monday: “You must accept or reject the story”
For Christians around the world, this week marks perhaps the most important week of the year: Holy Week. Beginning yesterday, with Palm Sunday and continuing through Holy Saturday, the days of Holy Week follow the story of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, and the subsequent betrayal, crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus as recounted in the […]
How can a young man keep his way pure?
We memorize to fill our travel bag; we memorize, because it preserves the past; and we memorize, because it lets us walk a mile in someone else’s words. But ultimately, we memorize, because it changes us. And that is why it matters not just that we do it, but also what we commit to memory. Psalm 119 says that […]
Walk a mile in someone else’s words
Have you ever heard the idiom, “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes”? It means that we should first imagine what it is like to be someone else, to experience life from their perspective, before we pass judgment. It is a call to be empathetic. Well, it turns out that memorization is good, because it […]
Memorization is preservation
You’ve probably heard people talk about the importance of teaching “critical thinking” in schools. They’re not entirely wrong. But critical thinking is often presented as an advance or improvement over “rote memorization”—and its why so few of your peers in other schools do any memorizing at all. The problem is that an education in critical […]
