20 Years of Abraham Lincoln and History Connections

My anticipation had been building for some time leading to this day 20 years ago today: On Friday, July 29, 2005, my parents and I were in Springfield, IL, to visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, which had just opened about 3 months prior.

I like to think this trip was an 8th graduation present from my parents, giving me the chance to experience history at the new museum, along with a visit to the state historic site and Camp River DuBois the following day before returning home.

The Chicago Tribune covered its opening in April, and even had a special section with a map of the museum, which I brought with me for this visit.  It noted this place was not your father's, or grandfather's, Lincoln museum.  It used lots of technology and wax figures to bring history alive.

As I reflect on my first visit there 20 years ago, here's 20 parts of the museum that stand out to me:

1. The statues of the Lincoln family in the rotunda, where visitors can pose with them

2. The Law office scene

3. Mr. Lincoln at Knox College during one of the Lincoln-Douglas debates

4. The video showing the Sectional War of the 1860s in just a few minutes

5. The 1860 Presidential Campaign ads moderated by Tim Russert

6. The Cabinet meeting scene as President Lincoln introduces the Emancipation Proclamation with a view out of a window of the partially completed Washington Monument

7. A small corridor presents different views on the Emancipation Proclamation for visitors to consider

8. The scene of Abraham Lincoln reading by firelight

9. Mrs. Lincoln's dresses

10. The Gettysburg mural

11. There was a very moving display of President Lincoln's casket lying in state at the Old State Capitol after his assassination.

12. The General Store display

13. The White House Kitchen

14. Walking into a scene reminiscent of Abraham Lincoln's birthplace

15. A penny in the center of the rotunda

16. The White House South Portico at the entrance of the exhibit about Abraham Lincoln's White House years.

17. Some displays mention the location of places where they happened, noting some are 800 miles away in Washington, D.C., and some just blocks away in Springfield.

18. The Treasures gallery with special artifacts

19. Through Lincoln Eyes presentation

20. The Ghosts of the Library presentation does a great job helping the audience appreciate the importance of history.

Indeed, the museum has helped people appreciate history. And so I offer a Big Congratulations to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum on its 20th anniversary year.

Huzzah!

Dear 1036: What the USPS Brought

Dearly Beloved 1036 Clarence,

Two days ago was the 250th anniversary of when Congress established an independence postal system for the USA.

It was some time in 2008 when a friendly mail carrier named Alex started making his rounds on our block and went so far as to introduce himself.

There were times when I had a day off school and I was at home, and I'd keep an eye out for Alex as he came down the block.

Among the many pieces of mail I enjoyed getting were postcards that I requested from family and friends when they traveled. I got postcards from all over the USA and all over the world.

It was amazing to get a piece of cardboard that had traveled hundreds if not thousands of miles straight to the mailbox at 1036 Clarence.  I delighted in receiving each one, and helped connect with me other places.

Indeed, it was a delight for so many years to receive mail bearing my name and 1036 Clarence Avenue.

I still bear you deeply within me.  You shall not fade into the background, but remain deep in my heart.

And we shall remain connected:

All my relations.

God's blessings,

With great joy,

Paul

Reflecting on the Kingdom of Heaven

As part of the Confirmation preparation process 20 years ago, I went to a meeting during the summer, and I was at the July meeting on July 24, 2005.

We had the opportunity to look at our test results from May.  We also took time to reflect on the Scriptures for Mass that weekend, perhaps in the spirit of the reflections we did from the end of the November prior until Pentecost Sunday.

The Gospel reading for that weekend was from Matthew 13, in which Jesus describes the Kingdom of Heaven in three ways: a treasure in a field, a pearl of great price, and workers sorting a catch of fish.

We strive to be among those good fish that are kept, the righteous who live into Eternal Life with God in His Kingdom.  To be on that path, we are called in this life to behold the Kingdom of Heaven as a great treasure, which is worth all our while to strive after.  Surely also King Solomon offers a great example, since in the first reading that Sunday, we heard the story of how he asked God for wisdom when God offered him anything.

Confirmation is meant to fill us the faithful with the grace of the Holy Spirit through 7 Gifts so that we can strive after the Kingdom of Heaven, building treasure in Heaven during this life on Earth, because it is the greatest good that leads to the great reward of being fully in union with God.

Patriotic Greetings 2025: The Spirit of the Founding Era

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Patriotic Greetings!

It's an inspiring time that reconnects us with the foundation of the USA as we celebrate the pivotal days in July 1776 that birthed the United States of America.  

Following the conclusion of the conflict between Britain and France in 1763, tensions built between Britain and its 13 North American colonies as the British government steadily increased control over colonial affairs.  As the colonists resisted, the British government reacted more intensely, until the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, triggered war, and accelerated momentum for the colonies' independence.  The Second Continental Congress convened on May 10, 1775, and over the succeeding weeks, they took several decisive actions, including the establishment of an army.

At the session of the Congress on June 7, 1776, Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee presented the following resolution: "Resolved. That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved."

