Arlington National Cemetary Became My Classroom

THE IDEA FOR WRITING THIS BOOK came out of my ten years of giving tours in Arlington National Cemetery. The history of the Arlington Estate and the misfortunes that befell the Lee family, resulting in their 1,100 acre property becoming a cemetery, made such an impact on me that I wanted to learn more about the man, Robert E. Lee. But, since I was already 54 years old and had not attended American schools, I knew nothing about James Town, Gettysburg, Bull Run, Antietam, or General Lee’s surrender to General Ulysses S. Grant at the home of Wilmer and Virginia McLean in the town of Appomattox, Virginia, on that fateful day in April 1865. By listening daily to tour guides going through their narration to visiting tourists, I began to learn the history of the Arlington Estate, and how it became a cemetery. I learned about all the wars America participated in, from the Revolutionary War up to July 2000. I quit my job as driver and tour guide on the grounds of this sacred shrine. I will try to bring Arlington National Cemetery to you, right where you are and place it within your fi nger tips. Just be creative and use your imagination to its fullest.

The main thrust of this work in to inspire the reader to strive for success no matter what present circumstances are. The intent is to specifically highlight the life of Saul of Tarsus, a Jew, who grew up in Jerusalem and was trained in the Jews religion. He excelled above his equal, being more zealous than they and could have become the next ruler in Israel. However, in terms of being a role model and a shining beacon to those struggling to find the path to success and dignity, he rated very poorly. He was mad against Christians, arrested many, forced many to blaspheme, and consented to the death of many. This work shows how he dismissed his past, embraced the future, and became the greatest of all the apostles. In essence, he recognized his past but refused to be arrested and held a prisoner by it. As he himself explained: This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3: 13. It is evident that self-evaluation and self-motivation are extremely important if one is to chart a path forward to success. Saul of Tarsus, in our opinion, serves as a classic example of how one can erase the past, no matter how sordid and violent it was; and reach forward to pinnacles of glory and inspiration, not for ones self only, but for society at large. You alone, can make your life a symphony! WORD COUNT: 80, 459 Chapters: 31. CONTACT INFO: Royce Kennedy, 909 Whistling Duck Drive, Largo, MD 20774 PH: 301.218.4524: E-mail: [email protected] Two previous publications by Author are: Arlington National Cemetery Became My Classroom, High lighting Royces ten years of giving tours in the cemetery. When Shall These Things Be? is an in-depth study of Daniels 70 weeks and the prophecies of Christ in Matthew chapter 24.

Reflecting upon the impeachment trial of former President, Bill Clinton, and remembering that the House Managers who conducted the trial were introduced on prime time television as born again Christians my interest was perked. I decided to watch the proceedings for the sole purpose of observing if these men would act the way we think Jesus would. The first thought that came to mind was the fact that the woman taken in the very act of adultery, under the Law of Moses should be stoned to death, and her accusers brought that fact to Christs attention. We know she walked away from the presence of Jesus alive and well, only being told to go and sin no more. Another event that perked my interest was the fifty two million dollars White Water investigation that yielded nothing amiss against the Clintons. Because the trial was open to television cameras, before long it was evident that the accusers did not merely want to catch the president in a lie; obviously, they wanted to humiliate him in the meanest way, without giving any thought to the prestige of the Office of the President. The trial reminded me of the Merchant of Venice in which everyone wanted his pound of flesh, and the president sat in what looked like a pack of marauding hyenas closing in on a wounded deer or an antelope calf. Because of the current hostile political climate in Washington these days, I had to extend my work to cover what it means to be called a Christian Member of Congress. The theme and conclusion are within that context, and it is hoped that many politicians and private citizens alike will benefit from this work. It is intended for Christian lawmakers in Congress and every State House and Governors mansion in the union; in fact to Christian politicians in every country on earth with a desire to honor Christ by an exemplary life. It is not intended to force religion on anyone, or to promote membership in any established Church. The hope is that it will minister to personal spiritual needs. My first two published books by PublishAmerica.com are Arlington National Cemetery Became My Classroom featuring my life story, and my 10 years of giving tours in Arlington National Cemetery. When Shall These Things Be? is an in-depth study of Daniels 70 weeks, and the prophecies of Jesus Christ in Matthew chapter 24.

