1776 by David McCullough

July 3, 2026
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=1776+best+seller&i=stripbooks&crid=343ADMKOAZ4W&sprefix=1776+best+seller%2Cstripbooks%2C130&ref=nb_sb_noss

A few months back I was poking around the family bookshelves for something I hadn’t read before and saw this. Inside the cover “$1.00 Hist” was written in pencil. I asked my wife about it and she had gotten it on sale at our library. I’m sure she had shown it to me back then but it got shelved because I was probably reading something else.

Since we are now at 250 years and counting, I gave this book a chance and I’m glad I did. I remember David McCullough well for interviews and speeches of his. It is obvious that a great amount of research went into this book. If anyone is interested in the year leading up to and including 1776, I would recommend this book. I liked it enough to read it in a few sittings.

Chris Reimers

Here is a speech Mr. McCullough did back in 2005 at the National Archives after 5 weeks on a book tour about the book “1776”:

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Tomato Teepee June 24, 2026

June 24, 2026

So far the “Tomato Teepee” structure has done it’s job this year. I am thankful for this year’s harvest already and we are just getting started. If you click on any of the pictures, you can get a closer view and perhaps see more tomatoes and less foliage. I try not to let the indeterminate plants grow too tall so that the plant can focus on sending nutrients to the tomatoes. Every year is a learning year and this year is no different. One thing I will do differently next year is to not use up a number of pots for something I haven’t grown before. I think I used 5 or 6 fabric “grow pots” on a new variety (for me) that is supposed to be a beefsteak tomato. I thought they would be larger but you can see them on the left of the picture. They have good bunches but they aren’t the size I was looking for. After I harvest most of the ones in those 5 or 6 pots, I already have some “Garden Peach” tomato seedlings that I will plant in the same pots. Garden Peach tomatoes are long keepers that will last deep into the winter.

There are all kinds of things you can use to support tomatoes. Here I have used an old box spring frame.

To support tomatoes I have used simple wire fencing here.

These are “Cosmonaut Volkov” tomatoes that I will be taking to my neighbor, Tom, later today. This year, I have also used seed that I saved from some “Better Boy” tomatoes from 2021. They have done very well. Also, a nice surprise is how large the Roma tomatoes have grown this year. A Roma is a paste tomato that we eat mostly in pasta salads. The sweetest cherry tomato I have ever tasted is a Sun Gold Cherry tomato and they are prolific as usual.

That’s the update for now on the 2026 planting season. There are other things going on. I’ve let the snow peas go to seed. The pepper plants are looking good and the Jerusalem Artichokes haven’t shown their flowers yet but they are loving the rain we’ve had. I’ve enjoyed watching the design of God in all that grows.

12 “The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good.” -Genesis 1

Chris Reimers

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Coneflower June 2026

June 15, 2026

7 “So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.” -1 Corinthians 3

The words above were written to a young church in the city of Corinth. Paul, an instrument of the Holy Spirit, had also written:

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Corinth was already an ancient city when these words were written. It was an important commercial center with two harbors and had long been a rival to Athens which is about 50 miles to the East. Corinth had a reputation for sexual immorality. It was permitted under the widely popular worship of Aphrodite (also known as Venus, the goddess of fertility and sexuality).

The message in 1 Corinthians is clear. Even if the death and resurrection of Jesus is unimportant to the world, it is at the center of the Christian message. The words in this letter were particularly powerful for a new group of believers struggling to let go of worldly things and learning to follow Jesus.

So, how is it dear friend that you are able to let go of worldly things?

If you are trying to do it in your own strength, may I suggest that you are going about it the wrong way?

Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

We must remain in Him. Read God’s Word for the strength to help you through what you are facing. Continue in His Word.

The Bible says: “ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This is verse that Christians lean upon heavily.

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to understand what God would have you learn as you read the scriptures.

May God bless you as you continue on.

Chris Reimers

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He’s the Reason to Go On

June 7, 2026

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Quotes #48…Anthony Burgess 1600-1663

May 27, 2026

“Meditate much on Evangelical Truths, and the Gospel-Doctrine that is deli∣vered in Scripture. For as it is the Law of God, as revealed in the Scripture, that makes a mans sin to appear out of measure sinful, by that pure glass he seeth him∣self more monstrous and deformed a thousand times, then ever he apprehended himself: so by diligent inspection into, and consideration of the glorious things of the Gospel, we see a more easie and more probable way for assurance of Gods love, then otherwise we would: It’s not therefore the duty of Gods people to be only poring upon their sins to be alwayes applying the Law to themselves, but they are also to behold the glorious riches of Gods grace in the Gospel.” (Taken from sermon #145 mentioned below)

Anthony Burgess

Anthony Burgess Expository Sermons on John 17
(“145 expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St. John, or, Christ’s prayer before his passion explicated…”)

I have read the first five in the series. They are not long and I look forward to reading more of these before listening to a modern preacher. I did find a mistake in the first sermon. 1 Timothy 4:5 is quoted and it is noted as 1 Timothy 3:5. Anyone reading these will not be able to miss the spelling differences in that day.

note: there was a well-known unbeliever by the same name in the 20th century

CR

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“The Kingdom of God, The Human Heart, and The Means Ordained by God” by Bruce Cooper

May 19, 2026

Photo attribution: The REASONED CASES FOR CHRIST blog

A current goal of this blog is to post things that I think can assist Christian believers in their walk with God. Whenever I stumble upon something that fits that description for me I think others might be helped by it as well. Here is another jewel that I very recently discovered. It is written by Bruce Cooper who is the author of the blog “REASONED CASES FOR CHRIST.” For some reason I was unable to re-blog the post where Bruce linked to this work. If you wish to see the post, you can click on

The Sharing of a Journey

In the post, Bruce links to a PDF (all of his PDFs are free) with the above title. If you wish to go straight to this piece, you can click on this link:

The Kingdom of God, The Human Heart, and The Means Ordained by God

If you are wired like me, once you start this you won’t be able to put it down or you will download it for later.

