Vermont State Animal: Morgan Horse

State Animals 5 Minutes

From Horsey Hooves:

The Morgan horse is one of the earliest American horse breeds that still exist today. They are easy to recognize from their prominent eyes, arched necks, and graceful movement that captivates horse lovers around the world. Morgan horses are famous for their people-loving attitude, intelligence, and gentle nature. They have outstanding stamina and are extremely versatile, performing well in both English and Western disciplines.  Morgans are a popular choice for equine therapy, driving, and stock purposes. A typical Morgan stands between 14.1 and 15.2 hands at the withers, but some are outside this range. The most common colors in the breed are black, bay and chestnut, but many others are acceptable, including pinto.

Here are eleven facts about Morgan horses.

Morgan Horses Are One of the First Horse Breeds Developed in the Us

The Morgan horse is, in fact, the second native American horse breed. The first breed to develop in the United States was the now-extinct Narragansett Pacer. However, no existing American horse breed can trace its ancestry as far back as the Morgan horse.

The Morgan breed was an indispensable asset to Americans in the 19th century. Other than general riding, they worked as coach horses, partook in harness races, and were the go-to cavalry mounts in the American Civil War. Between 1906 and 1951, the US Department of Agriculture bred Morgan horses specifically for war.

The Morgan Horse Club, later called the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA), was established in 1909. Prior to 1909, only horses deemed by Colonel Joseph Battell to be the descendants of Figure were regarded as Morgan horses (Source: AMHA). Many other breed registries followed in the next few decades, spread across the United States, Europe, and Oceania.

“The Horse That Chooses You”

Due to their remarkable ability to connect with people, the AMHA dubbed the Morgan horse “The Horse That Chooses You.” This phrase also serves as the registry’s slogan, and many enthusiasts use it to refer to the breed.

The Founding Sire of the Morgan Breed Is Figure

All Morgan horses today descend from one foundation sire called Figure. Figure was a stallion of unknown origins born in 1789 and given to Justin Morgan as debt payment. Recognizing the stallion’s unique ability to pass on his best traits, Justin Morgan used Figure to create a new breed. While his pedigree is not known, it is thought that Figure’s sire was a Thoroughbred stallion called True Briton. Moreover, his dam was likely a mare of Arabian and Barb breeding, according to the AMHA.

Figure was believed to be 14 hands tall, lightly built, and weighed around 1,000 pounds (450 kg). His owner, Justin Morgan, was a man of many professions. Born in 1747, he was a musician, horse breeder, and tavern keeper, among other things. Following his success with Figure, the stallion was named after him, and “Morgan” became the name of the new breed.

Interestingly, Figure only sired six known sons throughout his career as a stud. Three of his offspring went on to become prominent foundation stallions in the breed, namely Sherman, Bulrush, and Woodbury.  One of his sons, called Black Hawk, became a foundation sire for the American Saddlebred, Standardbred, and Tennessee Walking Horse breeds.

There Are Four Main Bloodlines Within the Morgan Breed

The four primary bloodlines in the Morgan breed are the Brunk, Lippitt, Government, and Western Working “families.” These bloodlines originate from breeding programs conducted in the 1800s and 1900s. Each of these families has slightly different traits, depending on which breeding program they descend from.

The Brunk family was started by horse breeder Joseph Brunk in Illinois. Horses from this family are renowned for their athleticism and soundness. They are well-muscled and slightly heavier built than their distant cousins.

The Lippitt breeding program was named after Robert Lippitt Knight, who maintained a high level of purity in his horses. Lippitt Morgans had no outside influence in the last century, and most bloodlines trace directly back to Figure. Lippitt Morgans are the rarest of the four bloodlines, with less than 1,000 horses in existence.

The horses of the Government family descend from the cavalry mounts bred by the USDA. In 1951, the University of Vermont took over the breeding program, purchasing most of the breeding stock. Morgans from this family are by far the most abundant in numbers.

The Western Working family is a collective category for Morgans that descend from working and stock horses. Many of these horses trace their ancestry to stallions from the Government family that were shipped to western states.

