Christian
In life, there are things you never expected to live through, and your younger sister going to Heaven before you, is one of those things. Nevertheless, that is what happened on April 23, 2025, when my sister, Alena Stevens went home to Heaven. I know where my sister is, because she was a strong spirit-filled believer, who knew Jesus as her Lord and Savior, but for those of us left behind, every day is a challenge, with memories of her, texts we don’t get from her now, the sister dinners without her, the holiday parties now one short, the sister prayer warriors and the sister birthday greetings, also now one short. And her family now must go forward without wife, mother, and grandmother. It is so very sad for us, but for Alena, life goes infinitely forward, and it is amazing…a life we can only imagine.
Alena was a cute little girly girl, and we always knew that she would have a flare for the beautiful. She loved cutting hair, especially her own. Mom was not always a fan of that, because it meant fixing Alena’s “new do” that was invariably very short. Alena’s hair was fine, so shorter cuts worked on her, and really helped to thicken it, but since all the rest of us had long hair, Alena’s short haired look was a sure sign that she had managed to get a hold of the scissors again. While her personal cuts were a trial for our mom, Collene Spencer, Alena was also Mom’s personal hair stylist, cutting her hair and always making Mom’s hair look beautiful for her. Alena never went to cosmetology school, but rather she became an amazing educational support member. Instead, she passed that hair talent, on to her youngest child, daughter, Lacey Killinger, who did go to cosmetology school and now owns her own salon. I know that was a proud moment for my sister. Lacey’s marriage to Chris, also brought Alena two treasured grandchildren, Brooklyn and Jaxon. She loved them very much.
Alena always had a flair for decorating too. Her home is beautiful, and her style always shines through. I never thought of her as an artist, but I think she was to a great degree. Some of the ideas she used on things were stunning. She just knew what colors would look well together and she could mix design styles and have it come out beautifully. I always thought Alena’s daughter, Michelle Miller got her artistic ability from our mom, but when I think about it now, I can see that it was from her mom. Michelle went on to college and got her degree 
in art and education. I know her mom was very proud of her. When Michelle married her middle school sweetheart, Matt, it was such a happy day for Alena. She always knew they were perfect for each other.
While Alena was never a welder, and like her sisters, would have no clue how to begin, her son Garrett followed in the footsteps of our dad, Allen Spencer, and became an excellent welder. I know that was a proud moment for Alena. She thought it was very cool that Garrett took to welding just like Dad. Garrett has not only excelled in welding but is now a trained inspector too. Alena was so proud the day he passed that really tough test. When Garrett and his wife, Kayla began having children, Alena graduated to the rank of “Grandma” and she was delighted beyond words. The time she spent with Elliott and Maya was absolutely wonderful for her, and she gloried in it.
While Alena was mom and grandma, and treasured both roles, it was the life she and Mike created that was absolutely blissful. Alena and Mike were perfect for each other from the very start. Anyone who knew them could easily see how much they loved each other. Theirs was a marriage made in Heaven, and a love that will last forever. The love and kindness they showed each other was the glue that sustained them through more that 40 years of marriage. Their Christian faith flourished through the years too, and they brought their children up to love the Lord too. That is an accomplishment to be very proud of. The last few months that Alena was with us, were the hardest we have ever faced, but Mike carried the heaviest load. Since they were both retired, Mike was home with her, and he was her main support. My sisters and I were so pleased and impressed with the care that Mike gave her. Of course, I’m sure Mike would just say something like, “of course I did, I love her,” but we have all been caregivers, and we know what it entails. No matter how much a caregiver loves their patient or loved one, caregiving is not easy. Mike didn’t care about how hard it was. Alena was the love of his life, his world, and he gave her the very best care, love, and attention we have ever seen. For that we are both proud of Mike and thankful to him. We couldn’t have asked for a better brother-in-law.
