Sunday, November 30, 2008

Grandfather's World War I Helmet

This weekend I was with my Dad out on his farm. We were doing some light work and looking through some things.
Ever since I was a young boy back in the 1960's I was always mesmerized by the World War I helmet my Grandfather had brought back from France after serving as a medic on the front lines. The helmet had a bullet hole dent on the right side. Even today my mind wonders about the story behind the dent. Did it result in a head injury? Was it picked up off the battle field? Was it Grandpa's? Did he get it from an injured or dead soldier who was picked up and brought in for treatment? I know very little but that my Grandpa served in France as a medic. I don't remember him talking about it much. My Dad says that as a medic Grandpa would say that no matter what the soldiers came in for, if it was a sore throat or a missing leg, they all were rubbed down with iodine.

Dad sent Grandpa's World War I helmet with me this weekend. It is now proudly displayed in my living room by some 100-150 year old Bibles and a couple of 400 year old pages from a King James Bible and a Geneva Bible.

King Herod is Featured in National Geographic, Dec. 08

I just received this month's National Geographic with a picture of Masada on the cover and a great article with photos of Herod's architectural exploits.

See the photo library here
Test your knowledge on Herod with a quiz here

The article includes photos and information concerning Herod's recently discovered tomb at the Herodium. We were fortunate to have been at the Herodium within 90 days of its discovery.

In typical fashion National Geographic considers the Bible at best legend and at worst Jewish/Christian propaganda when they state that Herod is innocent of the charges of killing the Bethlehem boys. These actions are not far from Herod's character in secular history which record him killing his son and his Hasmodean wife.

All in all, Herod was a great leader who lived a very impressive life during one of the peaks of Rome's power. Herod was friends with and influenced some of the most important people of history. I was thrilled to see this article and the photos. Read this article here

View my YouTube video of Herod's fortress at Masada here

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com