Barbecuing Beef Brisket

Texas Beef Brisket


beef brisket

I would first like to say Happy Independence Day today.  It's rainy in my area today but that doesn't place a damper on the holiday.  The Lord has been gracious to us.  We're celebrating 240 years of freedom this year. 

One of the traditions during the fourth of July is barbecuing.  Many people involve themselves in outdoor cooking barbecuing chicken, ribs, Boston butt, beef brisket, and the list continues. Today I have posted the recipe on how to barbecue a beef brisket from AmazingRibs.com.   That website has great barbecue recipes. 

A few week ago on June 6, 2016 I barbecued a beef brisket on our smoker.  The beef brisket was a corned beef brisket purchased from Krogers.  I've never barbecued something that long before but I decided to try my hand at it on that particular day.  It took me around 5.5 hours to smoke.  Depending upon the size and type of brisket it is, it can take as much as 8+ hours.  Once the brisket was done, I shredded the meat and placed it on a hamburger bun.  It was good.

I'm going to briefly describe how I barbecued the beef brisket.  I'm fired up the smoker adding charcoal, hickory chips, and sassafras wood.  I took the corned beef brisket out of the package and seasoned it with Morton's season-all salt.  I then took some Sweet Baby Ray's Hickory Brown Sugar barbecue sauce in a cup and added Worchestershire sauce, and light margarine.  I placed it in a microwave and spread it on top of the beef brisket prior to placing it on the smoker.  I placed the brisket in an aluminum roaster pan with some water on the bottom and placed it in the smoke.  I closed the vents as much as I could to trap in the smoke.  I like smoke-flavored meat.  However, it cooked faster than it should've as a result of having too much firepower to start with.  I had to add water to it due to it cooking so quickly.  About 2 hours later,  I added some more barbecue sauce on top mixed with Worchestershire sauce and butter.  Two more hours later, I had to add more sassafras wood to keep the coals hot.  After about 5.5 hours, I took the brisket off the smoker, shredded it and made sandwiches out of it on a hamburger bun.  It was delicious.  Click on the above link to read the recipe on how to barbecue a beef brisket from AmazingRibs.com.

One Nation Under God

The Pledge of Alleganice--U.S. History.org

Recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance

The Pledge of Allegiance was written by socialist minister Francis Bellamy in 1892.  It was originally published in the Youth's Companion on September 8, 1892.  In 1923, the pledge of Allegiance read like this:

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

In 1954 at President Dwight D. Eisenhower's urging, Congress added the words "under God" to the pledge.  Here's how the pledge reads today.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to he Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Without God, America has no hope.  Let's never forget the reason why we're celebrating 240 years of freedom today in America.  It's because our forefathers acknowledged God and recognized no nation can survive without the blessing of Almighty God.  Happy Independence Day!

New Bio of 'Star Spangled' Francis Scott Key as Anthem Turns 200

New Bio of 'Star Spangled' Author Francis Scott Key as Anthem Turns 200

Star Spangled Banner: 200th Anniversary Preview




Star Spangled Banner (song)



I have linked up an article from The Washington Times concerning the 200th anniversary of the "Star Spangled Banner".  It's worth the read.  Happy Independence Day on July 4th.  Today is America's 238th anniversary.

Songs to Commemorate Independence Day

This is My Country--Tennessee Ernie Ford



My Country Tis of T'hee



Faith of Our Fathers--Tennessee Ernie Ford



Star Spangled Banner



Praise God and Country--The Inspirations



The Country Needs the Cross--The Inspirations



America the Beautiful



Battle of New Orleans



You're a Grand Old Flag



God Bless America--Kate Smith



Statute of Liberty--The Cathedrals



Let Freedom Ring--The Cathedrals



Onward Christian Soldiers



This Land is Your Land

Songs of Liberty

Statute of Liberty



Let Freedom Ring

Wars May Make Heroes But Heroes Never Make War

Lamenting The Lost Legacy Of Independence Day - Forbes

Wars May Make Heroes But Heroes Never Make War



Several years ago gospel songwriter Dottie Rambo wrote a song entitled, "Wars May Make Heroes But Heroes Never Make War."  I agree with that statement.  I don't believe a true hero is somebody who's looking for an opportunity to be in the limelight.  I don't believe a hero will start a war so he can prove he's a hero.  Those kind of people are nothing but opportunists.  When you read the Beautitudes in the book of Matthew, Jesus says "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God." (Matthew 5:9).  That doesn't mean that peacemakers are appeasers.  That doesn't mean that a peacemaker winks at evil that's threatening to destroy his country.  Peacemakers are simply those that don't resort to war as the first choice.  Heroes don't resort to war unless there's no other choice.  Heroes will stand in the gap and fight when the time calls for it.  But they aren't looking for an opportunity to bask in the lifelight.  They take up their arms and fight when duty calls.  They do it out of a sense of love and duty for their country. That's what has made our country so special over the 236 years of our nation's existence.  They have given their lives for our country when duty has called for them to fight.  I thank God for all the heroes that put on a uniform and put their lives on the line for our country.