Today marks Alena’s 64 birthday, and the first one in Heaven. None of us can believe this is real, but we are 
slowly facing the finality of it. The entire Stevens family is in my thoughts and prayers today, as they face the first of many of her birthdays without Alena. Happy first birthday in Heaven, Alena. I know the party there will be way better than any we could put on here, but we sure wish you were here anyway. We love and miss you very much.
There are few things that feel as strange as having your sibling graduate to Heaven. Like it or not, at some point, you expect your parents to go home, but a sibling, especially a younger sibling…well, you just don’t expect it. My sister, Alena Stevens was a beautiful woman inside and out, and we always thought she would be with us. Nevertheless, on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, Alena quietly slipped from this Earth and woke up in Heaven. We know where she is and we know that she is happy…very happy, but for those of us left behind, this is really hard. It has been especially hard for her sweet husband, Mike Stevens, because he has lost his life partner, and he loved her so very much. It’s also been very hard on their children, Michelle (Matt) Miller, Garrett (Kayla) Stevens, and Lacey (Chris) Killinger, and the grandkids, Elliott Stevens, Maya Stevens, Brooklyn Killinger, and Jaxon Killinger.
Our childhood was really what I would call idyllic. We had great parents, who took us on many trips around the United States. We traveled by car…and old station wagon, and as was typical in those days, we got to hang out in the far back end of the wagon. No one wore seatbelts in those days, and laying in the back end with the sun shining on us made for a warm little nest we played and sang songs as we traveled. With five girls, our parents found that singing was a great way to pass the time as we traveled, and thus avoid the inevitable question, “Are we there yet?” I don’t recall really ever dealing with that on our travels, but I remember that Alena loved to prank us. She had a great sense of humor, and she might pull a prank quietly, and then be seen trying to hide a giggle as the prank played out. She did delight in that, and she was very good at it. I don’t think there was one of us who didn’t “fall victim” to an Alena prank at one time or another…and when she got you, she always had this satisfied little grin that would light up her face.
While pranking and teasing were both in her nature, so was loving kindness. Alena had a soft heart, and that 
made her a natural-born teacher-educational support member. Alena spent most of her working years as an educational support member at Verda James Elementary School, where she left a legacy of shaping young minds. Her students loved her and the teachers and staff she worked with couldn’t have asked for a better friend. She had a soft, gently way about her, and she had a heart for people. She had a way of settling down a student who was upset, and the students never forgot her kindness to them. Both students and staff have stayed friends with her for many years. For years, Alena was a fixture at Verda James Elementary School, and when she retired on June 8, 2020, it left an empty place there.
After her retirement, she went on to do the things she had looked forward to for years. Alena loved her role as wife, mother, and grandmother, and spent as much time with each of them as she could. Alena and Mike loved traveling, golfing, watching television, and going to her happy place…Pathfinder Reservoir. She always loved the lake. She thrived there. Alena was so proud of her children, and the adults they became. She watched them learn and grow, and was thrilled at the paths each of them chose. She knew then so well that she knew long before they grew up, exactly what field they would go into. She could see it in their personalities. When the grandchildren, Elliott Stevens, Maya Stevens, Brooklyn Killinger, and Jaxon Killinger came along, Alena was thrilled. She would spend as much time as she could with them. They all love her very much.
Over the years, our sister group has seen many phases. Childhood to adulthood. Friends to Prayer Warriors. As this new reality began, I felt like there was a “chink” in the armor of the Sister Prayer Warriors, but then the Lord reminded me that Alena is still praying with us, as are our parents, they just pray from a different location. It’s good to think of our close-knit sister group still being intact, and I know we will all get used to this 
new reality at some point, but we will never stop missing Alena. It is really awful to have to say, “goodbye for now” to our sister, because we can’t imagine life without her in it. Still, we know that she would not want us to be sad, so we will remember all the good times and look forward to when we will see her again. We love you Alena, and we miss you so very much.