After some initial discussion, the Congress decided to hold a vote on the resolution on July 1 and the colonies used the intervening time for further consideration.  Meanwhile, Congress appointed a committee to draft a document explaining the move for independence should it be needed, and Virginia delegate Thomas Jefferson was its primary author.

On July 1, Congress opened debate on the resolution.  The following day, Tuesday, July 2, 1776, they adopted the independence resolution by a unanimous vote.  After discussing Thomas Jefferson's draft, they adopted the Declaration of Independence on Thursday, July 4.

 

Following several more years of war, the American colonists won a decisive victory at Yorktown against the British in October 1781.  On September 3, 1783, the Treaty of Paris 1783 formally concluded the war, and the United States of America became fully independent.

As we approach the 250th anniversary of the Independence Resolution in 2026, this year provides a good opportunity to commemorate the events that hastened the momentum toward independence, when armed conflict erupted in Massachusetts.  Wanting to connect with that history, I traveled to the Boston Metro Area before heading south for my annual Washington, DC, Metro Area vacation.  (You can read about my trip here.  As of the publishing of this post, the text of my vacation post is there, but I'm still working on getting pictures in place.  Please feel free to contact me if you want to know when the post on my vacation is complete, including the photos.)

The amount of history I experienced in the course of a few hours in the Boston Metro Area was exhilarating as I made my way from downtown Boston to Lexington and then on to Concord.

The Lexington Battle Green

Someone passing by photographed me at the Battle Green in Lexington.

One site that resonated with me was the monument at the Old North Bridge in Concord, MA--please see the photo below.  It has an inscription bearing the first stanza of the poem "The Concord Hymn".  

In 7th grade, I selected this poem for an assignment in which I had to memorize a poem, speech, or other writing.  When I was in middle school, I experienced a blossoming of my person, especially in understanding the history of the USA and my place in this country as a citizen.  In that time, I became drawn to the story of how this country came into existence, so I decided that poem would be a good choice for that assignment.  The fourth stanza has a profound phrase: "Spirit, that made those heroes dare..."

A spirit was present in those who decided to take action and chart a new course that birthed this country.  And that spirit continues to spur us to action in our present day.

In light of the US Army's 250th Anniversary, so many have nobly served to uphold and defend this country throughout those many years, driven by a spirit of something larger than themselves.  They have done so much to make possible our national experience today.

I think about my work on the frontlines on Election Day, April 1, 2025.  I was up around 4 AM and around 5 AM, after a short walk, I was at the Brooks Middle School gym to begin my duties as an election judge.  After serving several times as an election judge for precinct 16 at the Maze Branch Library, I was in a different spot, and I was actually serving for my own precinct.

Even with the voters trickling in throughout the day, it was another great opportunity to serve the community by helping facilitate the democratic process of the republic in the matter of local affairs.  It was nice spending time with my fellow election judges, one of whom is a neighbor, and also seeing other neighbors on my block and nearby. Even if local races don't have the same prominence as the presidential election, they still have an important impact on our community.  I am continually inspired when I'm an election judge and see people from all walks of life and backgrounds coming to participate in the process.

It's fitting in some ways that I served as an election judge inside a middle school, because it was at Julian Middle School that I experienced a burst of patriotic inspiration to appreciate my part in this country and contribute to it.  It wasn't just inside the walls of Julian.  Every Friday during 6th grade, I came home to watch Liberty's Kids, with episodes on events of the founding era.  It was on a July day in 2003 that I watched the final episode, and seeing George Washington's inauguration stirred an enormous amount of palpable inspiration in me.  It's probably one moment I would go to if I could time travel.  Indeed, I came to appreciate this country's story and my place in this country, sensing a call to do my part in upholding it.  That's what motivated me in 8th grade to ask Dr. Sharts, the principal, if I could lead the school in the Pledge of Allegiance for the final two regular school days my 8th grade year, after nearly a month of its absence.  It was a great honor to finish my middle school experience taking up that role.

Coming to appreciate my part in the USA, and the story of its founding, has brought me to embrace the spirit of what we celebrate during the first days of July.  It is furthermore a time to appreciate our values as a country, as we look ahead to the 250th anniversary of Independence in a year.  Also, we can appreciate what our values mean on the world stage since the election of Leo XIV as the first US-born Pope.

I found this song, "God Bless America" on YouTube, and I am inspired by its soaring lyrics that show how we can flourish as one nation under God.

I hope recognizing this country's founding story inspires you anew to embrace our God-given freedoms so we can together purposefully edify this country.

To the Spirit of God and the Spirit of the USA,

To the Dove and the Eagle.

God's blessings to you readers,

God bless the USA!

Paul

Huzzah!

P.S. Here's a link to the 2025 Annual July 4 ceremony at the National Archives.  It airs live at 10 AM ET/9 AM ET.  It should be available for viewing later.

This post is my annual Patriotic Greetings post.  You can view previous years' posts at these links: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.  If you would like a print copy of this note, please contact me.

Please feel free to share this year's post, or any previous year's post, with others.