I want to take this time and give my high regards for all the soldiers and heroes who have made American special.  I hope everyone takes time to pay tribute to Independence Day today.  Our freedoms were bought with a price.

God and Country Songs

God Bless America (Kate Smith)



The Marine's Hymn



Ballad of the Green Beret



National Anthem



Faith of Our Fathers



God of Our Fathers

Patriotic Songs for Independence Day

Doug MacArthur (sung by Roy Acuff)



United States Armed Forces Medley



This is My Country



Statute of Liberty (The Cathedrals)



Let Freedom Ring (The Cathedrals)



Battle Hymn of the Republic



The Country Needs the Cross (The Inspirations)

10 Things You Might Not Know About America's Independence

10 Things You Might Not Know About America's Independence - FoxNews.com




Just a little while ago I happened to see this particular link on Jim Summpter's website.  His website address is http://www.jimsumptershow.com/.  He displayed an article from FoxNews.com which lists ten things we might now know about America's Independence such as Independence Day wasn't declared on the fourth, it was declared on July 2, 1776.  July 4, 1776 is significant because that's the day that Congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence document.  The official signing ceremony didn't take place until August 2nd.  That's according to what I read from FoxNews.com.  Just click on the above link and read the whole list of ten things we might not know about Independence.  It's very important we know our history. 

I wish everybody a Happy Independence Day and if you're out traveling be cautious when driving back to your intended destination.

The Price the Founding Fathers Paid for Liberty

I want to wish everybody today a very happy Independence Day.  As we celebrate this historic day with cookouts, church picnics, and all other types of celebrations that accompany July the 4th, let's pause to remember the price that our forefathers have paid throughout the centuries for the freedom and liberty to live in America.  Our liberties are blood-bought and blood-fought. 

Have you ever wondered what happened to those Founders who signed the famous document the Declaration of Independence?  Have you ever wondered what became of them for placing their lives on the line in order to break off from Great Britain and form an independent country?  I saw an essay from a website entitled, http://www.famguardian.org/ which mentions what happened to each of the signers of the Declaration of Independence as a result of the willingness to join in the cause for freedom.  I find it very interesting.

Have you ever wondered what happened to the fifty-six men who signed the Declaration of Independence?  This is the price they paid:

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.  Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.  Two lost their sons in the revolutionary army, another had two sons captured.  Nine of the fifty-six fought and died from wounds or hardships resulting from the Revolutionary War. 

These men signed, and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor!

What kind of men were they?  Twenty-five were lawyers or jurists.  Eleven were merchants.  Nine were farmers or large plantation owners.  One was a teacher, one a musician, one a printer.  Two were manufacturers, one was a minister.  These were men of means and education, yet they signed the Declaration of Independence, knowing full well that the penalty could be death if they were captured. 

Almost one third were under forty years old, eighteen were in their thirties, and three men were in their twenties.  Only seven were over sixty.  The youngest, Edward Rutledge of South Carolina, was twenty-six and a half, and the oldest, Benjamin Franklin, was seventy.  Three of the signers lived to be over ninety.  Charles Carroll died at the age of ninety-five.  Ten died in their eighties.

The first signer to die was John Morton of Pennsylvania.  At first his sympathies were with the British, but he changed his mind and voted for independence.  By doing so, his friends, relatives, and neighbors turned against him.  The ostracism hastened his death, and he lived only eight months after the signing.  His last words were, "tell them that they will live to see the hour when they shall acknowledge it to have been the most glorious service that I ever rendered to my country." 

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British navy.  He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags. 

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly.  He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding.  His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward. 

The signers were religious men, all being Protestant except Charles Carroll, who was a Roman Catholic.  Over half expressed their religious faith as being Episcopalian.  Others were Congregational, Presbyterian, Quaker, and Baptist.

Vandals or soldiers or both, looted the properties of Ellery, Clymer, Hall, Walter, Gwinnett, Heyward, Rutledge, and Middleton.