As I reflect on Resurrection Day 2025, I feel so thankful that we have been forgiven. The Bible states in Romans 8:1, “[There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.” Christ took all our brokenness, all our sins, all our shame, and gave is freedom, forgiveness, and the knowledge that our Father loves us, no matter what mistakes we have made, and even what evil we have done. No matter how evil man can be, and we all know that we have the ability to be very evil, when we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and understand the power of His sacrifice on the cross at Calvary, we are made new, and we are forgiven.
Before we were saved, we were lost in our sin and condemned to Hell. There was no hope because the wages of sin is death, and God could not compromise that. If he had made even one exception our world would have imploded. The world was created on the goodness, holiness, and perfectness of God. To say it was ok for one person to sin and no payment to be made for atonement, would have completely compromised the very power of God that was holding our world together. So, God had to come up with a plan that could fix broken man 
without compromising His goodness and perfectness. He needed a man who had not sinned to pay for all those who did, even though He was innocent of any wrongdoing.
It would take a long time to find a man on the earth who was willing to partner with God to bring this to pass, because God was now outside of His creation looking in. God had given man the authority over this earth, knowing that it was very possible, and even probable that man would sin and mess the whole thing up. Why would God do that? It was because God didn’t want a world full of robots. He wanted a family…sons, daughters, grandkids. Truly, God is a dad, and as a dad, He knows that His kids aren’t perfect. Nevertheless, He loves each and every one of us…so much so, that He was willing to ask His son, Jesus to accept that horrific task of giving up His Godly powers and His Heavenly home to come to Earth, live a sinless life, and then be sacrificed and horribly punished anyway. Jesus was innocent, but God had to punish Him as if he had committed every single sin ever committed. The wages of sin is death, and payment had to be made, but for all of us to go free, the payment had to be made by a sinless man. There was no such sinless man, except Jesus. He was fully God and fully man, and the horrific sacrifice he made was enough. The cross was enough to redeem all mankind, and all 
we had to do was to receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Jesus was enough, the price was paid, and we are finally free to have eternal life again. Lord, thank you for the atonement for my sins that you have freely given. Now I am a new creation. I have been redeemed from the curse of the law. I am no longer condemned, but an heir to the throne. I receive your salvation Lord, in Jesus’ name. Amen!!
Thanksgiving Day is a time-honored tradition where we reflect on our lives and express gratitude for the blessings we’ve received throughout the year and in years gone by. We take inventory of all the aspects of our lives. The sorrowful aspects are momentarily put aside for another time, allowing us to concentrate on our family, friends, and homes. We also look forward to the future and its potential blessings. It’s not merely about material possessions; in fact, such things often take a backseat in our thoughts. Our attention is much more on the people we love. My family has been blessed with a number of new babies this year, and babies are always one of our best reasons to be thankful. We received a wonderful miracle, as the lives of two of our nephews were spared in a car fire. They have recovered well and are back with their family. While Thanksgiving is not the only occasion for appreciating our loved ones, it’s a perfect reminder to give thanks for everyday blessings that we might normally overlook in our daily lives.
This has been a hard year for some people, including my Aunt Sandy, but the Lord has blessed her, and she has come through so many life-threatening events that it is impossible not to feel a great deal of thankfulness. Today, Aunt Sandy is stronger and healthier than ever, and she even has perfect vision, because she had cataract surgery this year. Instead of ending up in a nursing home because she was too weak to live on her own, Aunt Sandy is living on her own and thriving. She is even doing puzzles, taking care of her own home (beautifully, I might add), and doing some crafting. Today is a great day of celebration for Aunt Sandy and her family.
I believe most people are grateful for their blessings, yet there’s a distinction between feeling grateful and expressing gratitude. That difference lies in recognizing the source of those blessings—God. I imagine those who don’t believe in God might not feel compelled to thank Him, but my deep faith tells me that my blessings can only come from Him. God’s love is abundant, and it is He who bestows His blessings upon me. On this Thanksgiving Day, it is to Him, the Almighty God, that I offer my thanks. Like many, I might overlook the importance of thanking God as I should, but perhaps a National Day of Thanksgiving 
provides us all a chance to pause from our hectic lives to appreciate our fortunes. On this day, let us take a moment to acknowledge God’s grace and mercy towards us and to thank Him for all He has done for us. Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, and I extend my gratitude to God for His boundless love and the blessings bestowed upon me and my family, and upon my Aunt Sandy too.