I hope you are blessed by this work as much as I was.

Chris Reimers

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I am with you always

May 10, 2026

“I am with you always”
Matthew 28:20

It is well there is One who is ever the same, and who is ever with us. It is well there is one stable rock amidst the billows of the sea of life. O my soul, set not thine affections upon rusting, moth-eaten, decaying treasures, but set thine heart upon him who abides forever faithful to thee. Build not thine house upon the moving quicksands of a deceitful world, but found thy hopes upon this rock, which, amid descending rain and roaring floods, shall stand immovably secure. My soul, I charge thee, lay up thy treasure in the only secure cabinet; store thy jewels where thou canst never lose them. Put thine all in Christ; set all thine affections on his person, all thy hope in his merit, all thy trust in his efficacious blood, all thy joy in his presence, and so thou mayest laugh at loss, and defy destruction. Remember that all the flowers in the world’s garden fade by turns, and the day cometh when nothing will be left but the black, cold earth. Death’s black extinguisher must soon put out thy candle. Oh! how sweet to have sunlight when the candle is gone! The dark flood must soon roll between thee and all thou hast; then wed thine heart to him who will never leave thee; trust thyself with him who will go with thee through the black and surging current of death’s stream, and who will land thee safely on the celestial shore, and make thee sit with him in heavenly places forever. Go, sorrowing son of affliction, tell thy secrets to the Friend who sticketh closer than a brother. Trust all thy concerns with him who never can be taken from thee, who will never leave thee, and who will never let thee leave him, even “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” “Lo, I am with you alway,” is enough for my soul to live upon, let who will forsake me.

Charles Spurgeon

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Tomato Teepee May 7, 2026

May 7, 2026

It was a cloudy day today but this picture still gives you an idea of this year’s tomato structure. It was made specifically for growing tomatoes. The structure is supported by four 10 foot fencing posts driven deep enough that there should be no stability issues. The rest is mainly bamboo that I’ve dried from a stand of bamboo that I’ve been trying to get rid of for years now. Each plant is in a 10 to 20 gallon grow pot (made of fabric) and filled with potting soil. The reason for the fencing is that I have a semi-lame cat named Daniel (after Lieutenant Dan) who thinks the grow pots are his and he loves to lay on them. The fencing is high enough that he will not try climbing over. The other cat that we belong to could easily make it over but she isn’t interested. I have left a few of the half-filled pots specifically for Daniel in his favorite places.

On this day there is no sun because we had a good rain last night and more is on the way. I am always thankful to the good Lord for rain. There is a larger garden area on the property but because of Oak trees, some pine trees, and a nice hickory tree that I refuse to cut down, the area designed for a garden gets little sun. So, this is my effort in a sunny area. This area did pretty well last year. I know the plants are too close together but I’ve packed them closer together before so I continue to experiment. Every year this thing looks a bit different. It is larger this year as each year I’ve continued to add more pots. I’m behind the professional growers because I start my plants from seed and am in no hurry as we have such a long growing season. If you click on the picture to enlarge it you might be able to see the little yellow flowers where a few tomatoes are already forming. I have several varieties in this small area so I know I might get some cross pollination but that only makes things more interesting. In this space there are Beefsteak tomatoes, Betterboy tomatoes, Cosmonaut Volkov tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, and a few Sun Gold cherry tomato plants.

To keep the foliage and disease down, I pinch out the suckers of the plant varieties that are indeterminate. The Romas (determinates) are the only ones I don’t bother doing that with. This keeps things under control as the season continues. Each plant will only have one main stem growing up each piece of bamboo. To keep certain bugs away, each pot contains one or more marigold plants. Some say they also keep snakes away. By the end of the season, I should have marigolds in many places. They are so easy to grow and transplant.

I do use a touch of miracle grow when the seedlings are developing and I make sure to use a pinch of lime in my growing media. By the time the plants are the size of the ones in this picture, I use only organic fertilizers and the pest control is all safe for humans. I spray the plants a few times a year with a BT/Cal-Mag/Kelp combo spray that I mix that is over 95% water. That keeps the hornworms down some. I do end up having to remove some hornworms by hand every year.

And that’s this year’s attempt. I’ll probably write two more posts on this thing during the growing season. I’m curious to see how it does and you might be too.

God’s blessings…

Chris Reimers

The next day…in full sun!



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Quotes #47…Matthew Henry 1662 – 1714

May 4, 2026

Whatever stands against God, or thinks to stand without him, cannot stand long.

Matthew Henry (Click on name at left for short biography)

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