There Are Nearly 90,000 Registered Morgans Worldwide

According to the AMHA, there were around 89,000 registered Morgans in the world in 2015. As for the number of Morgan horses that exist worldwide, the grand total is estimated to be between 175,000 and 180,000. While the breed is most popular in the United States, larger Morgan populations exist in Sweden and the United Kingdom. By 2012, the AMHA has registered approximately 179,000 horses over its lifetime. Moreover, according to the United States Equestrian Federation, over 3,000 foals are registered with the association each year.

Morgans Have Influenced Many American Horse Breeds

Since Morgans were among the first horse breeds developed in the United States, it’s not surprising that they influenced many other American horse breeds. A few examples are the American Quarter Horse, Saddlebred, Standardbred, and the Tennessee Walking Horse. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the Morgan breed made its way around the world, further extending its influence. In England, for example, a Morgan stallion contributed to the developing Hackney horse.

The Morgan Horse Is a National Pride

When it comes to the Morgan horse, there is much to be proud of. These fine little horses are not only intelligent, but have proven their worth against larger and stronger horse breeds. Today, the Morgan horse is the state animal of not one, but two American states. In 1961, Vermont pronounced the Morgan their state animal, and Massachusetts did the same in 1970.

The Morgan Horse Appears in Literature and Film

The Morgan breed featured in the works of several children’s authors, including Ellen Feld and Marguerite Henry. Two books of Feld’s “Morgan Horse” series received awards from the Children’s Book Council and the International Reading Association. What’s more, Marguerite Henry’s “Justin Morgan Had a Horse” became a Newbery Honor Book in 1946. Even more exciting, the book was turned into a Disney movie in 1972. Although Henry’s story didn’t always stay true to historical facts and was misleading in certain aspects, critics say.

Morgan Horses Are Easy Keepers and Have Long Lives

The average lifespan of a Morgan horse is 20 to 30 years. It’s not unusual that Morgans live well into their 30s, making them one of the longest-living horse breeds in the world. There are very few genetic diseases in the breed, which contributes greatly to their long and healthy lives. Morgan Horses also keep well on a forage-only diet and require little to no grain. In fact, they are prone to becoming overweight if their diet is not monitored regularly.

Some Morgan Horses Are Gaited

While the Morgan isn’t a gaited breed, some horses can perform special gaits such as the pace, fox trot, or rack. Their pacing ability originates in the 19th century when Morgan Horses were popular in harness racing.  Breeders developed both trotting and pacing Morgans for competition, hence why some horses can pace today. Experts believe the gaited ability is not linked to any specific bloodlines and shows up spontaneously within the breed. It most likely originates from crosses with gaited horses early on in the Morgan’s development.

Morgans Were the First to Represent the Us in the World Pairs Driving Competition

This horse breed really is full of surprises! The Morgan horse was the first American breed to earn a place in the World Pairs Driving competition, outperforming all other native breeds. As it turns out, Morgan horses are just as talented in harness as under saddle. They often appear in driving competitions worldwide, bringing pride to the American nation.

SOURCE: HORSEYHOOVES.COM

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Published by pat frederick

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87 thoughts on “Vermont State Animal: Morgan Horse”

    1. Good morning! 36 here and raining – yuck! No sign of Wheezer overnight – the tuna was untouched. Shacking up again, no doubt! Morgans are wonderful horses that trace back to the Arabian, like every other light breed in the world.

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Just The News: “President Donald Trump on Friday called for a federal investigation into major meatpacking companies, accusing foreign-owned firms of colluding to inflate beef prices in the United States.

    In a post on social media, Trump said he had urged the Department of Justice to launch a probe into what he described as “illicit collusion, price fixing, and price manipulation” by large meat processors. He did not provide specific examples of collusion.

    The announcement came days after Republican losses in several closely watched elections, where Democrats had centered their campaigns on affordability.

    Trump framed the meat issue as one of both economic fairness and national security, saying American ranchers were being unfairly blamed for price hikes.

    “We will always protect our American ranchers,” Trump wrote. He accused “majority foreign-owned meat packers” of threatening the nation’s food supply by “artificially inflating prices.”