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was fatally shot after attending a peace rally in Tel Aviv’s Kings Square, Israel on November 4, 1995. He succumbed to his injuries during surgery at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv. The assassination occurred as Rabin was leaving the rally. The killer was Yigal Amir, who was against the Oslo Accords. The rally, held at Kings of Israel Square (now Rabin Square), supported the peace agreement. As Rabin descended the city hall steps towards his car, Amir fired three shots with a semi-automatic pistol. Two bullets struck Rabin, while the third slightly wounded Yoram Rubin, Rabin’s bodyguard. Rabin was rushed to Ichilov Hospital but passed away curing surgery, due to blood loss and lung damage.
Yigal Amir, a 27-year-old Jewish law student, was linked to the far-right Jewish group Eyal. He was arrested by Israeli police at the scene of the shooting and subsequently confessed to the assassination. During his arraignment, he explained that he killed Prime Minister Rabin because the prime minister wanted “to give our country to the Arabs.” Amir was apprehended on the spot and later sentenced to life in prison.
Yitzhak Rabin, who was born in Jerusalem, played a pivotal role in the Arab-Israeli War of 1948 and was the chief-of-staff for Israel’s armed forces during the Six-Day War in 1967. Following his tenure as Israel’s ambassador to the United States, he joined the Labour Party and was elected prime minister in 1974. During his term, he led negotiations resulting in the 1974 ceasefire with Syria and the 1975 military disengagement agreement with Egypt. Rabin resigned from his position in 1977 due to a scandal related to maintaining bank 
accounts in the United States, contrary to Israeli law. He later served as the defense minister of his country from 1984 to 1990.
Then, in 1992, Rabin was the leader of the Labour Party, taking them to an electoral victory. Once again, he became the Prime Minister of Israel. The following year, he signed the landmark Israeli-Palestinian Declaration of Principles alongside Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, and in 1994, they reached a formal peace agreement. In October of that year, Rabin, Arafat, and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Tragically, Rabin was assassinated in 1995. Shimon Peres, who was serving as Israel’s Foreign Minister at the time, was appointed Acting Prime Minister after an emergency cabinet meeting. It was such an unnecessary attack.
My aunt, Sandy Pattan has had what many people would call…an awful year, but because of her faith and the faith of many people praying diligently for her, she has come out of it with a year of miracles. Aunt Sandy’s “year of miracles” began with a bleeding ulcer. She was on blood thinners, and for her, that is just not the best idea. She had a procedure to cauterize the bleeder, and the ulcer stopped bleeding. It was shortly after that procedure that I came into the picture, but this isn’t about me…this is about Aunt Sandy and her amazing year.
We went to see the doctor, and it was decided that it would benefit Aunt Sandy to have a heart monitor in place so we could see what needed to be done next. On January 26th, she called me to ask why I hadn’t come over that day. I told her I wasn’t supposed to come that day, but rather the next day. She told me that she had been a little dizzy, and she was slurring her words. I said, “Oh my gosh!! I’m on my way.” She, in true Aunt Sandy style told me it wasn’t really necessary, but I knew that it was. I have never been the one to “diagnose” a stroke, but thanks to my daughter, Corrie Petersen’s nursing school classes, when she often told me about as a means of studying, I knew about FAST…the stroke diagnosis test. I quickly ran it on Aunt Sandy and called for an ambulance. Aunt Sandy’s outcome was miraculous, not because of me, but because of God. I have no doubt. She has no significant continuing symptoms, and the neurologist has completely released her.
