Monthly Archives: May 2015

Issue 301 — The Battle of Vicksburg, Part 2

American culture, , , , , , , , , , ,

Issue 301    —    The Paregien Journal    —    May 26, 2015

The Battle of Vicksburg, Part 2

by Stan Paregien Sr.

[See my previous post for more photos.]

Peggy and I spent a total of about eight hours, over a two-day period, touring the site of the Battle of Vicksburg, Mississippi back in April of 2015. It was a bit of a depressing venture, each time we thought of the thousands of men who were killed in the Battle or who had suffered horrific wounds; but there was strength in the knowledge that the common soldiers–with widely differing views of slavery and secession–fought with courage and honor. 

Today, as back then, it is the old men who create wars and the young men who have to fight them. 

2015--04--16 A43 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - John A Logan - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A46-A Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - Shirley Homw - by Stan Paregien 2015--04--16 A46-B Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - Shirley Homw - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A47 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - Shirley Homw - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A48 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - Shirley Homw - yellow rose - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A65 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - John McArthur -- by Stan Paregien

Brig.-General John MacArthur cut a dashing figure

2015--04--16 A79 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - ILL 55th Infantry, Orion P Howe -- by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A88 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - Black Union soldiers -- by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A89 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - Black Union soldiers -- by Stan Paregien 2015--04--16 A90 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - Black Union soldiers -- by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A105 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - General US Grant -- by Stan Paregien 2015--04--16 A106 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - General US Grant -- by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A135 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - US Navy monument - by Stan Paregien 2015--04--16 A136 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - US Navy monument - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A144 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - US Navy - Thomas O Selfridge Jr - by Stan Paregien 2015--04--16 A145B Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - by Peggy Paregien

2015--04--16 A146 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - USS Cairo ironclad battleship - by Stan Paregien 2015--04--16 A147 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - USS Cairo ironclad battleship - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A148 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - USS Cairo ironclad battleship - by Stan Paregien 2015--04--16 A149 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - USS Cairo ironclad battleship - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A150 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - USS Cairo ironclad battleship - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A151 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - USS Cairo ironclad battleship - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A152 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - USS Cairo ironclad battleship - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A153 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - USS Cairo ironclad battleship - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A158-B Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - USS Cairo battleship - by Stan Paregien 2015--04--16 A160 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - USS Cairo - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A163 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - USS Cairo - by Stan Paregien 2015--04--16 A164 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - USS Cairo - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A167 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - USS Cairo today - by Stan Paregien 2015--04--16 A169 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - USS Cairo today - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A170 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - USS Cairo today - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A175-B Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - Battle of Memphis, TN - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A176 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A177 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - USS Saint Louis - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A179 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - USS Cairo - by Stan Paregien 2015--04--16 A222 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - USS Cairo - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A224 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - USS Cairo - by Stan Paregien 2015--04--16 A297--B Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - General John C Pemberton -- by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A297--C Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - General John C Pemberton -- by Stan Paregien 2015--04--16 A298 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - by Stan Paregien

End of the Photos of the Battle of Vicksburg.

Logo -- Events in our world -- 01

IRELAND APPROVES SAME-SEX MARRIAGES

Rainbow button -- 'Ireland, May 19, 2015

On Friday, May 22, 2015 Ireland became the very first nation in the world to have a popular vote on whether same-sex marriages should be legalized. Virtually all of Ireland’s Catholic Church leaders were opposed to legalizing same-sex marriages, as were most of those age 60 or older.

However, in a stunning show of force the proponents passed the legislation by a vote of 62 per cent in favor and only 38 per cent against it (1,201,607 votes to 734,300). It was a dramatic change for a formerly conservative nation where up until 1993 homosexuality was a criminal offense.

Alex White, the government’s minister for communications, said: “This didn’t change Ireland — it confirmed the change. We can no longer be regarded as the authoritarian state we once might have been perceived to be. This marks the true separation of church and state.”

Gerry Adams, president of Sinn Fein, said: “There are two Irelands, the elite Ireland and the hidden Ireland. And today the hidden Ireland spoke.”

