Slaying Popular Myths and Misrepresentations of the Crusades

History helps define us. Whether a person knows a lot of history or a little, what they do know shapes their understanding of themselves and their world. Blacks in America are shaped by segregation and slavery; Jews by Israel and the Holocaust. America’s view of government is shaped by both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Kentucky Basketball and Alabama Football are shaped by their histories of coaches, players, and victories.

Since God reveals himself in historical events and even entered history Himself, Christians – more than most – are shaped by history. Whether it is Roman Catholics standing on centuries of accumulated tradition, Protestants extolling the courage of pioneer missionaries, or a twenty-something looking back on his fundamentalist upbringing with angst, Christians look to the past to define their future.

The Touch of the Master's Hand

"Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp." Psalm 147:7

My favorite classical guitar piece is called "Recuerdos del Alhambra." And nobody plays it like Christopher Parkening, probably the greatest classical guitarist in the world. My husband, Ken, is friends with Christopher. They both like to fish; so whenever we're together, the subject is trout and tuna.

Recently, the three of us were at our home, and Ken left the room to get an fishing rod to show Christopher. I said, "Chris, I'm sorry to sound like such a fan, but one day I would love it if you would play for me 'Recuerdos del Alhambra.'" Then Ken was back in the room, and the subject turned to fish.

Later that night, as Christopher was about to leave, Ken said, "Hey, I want to show you my high school guitar and see what you think of it." Ken brought out that old, beat-up clunker that had never played much more than "Michael, Row the Boat Ashore." It was cracked, and its strings, fossilized.

How Astrological Signs Affect Personality

By Jed Eane

In astrology, the position of the sun at the time of your birth determines your sun sign or, as it's more commonly known, your star sign. The sun is deemed very important in astrology; it rules willpower and ego and is fundamental to who a person is and what they're about.

The position of the other planets at the time you were born also has an effect on how you behave, but it's the sun's position, over all the other planets' positions, that is taken into account when determining a person's character.

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