    Liked by 1 person

    1. my SIL talks about this all the time. small cattle farmers wait forever to get their livestock butchered while the larger farms get preference. they need more plants, but the big processors fight that.

      Liked by 1 person

  7. “We have breaking news: The U.S. Treasury Department has launched a sweeping investigation into 8(a) small business contracts worth $9 billion, following O’Keefe Media Group’s undercover sting. Announced on November 6, 2025, this probe targets potential fraud in “pass-through” schemes, where firms may have funneled deals to unqualified subcontractors. The Treasury and Small Business Administration (SBA) are now conducting a full audit, spurred by our exposé of ATI Government Solutions’ hundreds of millions in alleged 8(a) federal contract fraud.

    This development builds on our earlier investigation, detailed in undercover footage released on October 20, 2025, where ATI Contract Manager Melayne Cromwell admitted to outsourcing 80% of work while securing no-bid contracts. The Wall Street Journal’s exclusive report (Treasury Probes Contract Program Tied to About $9 Billion in Small-Business Deals) confirms the scale of this scandal, with officials eyeing systemic abuse across the program.

    Secretary Bessent recently stated; “The Treasury Department will not tolerate fraudulent misuse of federal contracting programs. These initiatives must benefit legitimate small businesses that deliver measurable value to the government and the public.”

    SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler also weighed in by stating; “Grateful for the partnership in ending this shell-game. Federal contracting set-aside programs based on race have been abused for decades. The SBA is taking action, including a government-wide audit of the 8 (a) Program, to stop massive fraud and to safeguard billions in taxpayer dollars.”

    But that’s not all. U.S House Oversight Committee formally summons former Prince Andrew to assist in renewed probe into Jeffrey Epstein’s network, citing evidence that he may have been directly involved in or had knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and subsequent cover-ups.

    “Well-documented allegations against you, along with your long-standing friendship with Mr. Epstein, indicate that you may possess knowledge of his activities relevant to our investigation.”

    While his fall stems from personal scandals, it raises questions about elite privilege—could this mirror the unchecked power we’ve uncovered in federal contracting? Are networks of influence, whether royal or corporate, exploiting systems for profit? We’re digging deeper to find out.

    What’s Next? The Treasury’s audit could expose billions more in waste, while the SBA’s prior suspension of ATI (announced October 21, 2025) and coordination with the Department of Justice signal a crackdown. Stay tuned for updates as we pursue the truth.”

    Liked by 1 person

  8. EXCERPT: “Numerous confidential informants alerted the FBI prior to the Jan. 6, 2021 riot that there was the strong possibility of “armed” conflict at the U.S. Capitol, but that intelligence was not disbursed aggressively enough to force a change in security that fateful day, the first congressman to review those source reports tells Just the News.

    Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., the chairman of the House Judiciary subcommittee investigating Jan. 6 law enforcement failures, said he was floored to see the specificity of threats and the consistency in warnings that multiple confidential human sources provided the FBI and that the intelligence was serious enough that it should have prompted more security and possibly even a cancellation of President Donald Trump’s speech that day on the Ellipse. 

    Loudermilk said the intelligence reports came weeks and days in advance of the Capitol riot from about two dozen informants embedded in radical groups around the country and that many of those informants came to the Capitol to keep assisting the FBI.

    “I was surprised that we found this significant intelligence that was derived from these people embedded in these organizations,” he said Friday night in an expansive interview on the “Just the News, No Noise” television show. “There is no way that at least the Washington Field Office or the FBI headquarters was not aware that there were elements, not the entire crowd. There were elements of people coming to Washington, DC with the intent of attacking the Capitol of the United States.”

    The Georgia lawmaker credited current FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi for giving him access to the intelligence reports of the informants and said that it opened a whole new avenue of inquiry into whether some elements inside the FBI withheld intelligence that could have helped Capitol Police better prepare or repel the violence that occurred that day.

    “We’re really having a hard time finding really any tangible reports that were sent to the Capitol Police or other agencies. And so my question is, what did they know? When did they know it, and what did they do with the information?” he said.