It was certainly a sad day for Christians around the world who believe God’s word–the holy Bible–forbids the practice of homosexuality in any form. I believe, as do most Christians that I know, that we are to love all people and try to be at peace with them. However, that does not mean we must remain silent when we disagree with others. In fact, we have an obligation to share the historic Christian viewpoint as we have opportunity.

For those who are interested in both fairness and truth on this issue, please consider the traditional Christian viewpoint as expressed on these links:

1.  GotQuestions.org  —  http://www.gotquestions.org/gay-marriage.html

2.  ReasonableFaith.org — http://www.reasonablefaith.org/a-christian-perspective-on-homosexuality  Essay by William Lane  Craig.

3.  TCP  —  http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2014/06/17/five-questions-for-christians-who-support-gay-marriage/

England & Ireland

Ireland -- England -- Prince Charles shakes hands with Gerry Adams

England’s very own Prince Charles not only met but shook hands with Gerry Adams, the President of Ireland’s anti-England organization Sinn Féin. Britains widely believe that Adams was, in fact, on the Irish Republican Army’s ruling council at the very time in 1979 when they murdered Lord Louis Mountbatten, the great-uncle of Prince Charles.

The historic meeting took place at the National University of Ireland in Galway. Prince Charles was drinking a cup of tea as Adams approached him. The Prince shifted his cup to his left hand and with his right hand shook hands with Gerry Adams for some 13 seconds. That happened on Tuesday, May 19, 2015. It remains to be seen whether that handshake will go down as simply an act or courtesy or a significant shift in political relationships.

DEATH OF B.B. KING

King, BB -- blues guitarist and singer - died in May, 2015 -- 03

 King, BB -- blues guitarist and singer - died in May, 2015 -- 02

King, BB -- blues guitarist and singer - died in May, 2015

2015--05--22 A01 Memphis, TN -- Stan Paregien JR and poster of BB King

The photo above is of our son, Stan Paregien Jr., in the foreground of an image of singer and master blues guitarist B.B. King there on Beale Street in Memphis, Tenn. Our son and his wife, Becky, visited there just a week or two before Mr. King’s death after a prolonged illness.

NEXT TIME:  The City of Vicksburg, Mississippi . . . and Much More.

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Issue 300 — Battle of Vicksburg

American culture, , , , , ,

Issue 300    —    The Paregien Journal    —    May 16, 2015

The Battle of Vicksburg

by Stan Paregien Sr.

0412 2015--03--05 Waterloo, ILL - Stan 'Batman' Paregien, Jr and mom Peggy Paregien - by Stan Paregien

0440 2015 St Louis, MO - Becky P - William Shatner, actor - Stan Paregien Jr

I think maybe our son and daughter-in-law, Stan & Becky Paregien, Jr., were at a comic book convention in St. Louis and had their photo taken with the amazing Captain Kirk (i.e., William Shatner).

0436 2015--03--07 Waterloo, IL - Dan, Jodi, Bailey

Our grandson Daniel Paregien with his sister, Jodi P. Barrow and her daughter, Bailee, getting into the act.

Dogs -- 3-dog-night -- three doggie friends catch a nap -- 2015

Gary England was a metorologist for a TV station in Oklahoma City for over 30 years. In the winter time he was fond of saying, “Looks like it is going to be real cold night. About a three-dog night.”  He meant it was going to be so cold you might want to get three of your dogs to sleep with you to keep you warm. Maybe that’s what this photo is all about.

Books -- Authors -- number 1 seller

Airplane travel -- cartoon - your appendix is about to burst

Aging -- correcting document on your computer with 'white-out'

Anybody over the age of 50 has probably used many bottles of “White Out” to make corrections when we all used to write on typewriters. Unfortunately, that method of correcting typos does not work very well on computer screens.

A Cloud of Witnesses

at the Lord’s Supper

 by Stan Paregien Sr. (March 28, 2015)

 As I was thinking about what I would say today at our communion meal, the phrase in Hebrews 12:1 about us having “a great cloud of witnesses” surrounding us kept popping into my consciousness.