Perhaps one of the most inspiring examples of "undaunted resolution" was at the Battle of Yorktown.  Thomas Nelson, Jr. was returning from Philadelphia to become Governor of Virginia and joined General Washington just outside of Yorktown.  He then noted that British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters, but that the patriot's were directing their artillery fire all over the town except for the vicinity of his own beautiful home.  Nelson asked why they were not firing in that direction, and the soldiers replied, "Out of respect to you, Sir."  Nelson quietly urged General Washington to open fire, and stepping forward to the nearest cannon, aimed at his own house and fired.  The other guns joined in, and the Nelson home was destroyed.  Nelson died bankrupt, at age 51.

Caesar Rodney was another signer who paid with his life.  He was suffering from facial cancer, but left his sickbed at midnight and rode all night by horseback through a severe storm and arrived just in time to cast the deciding vote for his delegation in favor of independence.  His doctor told him the only treatment that could help him was in Europe.  He refused to go at this time of his country's crisis and it cost him his life.

Francis Lewis's Long Island home was looted and gutted, his home and properties destroyed.  His wife was thrown into a damp dark prison cell for two months without a bed.  Health ruined, Mrs. Lewis died from the effects of the confinement.  The Lewis's son would later die in British captivity, also.

"Honest John" Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she lay dying, when British and Hessian troops invaded New Jersey just months after he signed the Declaration.  Their thirteen children fled for their lives.  His fields and his grist mill were laid to waste.  All winter, and for more than a year, Hart lived in forests and caves, finally returning home to find his wife dead, his children vanished and his farm destroyed.  Rebuilding proved to be too great a task.  A few weeks later, by the Spring of 1779, John Hart was dead from exhaustion and a broken heart.

Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.

Richard Stockton, a New Jersey State Supreme Court Justice, had rushed back to his estate near Princeton after signing the Declaration of Independence to find that his wife and children were living like refugees with friends.  They had been betrayed by a Tory sympathizer who also revealed Stockton's own whereabouts.  British troops pulled him from his bed one night, beat him and threw him in jail where he almost starved to death.  When he was finally released, he went home to find his estate had been looted, his possessions burned, and his horses stolen.  Judge Stockton had been so badly treated in prison that his health was ruined and he died before the war's end, a broken man.  His surviving family had to live the remainder of their lives off charity.

William Ellery of Rhode Island, who marveled that he had seen only "undaunted resolution" in the faces of his co-signers, also had his home burned.

The Need for a Second American Revolution (Part 2)

As the Fourth of July is approaching us, there will be all kinds of picnics and celebrations commemorating the fourth.  There will be all kinds of fireworks displays.  Many will be visiting their loved ones and friends.  There will be many outdoor barbeques.  Another event that will be taking place is Vacation Liberty School, which is an offshoot of the 9/12 Project, which began in 2009.  Tomorrow our country will be celebrating 235 years of Independence, beginning with the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  America has undergone tremendous changes since its founding.  America has progressed from a rural community of farms to one of the most industrial nations on the face of the earth.  America's infrastructure has been greatly developed over the last 235 years.  There have been many wonderful advancements and innovations that have taken place to make us the envy of the world.  Consequently, in the midst of all the advancements America has made over the years, she has digressed socially, morally, and spiritually.  America was founded on the preaching of the Word of God.  The Puritans and Pilgrams who came to America were looking for a land where they could worship God as they chose.  They came here and dedicated Massachusetts to the Lord.  They were very serious about serving God and strove to live a life that was pleasing to the Lord.  That doesn't mean they were perfect, but the things of God were very important to them.  As a result, God has blessed this country.  There were great moves of God such as the First and Second Great Awakening in the 18th century.  Great preachers have roamed this country over the years thundering the gospel.  Men such as Jonathon Edwards, George Whitefield, D.L. Moody, Billy Sunday, Percy Ray, etc. preached the gospel with fervor and God used those men mightily in the history of this country.  Since the 20th century, America has digressed morally, socially, and spiritually.  Liberalism infiltrated the mainline denominations of our churches in this country and they no longer preached a salvation which demanded repentance.  Instead, they preached a message of collectivism.  They preached a social gospel which promoted the cause of social justice.  As a result, there are scores of people sitting in pews in our churches today that knew nothing of the doctrine of salvation or what old-time religion is.  Many churches know nothing of the holiness of God.  Instead the church is trying to accommodate to the world, which is tragic.  Today our churches are blending with the world.  You can hardly distinguish the church from the world. 