    “I can tell you unequivocally, they had to know that there was something not only bad going to happen, but the reports coming from these confidential human sources, not just one, but multiple sources from multiple organizations across multiple field offices across the nation, were reporting the same thing,” he added……”

    https://justthenews.com/government/security/j6-shocker-fbi-informants-warned-armed-violence-antifa-presence-riot-lawmaker

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Just The News: “Georgia lawyer Bob Cheeley said Friday that President Trump called to say he was issuing him a pardon in connection with his involvement in the 2020 election results in his state. Cheeley was indicted in 2023.

    “Although I did not have any idea that a Presidential Pardon was even being considered, I want to thank President Trump for calling me and telling me that he was issuing a federal pardon for my efforts to conduct an audit of the absentee ballots of Fulton County in connection with the 2020 election,” Cheeley said in as statement obtained by Just the News.

    The White House had not as of Friday night appeared to post a statement in regard to such a pardon. 

    “The only thing I ever wanted was transparency from Fulton County,” Cheeley also wrote in his statement. “If the county has nothing to hide, it should allow DOJ to examine these ballots. The Supreme Court and Court of Appeals of Georgia have held that Fulton must allow the ballots to be examined, yet today the County announced it would defy the DOJ request to do so!”

    Cheeley was charged with violation of the Georgia RICO Act, conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer, conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree (two counts), conspiracy to commit false statements and writings (two counts), conspiracy to commit filing false documents, solicitation of violation of oath by public officer, false statements and writings, and perjury, according to WSBTV.com.

    Cheeley was among the 19 people including President Donald Trump accused of conspiring to change the election results. He was indicted by Fulton County Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis.

    Cheeley allegedly gave state legislators video clips that he said showed election workers handling ballots at State Farm Arena, claiming that the poll workers double and triple counted votes, WSB also reported.

    “Fulton County needs to stop trying to conceal the truth so that this misconduct is never repeated and Georgians can have faith in the fairness of elections. Thank you President Trump for ensuring that God’s truth keeps matching on!” Cheeley also wrote Friday.”

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Just The News: “President Donald Trump has granted clemency to former Major League Baseball star Darryl Strawberry, according to news reports Friday. Strawberry pleaded guilty in 1995 to tax evasion.

    Trump, a White House official said, “has approved a pardon for Darryl Strawberry, three-time World Series champion and eight-time MLB All-Star,” according to CNN. 

    “Mr. Strawberry served time and paid back taxes after pleading guilty to one count of tax evasion,” the official also told the news outlet, citing  his subsequent sobriety, his Christian faith, and his efforts to start a recovery center in Florida.”

    Liked by 1 person

  11. From Fox: According to a study done in the UK, people who took melatonin regularly for 1+ year were 3X more likely to be hospitalized for heart failure; 2X more likely to die during the study period. Dr. Siegel on Fox claims it is a wake-up call to ensure people are coordinating it with their regular doctor and it shouldn’t be sold OTC.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. folks over at wolf’s had been talking about melatonin for a few days it seems and no one has experienced any side effects–in fact they say it’s doing them good…so I don’t know…

      Liked by 1 person

              1. Apparently so: “Melatonin is a hormone primarily produced by the pineal gland in the brain in response to darkness, serving as a key regulator of the sleep-wake cycle, also known as the circadian rhythm. It helps the body prepare for sleep by signaling the brain to lower core body temperature and induce drowsiness, thereby promoting the onset and maintenance of sleep. Its production is suppressed by light exposure, making it a crucial biological marker for the transition from day to night. 

                Beyond sleep regulation, melatonin plays roles in synchronizing seasonal physiological processes such as reproduction and hibernation in animals, and it functions as a potent antioxidant, protecting cells from oxidative stress.”

                Liked by 1 person

  12. OH SHIT!!! I just pulled up the blinds on the patio door and…..IT’S SNOWING!!!! Big, fluffy flakes and thick enough that it’s already accumulating!!! I know it won’t last but still…..SMH.