She had to go back on Eliquis, because while they were planning to put in a Watchman device, they found a clot in her heart. It was not what we had hoped for, but it couldn’t be helped. They could not install the device until the clot was dissolved, because if they bumped it during the procedure, it would explode and cause more strokes. I would love to say that after a standard wait time, the Watchman was successfully implanted in a “happily ever after” moment, but that wasn’t exactly how things went.
The middle of February found Aunt Sandy with a swollen right knee that was extremely painful. Initially 
diagnosed as a Baker Cyst, we were told that it would eventually shrink on its own. Again, not the case. By February 28th, her right knee was extremely bruised and swollen to the point of blistering and splitting open. She was again taken to the hospital, where the vascular surgeon found a bleed in the knee. After a blood transfusion, she was rushed to surgery with an extremely low hemoglobin of four (normal levels are between 12 and 16), and the race was on to save her leg. Dr Kaslow did save her leg, and after three months on a wound vac, followed by a skin graft, she is doing very well from that. We are thankful to God for putting Dr Kaslow there and for the miracle of again saving her life. After a little more than two week stay at Elkhorn Valley Rehabilitation Hospital, during which Aunt Sandy received excellent care (including having them catch and deal with another bleed in her right leg), and physical therapy, she was able to go back home. Healthy and grateful both the Elkhorn’s wonderful staff and to God!!
During her recuperation from the skin graft, Aunt Sandy’s cataracts decided that their time had come. I took her in for an eye exam, but we were told that glasses wouldn’t help. So, surgery was scheduled, and by the middle of August, she had new lenses in her eyes. Now, it was finally time to get the Watchman device. We were told all the possible outcomes and had all the tests done. She went in for the surgery on September 19th, and when it was over, Dr Fluture came out and told me that he was at the point of thinking it would not work, because she is very small. The probe seemed to be stuck halfway across the chest. Then, another miracle from God. Suddenly, the probe popped through and they were in. The rest of the procedure went as smooth as silk, and then it was in place. Praise God!! Now, she will have about six more months on a blood thinner (Plavix), and then, if all is good, she will be off of them for good.
Aunt Sandy has no doubt in her mind that she is alive today because of the incredible grace and power of God. 
I agree. With her double knee replacement surgeries, the repair of the bleeding ulcer, cataract surgeries, and now the Watchman device, I like to tell her that she is now “fully bionic” Aunt Sandy!! To that she just laughs. She might laugh, but when you think about it, she really is. It’s been one wild year, but Aunt Sandy is a fighter, and God had her back!! Today is Aunt Sandy’s 79th birthday!! It’s an age she wasn’t sure she was going to reach, but praise God…she has!! Happy birthday Aunt Sandy!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
There are phenomena that sometimes manifest in the sky seem supernatural, although scientists often have other explanations. I rather think they are supernatural…as in coming from God. Such occurrences were first reported by mountain climbers before the era when airplane travel was common. I’m sure they still see them today too. Climbers would reach a mountain’s summit and suddenly see what seemed to be a figure standing in the distance. I must admit that such a sight would be a little disconcerting, but I wouldn’t mind seeing one. In the mid-1700s, members of a French scientific expedition ascended Pambamarca, a mountain in Ecuador. It seemed like a normal ascent, but when they reached its peak, they witnessed the sun breaking through the clouds, casting their shadows and encircling their heads with halo-like rings. Maybe that is how it happens, but I would say that the conditions would have to be exactly right for this to happen, and I think that is God. I can only imagine their thoughts at that moment…probably fear mixed with curiosity.
The mountain tops are not the only place this has been seen. Now that we are in the era of travel by planes, passengers gazing out of airplane windows have observed not just the aircraft’s shadow but also a rainbow ring encircling it, resembling a halo. Again, scientists have a tendency to explain this away, but I believe rainbows come from God. The phenomenon is known as a glory, pilot’s glory, or pilot’s halo. This phenomenon is not caused by the plane’s shadow itself but often appears alongside it, hence the name. That is part of the reason I don’t think it is an optical illusion. If it is, why don’t more people see it, more often?