The problems that plague America are undoubtedly spiritual.  I do know we have many problems economically and politically.  However, those are the results of the spiritual condition this country is in.  I wrote a post last year entitled, "We Get the Government We Deserve."  I recall struggling with that thought at one time for the simple reason that today when we vote for candidates there's virtually no difference between the major political parties.  They're both part of the problem.  It's come to the point where you almost have to write a candidate on the voting ballot, which is something I've done.  I do understood that regardless who you vote for, nothing changes for the better.  However, I'm not basing the argument that we get the government we deserve concerning the crop of candidates we have today.  Our politicians are a reflection of who we are as a people.  What do I mean by that?  Just recently New York Congressman Anthony Weiner resigned due to pressure from the House leadership.  He was guilty of posting naked pictures of himself on his Twitter account.  He was also sexting women as well.  The reason for Weiner's resignation wasn't due to calls from the 9th Congressional district in New York demanding his resignation.  I believe if he were to run again next year, he would win re-election in his district.  That's an example of what I'm speaking of when I say we get the government we deserve.  We knowingly re-elect our politicians when they've proven they're corrupt and are perverted.  Take a look at Charles Rangel (D-NY), and Barney Frank (D-MA).  Both Congressmen should've already been voted out.  Charles Rangel was censured by the House last fall due to violations of the tax laws.  Yet the voters re-elected him in New York's 15th district.  In 2008, the mortgage meltdown took place and two of the banks that went down were Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  Barney Frank was chair of the Banking Committee in the House.  Yet he's won re-election twice since then.  When we knowingly re-elect politicians that have proven to be corrupt, we're getting the government we deserve.  I know their morals are a reflection upon those voters that vote for them today.  Many Americans don't care about the sex scandals our elected elite are involved in because many people in America fornicate.  So why would they care if their Representatives or Senators are fornicating?  That's part of the reason why we get the government we deserve.  If we were dissatisfied with the direction Congress was taking us, we would overwhelming vote out the incumbents in droves.  I'm thankful for all those that were voted out last November.  However, we need to continually purge out the House and Senate.  We need to repeat the same procedure in 2012. 

I will conclude this post next Sunday.  I will be speaking of what areas in American society need a second revolution.  I will give you a hint and say I'm not necessarily speaking of the government.  As much as I would like to see that happen, I don't think there's any legitimate way to reform our federal government.  I believe our government is too far gone down the road for any type of reform to take place.  Have a great Independence Day tomorrow!

Second American Revolution: Howard Phillips

Howard Phillips, former presidential candidate of the Taxpayers Party, speaks of the foundation of civil government. 

Part 1



Part 2



Part 3



Part 4

Anita Bryant: Battle Hymn of the Republic/America the Beautiful

Both songs are from Anita Bryant's album "Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory."

Statute of Liberty/Let Freedom Ring: The Cathedrals

Listen to the Cathedrals as they sing "Statute of Liberty" and "Let Freedom Ring". 

Statute of Liberty



Let Freedom Ring

A Canadian's Opinion of Americans--Tex Ritter

Tex Ritter does a recitation in a song about Gordon Sinclair's (a respected Canadian broadcaster) views of America from June 5, 1973 in his most famous radio editorial, "The Americans." 

The Boston Tea Party

Approximately three months ago on April 15, 2009, many communities across America staged their own tea parties in protest to the taxation and other policies of the Barack Obama administration. On Saturday, July 4, 2009 there will be communities staging another tea party. The Republicans of Crossville, Tennessee will be having its own tea party at 5:00 p.m. We definitely need tea parties to send a message to our government that what they're doing is un-American. There was another period in time when a tea party took place. It took place on December 16, 1773 when a group of colonists boarded the ships and destroyed the tea by dumping it into Boston Harbor. The Boston Tea Party was a precursor to the American Revolution in 1775.

The Boston Tea Party arose from two issues which confronted the British empire in 1773. One was the financial problems of the British East India Company. The other had to do with the extent of Parliament's authority. Parliament gave the East India Tea Company in 1698 a monopoly on the importation of tea. Parliament tried to eliminate competition by passing an act in 1721 that required the colonists to only import their tea from Great Britain. The East India Company had paid an ad valorem tax of 25% on tea that it had imported into Great Britain. Great Britain levied a tax on tea but the Dutch government in Holland didn't tax the tea so the British and American colonists could smuggle the tea at much cheaper prices. Therefore the East India Tea Company lost revenue so the British Parliament passed the Townshend Revenue Act of 1767, which levied new taxes, which included tea. Instead of dealing with the smuggling problem, Parliament's answer was to levy a tea tax on the American colonists. The colonists weren't happy about that and they protested with boycotts. Parliament finally repealed the taxes on everything except tea. The colonists still had to pay the tea tax.

