Another month had come and gone, and CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE! Need I say that this is one of my very favorite Holidays?!? November was busy as usual but in a good way! We had a lovely month, and I can’t wait to share a few things with you!

November Favorites

Bible Verse: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17

This verse has become very special to me over the last several months, and even now, it has permanently become one of my favorites. The visual picture of God as the Father of Lights…it’s breath-taking and mind-boggling. We serve such a truly awesome God. All I can picture is the Northern lights. With our God being the Father and Creator of Lights like that, can you imagine what Heaven will be like? And knowing that every good thing that happens to us, all the blessings we receive, are special gifts just for us from God, is such a special feeling!

Song: I know…I’ve mentioned this song multiple times, but Every Good and Perfect Gift by Adam and Megan Morgan is still on my radar and was an especially loved song this past month.

Event: Getting to gather with my family for thanksgiving two weeks in a row! It was such a blessing to spend time with family, especially those we don’t get to see as often. We had a wonderful time!

Book of the Month: Worth Dying For by Rorke Denver. Mr. Denver is a Navy SEAL and this book…wow, it was profound. He explained why he thinks there is such a divide between military and civilians, how the problem can be fixed, and the whole reason Americans fight. Why we are so dedicated to what we believe in. It was a rare, raw glimpse at the Warrior’s Heart and is not something I will soon forget. His analogy about Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs was so good. Now, there were one or two words I had to mark out, but not used often. After editing, I would gladly hand this over to a 16-year-old. I’m not sure that I agree with everything that he said, but you know, few people agree on everything. Personally, I think every American should read this book, especially our politicians and our up and coming generation.

Ministry: Revival! We had a lovely week of revival with a pastor friend of ours in Liberty, N.C. We got to sing a new song for us girls, God of Wonders (ever heard me talk about that one? 😉). The services were excellent and God did a work in hearts.

Writing Update: We are still editing book 4 of The Battle for Heritage Series and am happy to report that it is going well. I am also drafting Book 5 and making headway. We’ll probably take a break due to Christmas, but we are right on track with our new goals! Also, since Christmas is such an inspiring time of year, I try to take some time to work on future Christmas stories, just for the fun of it!

A Book I am Anticipating for December: Quick note on last month’s anticipated read, The Real Lincoln was so good! 5 stars! If you are interested in that time era and learning some oft-hidden truths about the war, read this book! I’m really looking forward to all the Christmas books! I love this time of year, and I’ve heard about a few new ones I want to check out, as well as reread a few, like Wind Chimes by Victoria Minks and Behold by Faith Potts! Might even dig out my copy of Faith Blum’s O Come All Ye Faithful! And I just realized all of these are collections…
 
And Now, Some Writing Prompts…

That's all for now!
Merry Christmas!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Hard to believe my last Soldier Life post was in June! What a pleasure to be back at it again! In case you are just now being introduced to this Series, Soldier Life is a series of posts, currently highlighting the life of soldiers during the War Between the States. You can check out previous posts by clicking the links {(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)|. I began this series to help those studying the War Between the States, especially the writer. I’ve tried to compile in one place the information I found while I was researching my books. The data comes from multiple sources and sites. I am not an expert, and my articles are not exhaustive on the given topics, but hopefully, this will be a help to you as you strive to learn more about the history of our Great Nation! And for those concerned, these posts are unbiased, North or South. It’s strictly a fact only post with no intention of swaying you one way or the other. But if you do wish to see my personal research on the War Between the States, check out this series {(1) (2) (3) (4)|

With all that said, let’s get started!

The Lieutenant is to the Captain what a Corporal is to a Sergeant. In short, he was second in command to the Company Commander. A company is a unit of men numbering 100 at full strength and commanded by a Captain. The lieutenant’s job was to serve as the Captain’s assistant in all things, even battlefield command.

If the Captain is ill, absent, or killed, the First Lieutenant will take command with the 2nd Lieutenant as his second in command. The main difference between First and Second Lieutenants is their line up in the pecking order. They perform the same duties. So naturally, the First Lieutenant would need to be studied up on the responsibilities of the Captain since he will likely fill his position at some point during his service.

The typical duties of a Lieutenant are as follows:

He was generally present for all the main roll calls, drills, and stable duties, inspect the kitchens, quarters, and the entire company at the end of the day assembly, known as retreat. If an officer was not present to oversee the drills and such, sometimes the Sergeants could be tempted to go lax on the men, or the men might be tempted to cause the sergeants unnecessary grief.

The Lieutenant was expected to study his field handbook, acquainting himself with sections known as “School of the Soldier,” “School of the Company,” and “School of the Battalion.” The Captain would instruct him in proper tactics per the book and personal experience.

The Lieutenant was also to be present for the Inspection of the Company, which is performed the day before the men would march on parade (public drilling for the officers in a specific location), which entailed looking over weapons. On Sundays, the inspection included knapsacks, uniforms, bedding, quarters, etc.

If the captain required it (and he usually did), the lieutenant would be expected to help him with paperwork, from filing reports to witnessing signatures to issuing clothing and making out receipts.

His duties extended past general camp work, though. He was also expected to serve on two different kinds of guard duty: Police Guard and Grand Guard.