A German physicist in the early 1900s, named Gustav Mie, went so far as to develop a mathematical formula to describe the scattering of light by water droplets in the air. I can’t imagine what mathematics would have to do with it, but the thought captivated him anyway. According to an article in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, “glories are produced by the backscattering, or angular deflection, of sunlight by minuscule water droplets in the atmosphere—droplets so small they measure just tens of wavelengths in diameter.” Scientists believe that the size of the rings varies with different wavelengths of light, depending on the average diameter of the droplets and their distribution. To observe a glory, one must be positioned directly between the light source and the water droplets, which explains why glories often appear alongside shadows. That’s where I start to think things would have to be a “little bit too perfect” for this to be coincidence.
Mie’s mathematics did not fully account for the workings of glories…little wonder there. In the 1980s, Nussenzveig and NASA scientist Warren Wiscombe discovered that the light contributing to a glory often does 
not pass through the droplets. A 2014 article in Nature magazine believes that wave tunneling is primarily responsible for glories. This process supposedly occurs when sunlight comes close enough to a droplet to induce electromagnetic waves inside it. These waves circulate within the droplet before escaping, emitting the light rays that form the bulk of the glory observed. Believe what you want, but I think that these are little gifts from God.
My nephew, Riley Birky has had a rough year. Not like most people think of a rough year. He has had a really rough year. It started out good, but on July 4th, everything changed…everything. Riley; his little brother, Tucker Schulenberg; and a couple of friends, Landon and Dylan; had gone to pick up fireworks for the evening’s festivities. Little is known about wat happened from there, but it is suspected that someone lit a cigarette without thinking about the fireworks. Seconds later, the car was engulfed in flames. I read where they are crediting Riley with the saving of lives and preventing an accident, In the midst of driving a car that burst into flames, Riley had the presence of mind to pull over, even though he was being burned. He stopped safely and them assisted the other boys, so that all got out alive. Riley was a hero. 
The boys were taken to the hospital and quickly flown to Denver, where they remained for varying lengths of time, as each on had different burns. While the struggle to recover has really hard, Riley persevered and is now back home, as are the three other boys. Their story truly is a miracle. These young men were so close to death, but they had people who were praying for them. God is so good. These days all the boys are home, Tucker is back to school, and while Riley isn’t back to work yet, he is doing really well.
Riley is a great dad to his son Ryder and bonus son, Jace. He is a great fiancé to his fiancée, Sierah Martin, and he is a great brother to Tucker. His presence in their lives is not only important…it’s vital. They rely on him so much, and Riley has stepped up to be the man they need him to be. He didn’t have to be this kind of man, but 
Riley has proven himself to be just exactly that…a step up when needed kind of man!! I am so roud of the man Riley has become, and I know that he will continue to make his family proud.
Riley has a long way to go in his recovery, as do Tucker, Landon, and Dylan. The boys were all blessed in that their faces were not scarred. Nevertheless, their arms and legs will have a long road to recovery. Still, these boys are fighters, and they have many people praying for them behind the scenes. I know they will recover well and lead amazing lives. Today is Riley’s 24th birthday. Happy birthday Riley!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My nephew, Jason Sawdon is a great guy…just ask anyone who knows him. His sister-in-law, Chelsea Hadlock tells me that Jason is kind, helpful, and sister-in-law, Lindsay Moore says that he has a generous heart, which she believes to be straight from the Lord. Jason is always willing to help others with a variety of things. He helps out his church in Cheyenne, Wyoming, with their computer things, like streaming their services online, which is such an important part of church services these days. If people are sick, or just can’t get out of their home easily, they don’t have to miss out on the church service. Jason serves others gladly and with compassion. He is so handy and can truly figure anything out!!
Jason is dependable. If Jason says he will be there to help…he will. This past week, he helped his father-in-law, Chris Hadlock with the electrical work in Chris’ new garage. Jason did a great job on the wiring for the garage. It will be inspected next week, and they are confident it will get the green light. He has a lot of talent when it comes to electricity and engineering…a great plus, in the “saving money” arena. If you can save money, it’s a good thing. Having that help within the family is awesome.