It suggested to me that during this Lord’s Supper we would do well to think back in time for a few minutes. Let’s think of our own families and about the hundreds or even thousands of Christian brothers and sisters we have had communion with over the years since our respective new births. Elders, deacons, Bible school teachers, farmers, business executives, out-of-work laborers, waitresses, college professors, foreigners to our country and sometimes when we were foreigners in another country, and countless women who quietly went about doing good in the name of Christ. The number might be amazing for some of us who have passed our 70th year.

That is exactly what the Hebrews writer was stressing. The “therefore” with which he begins his sentence, points back to his earlier remarks where he admiringly talked about such folks as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, the Israelites who fled Egypt and spent 40 years in the wilderness, the prostitute Rahab, Gideon, the Israelites who couragely marched around the city of Jericho, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets of old. Almost all of these men and women of faith went through hard times, disappointments, and sometimes rebellion and spiritiual failures. But each continued loving God and and serving him as best they could.

Those people, my brothers and sisters, plus all deceased Christian believers this side of the cross are not just witnesses of how we live and worship today but they are supporters of us. Like a crowd at a track meet, they urge us to be faithful to the end of our time . . . and will welcome us to eternity. And, most importantly, the Holy Spirit, Jehovah God and Jesus Christ himself will crown us as victors.

And we know that where even two or three disciples are gathered together in the name of Christ that he has promised to be there for their encouragement (Matthew 18:20). To him be praise forever and ever.

2015--04--05--B1 -- Washington, DC -- Major Stan Paregien Jr - USAFR

The above photo is of our son, Stan Paregien Jr., on one of his job-related visits to Washington, DC. He is a major in the Air Force. I remember taking him to Oklahoma City the day after his graduation from high school in 1985 to take his physical exam to go through training with the Air Force. We are certainly proud of his accomplishments and advancements within the Air Force. And we’re even more proud of his commitments to his family, to his friends and to his Christian faith. He also knows how to have fun and relax, as evidenced by his “used car lot” at his house: three “normal” cars, a motorcycle, a “Robert Lee” car identical to the one on the old “Dukes of Hazard” TV show, and . . . . a Batmobile. I’m not kidding. A few years back he bought a 1970s convertible that some other Batman fan had painted black, with red trim and a Batman symbol on the car door, and installed a fake “jet exhaust” on the rear. Both cars really get the attention of folks out on the road.

2015--03--30--03 Bradenton, FL -- new dog, 6-yr old Allie - a pom

Yep, we are dog owners, again. We were given this 6-year old female pom by a young couple in Tampa. Allie has a sweet disposition, is well house-broken and gets along well with other dogs. She is definitely a “woman’s dog” who is still in the process of warming up to me.  We left her with our neighbor, Virginia Corbin, for 17 days while we cavorted from here to Oklahoma and Texas and back. Now Allie thinks Virginia is her indulgent grandmother and wants to stop by her house for a hug every day.

2015--03--30--05-A Bradenton, FL -- new dog, 6-yr old Allie - a pom

2015--04--16 A02 Vicksburg, MS -- logo designed by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A03E Vicksburg, MS -- Battle of Vicksburg

2015--04--16 A03F Vicksburg, MS -- Battle of Vicksburg 2015--04--16 A03G Vicksburg, MS -- Map of National Military Park

2015--04--16 A14 Vicksburg, MS -- National Battlefield Park entrance - by Stan Paregien 2015--04--16 A22 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - mockingbird on a monument - by Peggy Paregien

2015--04--16 A27-B Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - Illinois State Memorial - by Stan Paregien 2015--04--16 A27-C Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - Illinois State Memorial - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A28 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - Illinois State Memorial - by Stan Paregien 2015--04--16 A31 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - Illinois State Memorial - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A32 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - Illinois State Memorial - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A33 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - Illinois State Memorial - by Stan Paregien

2015--04--16 A50 Vicksburg, MS - Nat Battlefield - Shirley Homw -- by Stan Paregien

More next time about the Battle of Vicksburg and the city of Vicksburg.

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