Another issue with the colonists was the issue of Parliament directly taxing the American colonists. The colonists believed since they didn't elect members to Parliament, they shouldn't be directly taxed by Parliament. They questioned the extent of Parliament's authority in the colonies. According to the Whigs, the colonists could only be taxed by their own colonial assemblies.

The standoff came when Whig leader Samuel Adams called for a mass meeting to be held at Faneuil Hall on Novembe 29. Thousands of people arrived, so the the meeting was moved to the larger Old South Meeting House. The meeting passed a resolution and with the urging of Adams, urged the captain of the Dartmouth to send the ship back without paying the import duty. There were three ships in Boston Harbor that day. They were the Dartmouth, the Eleanor, and the Beaver which all arrived in Boston Harbor that day. That evening, there was a group of 30 to 130 men, some thinly disguised as Mohawk Indians, boarded the three vessels over the course of three hours. They dumped all 342 chests of tea into the water. It amounted to 90,000 pounds of tea. They were serious in their protest against the acts of Parliament. Samuel Adams defended the Boston Tea Party and said it was a principled protest and it was the only recourse the colonists took to defend their constitutional rights.

The Boston Tea Party did make waves through the colonies. As a result, the king order Boston Harbor closed and the colonists in Massachusetts punished as a result. However, the tea party as well as a series of other events eventually led to the war for American Independence from Great Britain. We need a SECOND AMERICAN REVOLUTION against those ruling our government today who seek to pose a Communist dictatorship.

Lest We Forget

Has there ever been a time that you had forgotten something important? You were headed out of town for some type of business meeting and you couldn't find your wallet or some written forms you needed for the trip. That can be quite embarrassing. As humans we are very prone to forget things on a daily basis. Whether it be small or large, we do tend to forget what we need. That's nothing compared to things we as a nation forget. Consequently, it's tragic when we forget as a country where we came from and those that have sacrificed on our behalf in past generations so we can enjoy the freedoms that we do today.

I like the song "Statute of Liberty" that I've heard the Cathedrals sing before. They pay tribute to the statute of liberty and then later they pay tribute to Jesus dying on Golgatha's hill. The freedoms we have as a country have been paid for by the blood of those soldiers out on the battlefield from the Revolutionary War to the present wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's easy to become misty-eyed when you think about the Civil War and how our country was torn apart fighting each other. I've been greatly moved when I've seen a picture of General Robert E. Lee surrendering to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia. It's aweing to see men of such stature like that fighting for our country's freedom.

I also become misty-eyed when I think of World War II and all those young soldiers fighting in Europe and in the Pacific Theater trying to fight the forces of tyranny around the world. I think of the bloody battle of Iwo Jima that was fought in February 1945 and the U.S. troops hoisting up the American flag in that momentous scene. What bravery and what sacrifice! When you see the graves of soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery it's a reminder of the cost to not only obtain freedom but to maintain it. We must be vigilant. We can always lose our freedoms and lose America as we know it.

One time a few years ago I saw a little poem in the U.S. post office in the town I live and it was giving tribute to the soldier. It said it was the soldier that gave us the right to free speech, the right to protest, and sadly, even the right to burn the U.S. flag. It was the shedding of blood that gave us our freedom. It was the blood that was spilled on the battleground by our soldiers that we have the right to worship God freely and to not be suppressed by tyranny. We have been truly blessed as a nation!

When thinking of America I have to go back in time 2000 years ago to Golgatha's hill where Jesus hung on the cross to shed his blood for the sins of mankind. That was what paid the ransom for sin and through that man could live and breathe in freedom. He wasn't bound by the chains of sin no more. The sacrifice Jesus paid on Calvary is why we can stand as a nation in freedom today. The blood of Jesus paved the way for there to be an America nearly 1800 years later. There's something about the shedding of blood that's pleasing in God's sight. Evidently it must be that since sin is so horrible, that's the only sacrifice that would be sufficient. When you read about blood sacrifices in the Old Testament, it started before the dispensation of the law. You read about Abel offering a lamb as a sacrifice before God and how God was pleased with it. There's something about the shedding of blood that's precious before God's eyes.

As we celebrate Independence Day tomorrow, let's remember the price that was paid at Calvary 2000 years ago as well as the sacrifices by our soldiers from the Revolutionary War until present--Lest we forget!