    Liked by 1 person

  13. sync

    November 8, 2025 9:02 am

    Somalian restaurant in Minneapolis took $12 million in federal child meal payments

    They said they were feeding 4,000-6,000 kids a day. They only averaged 40 people during 6 weeks

    They created fake names and invoices, Minneapolis Department of Education was aware and did nothing… pic.twitter.com/LrtKPSMeuq

    — Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) November 8, 2025

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Liked by 1 person

  16. Just The News: “While the government shutdown continues, President Trump on Sunday urged Senate Republicans to send the Obamacare subsidy money directly to taxpayers rather than to the insurance companies.

    “I am recommending to Senate Republicans that the Hundreds of Billions of Dollars currently being sent to money sucking Insurance Companies in order to save the bad Healthcare provided by ObamaCare, BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN PURCHASE THEIR OWN, MUCH BETTER, HEALTHCARE, and have money left over,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

    “In other words, take from the BIG, BAD Insurance Companies, give it to the people, and terminate, per Dollar spent, the worst Healthcare anywhere in the World, ObamaCare. Unrelated, we must still terminate the Filibuster!” he added.

    Senate Democrats are advocating for a one-year extension of the Obamacare premium subsides that they put in place during the pandemic when former President Biden was in office.

    Trump and Senate Republicans have argued that Democrats should support the temporary funding bill that would reopen the government and negotiate healthcare issues separately. 

    Trump has said the Senate GOP should eliminate the 60-vote threshold to pass legislation in order to reopen the government.”

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Instead of the government using taxpayer dollars for the citizens’ healthcare, they should force the medical community to stop fleecing those same citizens so they can afford their own healthcare.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. and get rid of the MIDDLEMAN!! when they created those (i forget their actual name), the ones who are supposed to negotiate for lower prices, they just created another freakin’ level we have to pay for!

          Liked by 1 person

  23. God Bless Our Veterans

    “There is a place in our Nation’s Capitol where silence does the speaking, where a single post is kept without pause, in heat, in cold, in storm, by sentinels who march not for applause, but for honor. Beneath that sacred stone rests not one man, nor one battle, but every warrior whose life was given in defense of liberty, yet whose name history could not record. No rank. No medals. Only a Nation’s eternal promise, “you will not be forgotten.”

    On this Veterans Day Weekend, that promise extends to all who have ever worn the uniform, those known and unknown, those who returned home and those who rest forever on distant soil, those whose names we read aloud and those carried only in the hearts of their families.

    It reminds us that the worth of a Soldier is not measured by the praise he receives, but by the sacrifice he renders. For liberty is not secured by proclamations or public display, but by those steadfast souls who laid down their own tomorrows, that their fellow citizens might yet inherit the blessings of a free and sovereign people.

    As citizens of the Republic they died to defend, our duty is clear to ensure that the Nation they served remains one worthy of defending.

    God bless our Veterans and the families who stood beside them.”

    Michael T. Flynn LTG USA (RET), Nov 08, 2025

    Liked by 1 person

  24. “When AI Meets Armageddon: The New Path to Nuclear Escalation”

    Michael T. Flynn LTG USA (RET), Nov 08, 2025

    “The global nuclear landscape is no longer defined solely by missiles, megatons, or launch silos. It is now shaped by power grids, satellite constellations, brittle economies, unstable governments, and algorithms making life-or-death decisions at machine speed.

    For decades, nuclear deterrence relied on simple logic, rational actors, predictable red lines, and enough time to think before pressing a button. That world no longer exists. Today, the most likely path to nuclear escalation is not a premeditated strike, but rather miscalculation, system failure, or an AI-driven false alarm.

    The latest composite escalation index, compiled from open-source intelligence, declassified reports, and real-time monitoring, now stands at 17 on a 1–25 scale, placing the world firmly within the High-Risk Zone. Nuclear weapons may not be staged for imminent launch, but the threshold for their use is quietly eroding.

    The New Flashpoints: No Intent Required.

