Miracle Mindset

Written by Gene Stevens Trains, Trails, and Outlaws: Western Poetry & Stories III invites readers onto dusty roads, steel rails, and prairie paths where the American frontier still breathes. G.C. Stevens blends original Western poetry, short stories, personal photographs, RPPCs, postal history, and vivid historical sketches to celebrate Iowa and the Midwest as the doorway to the West.

On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress approved the design of a national flag. Image and Text from the Library of Congress Since 1916, when President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation establishing a national Flag Day on June 14, Americans have commemorated the adoption of the Stars and Stripes in many ways–displaying the flag in front of their homes, parades, and other patriotic observances. Prior to 1916, many localities and a few states had been celebrating the day for years. Congressional legislation designating that date as the national Flag Day was signed into law by President Harry Truman in 1949; the legislation also called upon the president to issue a Flag Day proclamation every year.

Written by Ken Hulsey Over the past couple of weeks, I have heard a message being preached from several different pulpits, articles, and even songs. This message is that it is time for Christians to stop being silent, rise into action, and speak the truth publicly about the message of Jesus Christ and the state of society as a whole. I would also echo that it is time for Americans to speak out and openly combat the forces that want to change our nation into something that more resembles the totalitarian state of George Orwell's classic novel, 1984.

 From Warner Bros Global explorer Josh Gates returns for an all-new season of the Emmy® Award-winning series EXPEDITION UNKNOWN, packed with high-stakes adventures and monumental discoveries, premiering Wednesday, June 24 at 9 PM ET/PT on the Discovery Channel. From far-flung jungles and remote waters to vast, unexplored caves, Gates pursues his boldest missions yet, hunting for vanished civilizations, diving deep to document lost wartime wrecks, and chasing groundbreaking evidence behind the world’s most compelling mysteries.  

 Written by Ken Hulsey After taking a month off, I decided that it was time to resurrect one of my most popular features, entitled Retro Cartoon Rewind. As you can probably guess, this series features many of the classic cartoons that were once shown almost exclusively on network television between 6 and 12 in the morning on Saturdays. Most of us from that generation woke up with eager anticipation, knowing that we were about to enjoy several hours of programming aimed solely for kids. For many, these are some of our most treasured memories.

 Photo and Story by Ken Hulsey This past weekend, my wife found one of the old pictures that I actually didn't have in my archives. It is a photo of a lonely desert road in Nevada that she rendered in stark black and white. I think that the image in this form conveys a true sense of emptiness.  Terri labeled this photo 'On The Road to Vegas', a road that I have traveled down numerous times. On the road towards Las Vegas, your mind is preoccupied with thoughts of winning a jackpot at a slot machine or game table. There is an optimism that somehow Lady Luck is going to shine her grace upon you, and all your financial worries will be over. Since you are about to become rich, you can't help but fantasize about how big a house you are going to buy and what it would be like to dive into a huge pool of gold coins like Scrooge McDuck.

Written By: Ken Hulsey In my many attempts to review classic films, I often pass over really great movies, sometimes even passing over some of my personal favorites, to tie themes and past topics together. One such film that I have regrettably passed over, for far too long, is the 1986 action/comedy "Big Trouble in Little China". For those of you out there who know me pretty well, you understand that "Big Trouble" is one of my all-time favorite movies, so the fact that I have chosen it to begin getting back to talking about older films should come as no surprise.

 Celebrate Independence Day at Whittier's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular! As the summer sun shines brightly and the warm breeze envelops Whittier, excitement fills the air for the town's annual 4th of July celebration at York Field! Mark your calendars for a day packed with fun, friends, and fireworks that you definitely won’t want to miss.

The Path to Independence: A Pivotal Moment in History As we look back at the tumultuous events leading up to the American Revolution, one point is particularly crucial: the deliberations within the Continental Congress during the summer of 1776. On June 10 of that year, Congress took a significant step towards independence by appointing a committee made up of five key figures to draft a Declaration of Independence. This famed committee comprised Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman, with Jefferson tasked with the momentous job of authoring the statement that would articulate the colonies’ intentions toward their governance and relationship with Great Britain.