June 2017

ACH Study Groups

Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders

7659 Gingerblossom Drive

Citrus Heights, CA 95621

916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com

www.ACHStudyGroups.com

June 22, 2017

This is a letter to our friends –

Not half-full but overflowing

A major battle in the global war of the ages is taking place in America. The good news – The “good guys” are winning. Not “just” winning. They are winning big time!

Think about it. David is in the middle of the battlefield with a borrowed sword and his foot on Goliath’s chest. He is shouting to the army of the living God (as opposed to the dead ones), “C’mon men. They are running away.”

If the Hebrew troops had had their heads buried in Philistine newspapers and Philistine TV they would have missed seeing what is in plain sight. They would have worried about Goliath’s four brothers, also giants. (BTW – David had four stones left in his pouch!)

Instead – The army of the living God chased the Philistines all over the map and proceeded to drain the swampy battlefield! I see a movement of citizens who have reached a tipping point. For years they have just wanted to be left alone. They chose to let shady leaders be shady. It was easier than fighting city hall alone and making a fuss.

Trump had the personal resources and personality to represent the things we wanted to see. We have all seen patterns of dominos each knocking down its neighbor. Well, in society it works in reverse also. Stand up one domino and that pulls up the neighbor and momentum builds.

Unless you listen to those interested in reporting on the good things you are likely to miss them. BUT evidence of the righteous movement is all around us if we will but look for it.

The problem is not political. Next year, we will vote on every congressman and a third of the senators plus all levels of state and local offices. Hypothetically – Suppose we elect perfectly qualified, glow in the dark, good guys to every single office. In only a few years the swamp would be back in business! “Why?”, you ask. Because we truly have a representative government. We have (collectively) voted for those with whom we identify!

The answer is to raise the standards of the voter. That is a lot harder than replacing politicians! That has been my passion for four decades. I wanted to shout from the housetops. I expected to be teaching sound (Biblical) principles to hundreds at a time! God patiently spoke to me, “Just teach the ones I put in front of you.” Others have been doing the same. Now a movement appears to be gaining momentum.

If you have not yet visited the web site – please do!

HonoringTheVision.weebly.com

These columns are archived since 12/10/09

See www.ACHStudyGroups.com

“Ben’s Blog”

ACH Study Groups

Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders

7659 Gingerblossom Drive

Citrus Heights, CA 95621

916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com

www.ACHStudyGroups.com

June 3, 2017

This is a letter to our friends –

Bragging on a friend

I would like to tell you about a dear friend – Desta Garrett.

It must have been around 1975. We were heavily involved with Youth With A Mission (YWAM). Some of the leaders, knowing we were near San Francisco, asked me to meet their flight and drive them to the headquarters of the Foundation for American Christian Education (FACE). I met Miss Hall and Miss Slater there, because I was carrying the brief cases.

It was immediate awe and respect. These two ladies were on a mission to restore knowledge about America by documenting the Christian principles behind the movement that became America. They lived in a house in the Sunset District of San Francisco. It was FACE headquarters.

Miss Slater left a Stanford doctoral program to join Miss Hall in cofounding FACE. Miss Hall left a business career to follow her vision. Miss Slater was a teacher. Miss Hall was a historian. Both were avid readers. Christian school and home school industries were just beginning to blossom. FACE publications were spreading across America.

FACE headquarters was painted in colonial motif. Inside the home were areas representing north, central, and southern colonial furniture, and style. Everything could be used as an historical object lesson. The house was filled with precious books. I particularly enjoyed browsing the microfiche copies of colonial newspapers covering several centuries.

All that to introduce the ladies’ irreplaceable “girl Friday,” Desta Garrett. Desta was always busy on a project for the ladies. She learned to use computers and fought through the start-up battles that always seem to happen with computers. Desta became a professional book editor. She read and type-set the FACE books.

Desta’s daughter, Katheryn, and our Susan were blessed to be in the right place at the right time. Miss Slater missed the classroom and offered to teach the girls a course in Literature. Susan, now having completed homeschooling her own two kids cherishes her memories of that course.

Later, after Miss Hall passed in 1987, FACE headquarters and Miss Slater moved to Chesapeake, Virginia. Desta launched her own book editing business. I never knew her not to have several books that needed her expertise. Fran and I visited Desta’s family a number of times. Desta is a researcher as well. Her home was a treasure trove.

The Garrett’s have had their share of tragedies. Their adult son died, then Desta was widowed. She was a trooper. Always meticulous in her editing. We watched as one pressure after another built upon her. God is faithful! He will always make a way to escape so that we can bear it.

Katheryn, now married with a family of her own was able to couple her home and Desta’s into a larger one and move her mom into her own room in the larger southern California home.

We are so looking forward to thanking Desta for her work and sacrifices in behalf of the FACE vision come the big “Honoring The Vision” event on September 23rd in Rocklin, California. All the “old timers” will be there plus the next generation of vision restorers.

Come join us! HonoringTheVision.weebly.com

These columns are archived since 12/10/09

See www.ACHStudyGroups.com

“Ben’s Blog”