    Russia has revised its nuclear doctrine and withdrawn from the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Deep-strike operations are now targeting dual-use Russian bases. Cyber and space attacks are degrading early-warning networks. None of these scenarios requires intent to start a war, only one misread signal, one spoofed satellite feed, one blackout interpreted as a first strike. Across every domain, indicators are flashing red:

    • Russia has widened circumstances for nuclear first-use.
    • Strategic strikes blur conventional and nuclear lines.
    • Cyber intrusions and satellite attacks are now routine.
    • Europe’s fragile winter energy grid is vulnerable to both coercion and collapse.

    Meanwhile, U.S. global defense spending has reached a record $2.7 trillion. Political instability is growing within multiple nuclear states. Climate-driven resource shortages are exacerbating regional conflicts. And no active confidence-building measures or hotline tests exist between major powers.

    Source

    Cross-Domain Trigger Paths: Faster Than Human Reflex

    Several interconnected “trigger paths” now make escalation more likely than at any time since the Cuban Missile Crisis:

    1. A blackout in Ukraine or Europe could provoke NATO intervention.
    2. Cyberattacks on satellites could be misinterpreted as a pre-launch signal.
    3. Fiscal stress and populism are incentivizing hardline postures over diplomacy.
    4. AI-driven automation is reducing decision time from minutes to seconds, leaving humans barely “in the loop,” let alone in control.

    The danger is no longer just nuclear weapons; it is the collapse of the systems that prevent them from being used.

    The Strategic Pivot: Deterrence Beyond Missiles

    Strategically, the implications are clear: nuclear deterrence is now as dependent on energy resilience, cyber integrity, and economic stability as it is on missile inventories. The distinction between conventional and strategic warfare is no longer clear. Political fatigue in the West risks underestimating how quickly a localized accident, such as a reactor outage, spoofed radar, or AI misread, can trigger a global escalation.

    The window is shrinking, but not closed, as one senior commander summarized: “We are no longer measuring only kilotons and missiles; we are measuring stress across the systems that keep nations functioning.”

    If arms control and energy stabilization do not return to scale, the next nuclear crisis will not begin with a launch order. It will begin with an outage, an algorithm, or an accident.

    Leaders must prioritize cross-domain resilience hardening grids, securing space assets, and rebuilding diplomatic off-ramps before the next false alarm becomes irreversible. The age of AI-augmented Armageddon is here.

    We either adapt the architecture of deterrence, or we inherit the consequences.”

    Liked by 1 person

  25. “American Christians Must Learn the Lesson Our European Brothers and Sisters Missed — Too often we look at statistics like church attendance or belief polls when we should be listening to what’s happening in churches here and abroad.”

    JD Rucker, Nov 08, 2025

    “The church in Europe didn’t collapse overnight. It withered slowly—generation by generation—as the light of the Gospel was dimmed by compromise, complacency, and the seductive comfort of cultural acceptance. Today, most of Europe’s grand cathedrals are hollow monuments—tourist attractions rather than houses of worship.

    Faith, once the backbone of Western civilization, has been replaced by secular humanism, bureaucratic globalism, and moral confusion. The question confronting America now is simple: will we learn from Europe’s downfall, or repeat it?

    The Spectator recently published a sobering warning: European Christianity has been “decimated” not by persecution, but by surrender. In nation after nation, the church chose popularity over purity, silence over truth, and inclusivity over conviction. From the Church of England’s open embrace of gender ideology to Germany’s taxpayer-funded “state churches” preaching climate repentance instead of sin repentance, the once-mighty Christian foundations of Europe have become spiritual ruins.

    And yet, many American churches seem determined to follow the same suicidal path.

    The warning signs are flashing here at home. In the U.S., attendance across mainline denominations continues to plummet while the number of “nones” — those claiming no religious affiliation — is at an all-time high. Younger generations, raised on a diet of relativism and self-worship, are leaving the faith not because they’ve found better answers, but because the church stopped giving any.

    The pulpit has gone soft. Instead of preaching repentance, many pastors offer therapy sessions wrapped in Scripture. Instead of calling sin by name, they call it “personal growth.” Instead of preparing believers for persecution, they prepare them for brand partnerships and social media applause.