This book documents hundreds of customs and traditions practiced in countries outside of the United States, showcasing the diversity of birth, coming-of-age, and death celebrations worldwide. From the beginning of our lives to the end, all of humanity celebrates life's milestones through traditions and unique customs. In the United States, we have specific events like baby showers, rites of passage such as Bat and Bar Mitzvahs and "sweet 16" birthday parties, and sober end-of-life traditions like obituaries and funeral services that honor those who have died. But what kinds of customs and traditions are practiced in other countries? How do people in other cultures welcome babies, prepare to enter into adulthood, and commemorate the end of the lives of loved ones? This three-volume encyclopedia covers more than 300 birth, life, and death customs, with the books' content organized chronologically by life stage. Volume 1 focuses on birth and childhood customs, Volume 2 documents adolescent and early-adulthood customs, and Volume 3 looks at aging and death customs. The entries in the first volume examine pre-birth traditions, such as baby showers and other gift-giving events, and post-birth customs, such as naming ceremonies, child-rearing practices, and traditions performed to ward off evil or promote good health. The second volume contains information about rites of passage as children become adults, including indigenous initiations, marriage customs, and religious ceremonies. The final volume concludes with coverage on customs associated with aging and death, such as retirement celebrations, elaborate funeral processions, and the creation of fantasy coffins. The set features beautiful color inserts that illustrate examples of celebrations and ceremonies and includes an appendix of excerpts from primary documents that include legislation on government-accepted names, wedding vows, and maternity/paternity leave regulations.

The Quiet Journey is one person's life story told in amusing and authentic memoirs from 1936 until 2000. The author, writing to his grandchildren, shares candid childhood stories about Saturday afternoon movies, reading contests, and threshing runs. The memoirs capture a glimpse of attending a one room rural school, growing up on a farm, and living without electricity. Older readers may recall their own memories of catching and killing a rooster for Sunday dinner, or playing fox and geese in the snow. Others may identify with the author as he tells of his first date and learning how to dance. A few may even remember the surprises that awaited them at college. Those who served in the navy during the 1950s may have experienced challenging shore patrol duty in places like Olongapo, Philippines, or visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. In addition, former sailors may remember some of their more amusing experiences when at sea. All of these experiences are captured in The Quiet Journey, along with humorous and challenging experiences of teaching in Urbana, Postville, Story City, and Dubuque, Iowa. However, everyone reading The Quiet Journey, will sense the importance of the second half of the twentieth century.

On Hallowed Ground opens with the long-delayed funeral of four servicemen, brought home for final honors at Arlington National Cemetery almost forty years after they disappeared in Vietnam. To understand how this tradition of extraordinary care for our war dead began, Robert Poole traces the founding of Arlington Cemetery on what had been the family plantation of Robert E. Lee. After resigning his commission in the U.S. Army, Lee left Arlington to command the Army of Northern Virginia. Arlington, strategic to the defense of Washington, D.C., became a U.S. Army headquarters and a cemetery for indigent Civil War soldiers before Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton made it the new national cemetery. Initially, there was no honor attached to being buried at Arlington; this began to change after the war, as the Union gathered thousands of hastily-buried casualties from nearby battlefields and reinterred them at Arlington, where they received the honors of a grateful nation. But the rites, rituals, and reverence associated with Arlington evolved over the next hundred years, paid through the blood of those who fought in the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, the Cold War, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and Iraq and Afghanistan. Robert Poole paints an intimate, behind-the-scenes picture of the history and day-to-day operations of Arlington National Cemetery.

From the Preface For you who have honored me by opening this book to read, I thank you. I hope that it will give you pleasure, that you might learn from it, and that you might be inspired by it to write your own story for your own sake and for the sake of your family and friends. Even though we are like grass that withers, we also hope, as Jesus said, that the very hairs of our heads are all numbered. For that reason, all of our stories matter, not only to us and our descendants, but also to our friends and, most importantly, to God.