Everyone tells me that Jason is also funny, but not in an obvious way!! You really can’t tell he’s joking unless you know him well!! Those are the best tricksters, because they will get you every time. Not everyone can tell a good joke or pull a really great prank with a straight face, and if you can’t, the prank with never go over. You have to have a “poker face” so to speak. Jason is quite a character, he and brings lots of fun and adventure to their lives!! Everyone feels blessed to have him as a brother-in-law, they love him very much. I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t agree with them on that.
In a “Wild Hogs” kind of time, Jason went on a motorcycle trip with his friends this summer. They went on some backroads trails across the state of Wyoming. They had a great time. Now, I don’t know if they got into as much mischief as the original “Wild Hogs,” but I’d say probably not. Jason, being a Wyoming 
Highway Patrol Lieutenant, would be very unlikely to get into any trouble, and my guess is that at least some of his friends are also law enforcement, so…getting in trouble is not an option, Haha!!
My sister, Allyn Hadlock, Jason’s mother-in-law, like every mom, takes a different view about what traits are most important in her son-in-law, and Jason has gained her approval in every area. He is a great dad and husband. He is always happy to indulge, his wife, Jessi’s whims!! He’s a great guide to their daughter, Adelaide and loves her so much!! They have a lot of fun as a family, camping, traveling, or just time at home hanging out together. Allyn says, “We are very blessed to have Jason in our family!!” Today is Jason’s birthday!! Happy birthday Jason!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
The Circus Maximus, which is Latin for largest circus is an ancient Roman chariot-racing stadium and mass entertainment venue in Rome, Italy. It is located in the valley between the Aventine and Palatine hills, and it was the first and largest stadium in ancient Rome and its later Empire. It measured 2,037 feet in length and 387 feet in width and could accommodate over 150,000 spectators. In its fully developed form, it became the model for circuses throughout the Roman Empire. The site is now a public park. In its beginning, it might have been planned for good, clean-cut entertainment, but in at least part of its history, it was used for much more sinister things. It was during the Roman Empire, when the empire decided that anyone who was not a Roman citizen was basically unimportant.
As it has been throughout history, the Roman Empire was notorious for its persecution of Christian and Jewish people. During those years, the Circus Maximus was used for the execution of Christian and Jewish prisoners, as part of the Roman Triumph, along with chariot racing, of course. As we all know, the Roman Empire worshiped a number of gods, which put them in direct conflict with the one true God, and thereby, put them at odds with the Christians and Jews. During those years, Christians were persecuted and prosecuted, throughout the Roman Empire.
Pagan practices such as making sacrifices to the deified emperors or other gods were abhorrent to Christians as their beliefs prohibited idolatry. When they would not comply with the pagan practices, they were prosecuted by the state and other members of civic society and severely punished for “treason, various rumored crimes, illegal assembly, and for introducing an alien cult that led to Roman apostasy.” The first, localized Neronian persecution occurred under Emperor Nero (BC54-BC68) in Rome. A more general persecution occurred during the reign of Marcus Aurelius (BC161-BC180). After a lull, persecution resumed under Emperors Decius (BC249–BC251) and Trebonianus Gallus (BC251–BC253). The Decian persecution was particularly extensive. The persecution of Emperor Valerian (BC253–BC260) ceased with his notable capture by the Sasanian Empire’s Shapur I (BC240–BC270) at the Battle of Edessa during the Roman–Persian Wars. His successor, Gallienus 
(BC253–BC268), halted the persecutions. Most, if not all of these emperors were viciously wicked men, including Gallienus, who finally stopped this horrific practice. Nevertheless, he did stop it, so that is a good thing. There is a right and wrong way to put someone on trial, and most importantly, there should always be freedom of religion, but not all countries allow freedom of religion.