    Meanwhile, the forces that gutted Europe’s faith are now institutionalized in America’s schools, corporations, and government. The same globalist ideology that replaced cathedrals with bureaucracies in Brussels is being imported through Washington. The same moral relativism that emptied pews in Paris now fills classrooms in California. And the same political correctness that silenced the Gospel in London is now demanding that American Christians “update” their faith to fit the modern age.

    Europe is what happens when Christianity trades truth for tolerance and holiness for humanism. When believers stop evangelizing, stop defending the Word, and stop living distinctively Christian lives, the culture doesn’t become neutral — it becomes hostile.

    A vacuum of faith never stays empty; it gets filled by something else. In Europe’s case, that “something else” has been atheism, Islam, and the worship of the state.

    America still has a window of mercy. Revival remains possible — but not without repentance. We must reject the temptation to become a “safe,” socially acceptable Christianity that never offends, never challenges, and never stands against the tide.

    Jesus didn’t say, “Go and make converts to comfort.” He said, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” That command hasn’t changed, even if our culture has.

    Our European brothers and sisters missed the warning because the decay felt polite. It came wrapped in good intentions: inclusion, modernity, progress. But it ended with silence — and the death of conviction. American Christians cannot afford that illusion. We are called to be salt and light, not sugar and fog. The Gospel was never meant to blend in.

    If we truly love our nation, we must first love the truth more than the approval of the world. We must remember that the decline of Europe began not when governments turned against the church, but when the church turned against its own God-given authority. The same spiritual battle is now on our soil, and neutrality is not an option.

    America doesn’t need a new version of Christianity — it needs a return to the original. One grounded in repentance, courage, and the unchanging Word of God. If we fail to stand now, we will one day tour our empty churches as Europeans do — as relics of a faith that once shaped nations but lost its will to live.”

    Liked by 1 person

        1. it was just over the border in NY…along the river–sitting in a tree that lost its leave already–so it was easy to spot!
          AND we saw a really small raccoon in the driveway. Hubby says he saw it in the same place a 2 days ago. And it didn’t run away into the woods at first. just ran a little, then looked back at us. then ran a little more and looked back. finally it jumped into the woods. strange. it was still light when we left and they’re not usually out then.

          Liked by 1 person

  34. Just The News: “A manhunt is underway for a man who allegedly shot at U.S. Border Patrol agents on Saturday in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood during an immigration operation. A black Jeep suddenly sped away after its driver allegedly opened fire at federal immigration officers executing an enforcement action, according to Fox News.

    As the vehicle fled, bystanders threw paint cans and bricks at federal vehicles, and law enforcement deployed a flash-bang device amid a crowd that had surrounded the scene for several blocks. 

    According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, this type of confrontation exemplifies a growing trend of violence and obstruction directed at federal agents. 

    City Alderman Alderman Michael Rodriguez publicly accused the federal agents of unlawful conduct, saying their presence had created fear and chaos in the community. The Chicago Police Department cleared the scene after being called in for backup.”

    Liked by 1 person

  35. “My little sister is a quilter, and this is the one she just completed. Whoa!! Good job sis!”

    “The Incredulity of Thomas (“Doubting Thomas”) and other frescoes at Peribleptos Monastery in Mystras, which was founded by the despot Manuel Kantakouzenos and his wife Isabelle de Lusignan between the years 1365 and 1374.”

    “AI cyborg-ette is assessing your social credit score.”

    Liked by 1 person

  38. ❤️ World’s Longest-Married Couple Shares Their Secret

    Eleanor (107) and Lyle Gittens (108) of Miami have been married for 83 years. Their secret?

    “We love each other.”

    That’s it. That’s the post. Love outlives politics, AI, and even the end of the Farmers’ Almanac…

    🐕 Golden Retriever Becomes Google Street View Star

    A dog named Maru followed a photographer around Jukdo Island, South Korea, appearing in over 1,000 images.
    He’s now the face of the island — and arguably better at navigation than Apple Maps.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Show this to your hubby – H/T Rodney

        Liked by 1 person

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