The police guard consisted of a line of sentinels surrounding the designated camp.  There was a guardhouse, where everyone would meet, including 1-2 lieutenants, 1-2 sergeants, 3 corporals, and around 40 privates. The guardhouse is generally two separate dwellings, tent or shack, one for the guards, one for prisoners. This is a guard used during peace times.

The lieutenant serves as the Officer of the guard, and while doing this tour of duty, he isn’t forbidden to sleep, he is NEVER to be found sleeping by one of his superiors. Best to take turns sleeping with other members of the command. He is never to leave the guardhouse unless inspecting the sentinels or doing some other duty regarding Police Guard.

He is responsible for security regarding the prisoners, which is his main priority. According to Kautz’s Customs of Services of Officers of the Army Part 1, the lieutenant “receives the prisoners as they are confined, sees that the sergeant of the Guard takes down the names, by whose order confined, and the date.  An abstract of the orders inflicting punishments is furnished him, and he must keep a record of them in order that they may be entered on the List of Prisoners that accompanies the Guard Report daily; he must in all cases wherein the punishment is to be inflicted under the direction of the Guard, see that the sentences are duly executed, and that his successors are duly instructed in all cases where punishments are continued for a length of time from day to day.”

Police guards can also serve as escorts and guards for general officers to and from various locations.

As stated earlier, the Police Guard is used during times of peace. During war, these duties, among others are transferred to a larger party known as the Grand Guard. Additional duties are to alert to the presence of the enemy, advance parties to surprise/skirmish with the enemy and serve on picket duty. The lieutenant’s job is to see that everyone else is doing their job correctly and for this reason, they were often disliked as much as Corporals.

As far as the battle duties of a Lieutenant, the company would be divided into two platoons. The Captain and 2nd Lieutenant would man one platoon and the 1st Lieutenant the other. If the Captain was killed or injured, the 2nd Lieutenant took his place commanding the platoon, while the 1st Lieutenant took command of the company. Sergeants assisted them in these situations to the best of their ability.

So there you have it! I hope this post was helpful to you. Basically, if you are writing a lieutenant, make him professional, give him an air of busyness and have him working closely with the Captain and you are good to go 😉

Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
Hebrews 13:17
King James Bible

Have a Blessed Day!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

I had never read this author before, but I’m so glad I finally decided to give this one a try! I loved it so much, and if you’re like me, an 1860’s read is perfect! So, let’s dive into this old treasure!

The Dog Crusoe and His Master
By R. M. Ballentyne
1860
4 Stars

About the Book: Travel with Dick Varley and his dog Crusoe on a Mission of Peace with Western Tribes that have been on the warpath. And what an exciting time they have! From escaping violent Tribes to catching a wild horse to recovering captured companions, this book digs into the life and times of American trappers, Indians, and settlers of the 1800’s west. All with a dog hero.

My Review: Wow! This was a wild ride! Poor Crusoe had a rough start, almost becoming supper for a family before being rescued by his future master. The relationship between Dick Varley and Crusoe is so sweet and definitely my favorite aspect of the story. While I’m not exactly sure if a New Foundland Dog is capable of everything Crusoe did in the story, it wouldn’t surprise me.

Warning! There are some words used to describe other races in a manner that I personally wouldn’t since, in modern times deemed they are offensive. Also, there were some references to alcoholic beverages (not much and not lingered over) and native garb…so watch for that. They also mention that some believe stars (or planets) have life on them. I only have an ebook version of the book, so I couldn’t censor it out, but if you have a physical copy, it is easy to do.

This book was a wealth of information about doing things the old-fashioned way: hunting game, catching wild horses, and surviving on the land. There are also detailed profiles of prairie animals. Though an adventurous read, it wasn’t too audacious for my taste. It was nicely broken up with some calmer sequences. And while I wish the Christian notes in the story had been stronger, it was natural and well written.

I would recommend this for readers 12 and up, or read as a family (omitting the topics mentioned above)! I think all would enjoy it!

Quote
The dog Crusoe was once a pup. Now do not, courteous reader, toss your head contemptuously, and exclaim, “Of course he was; I could have told you that.”

A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
Proverbs 12:10
King James Bible

Have a Blessed Day!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Hello, and welcome back to Life of Heritage Corner! Today I’m continuing a tradition I started 2 years ago, listing some of the top things I’m thankful for this year!

*Life! This year more than ever, I have come to appreciate the gift God has given us by giving us breath! Thank God for pro-life parents and siblings! Thank God for Eternal Life found in Him! And Thank God for caring about every sparrow (and every unborn baby)!

*Family! Family is one of the greatest blessings God gives us! I am blessed to live in a large family (Dad, Mom, 7 kids, 2 brothers-in-law, and 6 nieces and nephews!) with potential to explode the population of the United States as the rest of us marry and have kids 😉 I can’t imagine life in any other family!

*Friends! God has blessed me with so many good friends over the years, and this year, I’ve learned that taking them for granted is a big mistake. You might not always be as close as you were. Life comes along, and people tend to drift away and make new friends. Enjoy the time that you have together!

*America! I probably say this every year, but hey, I love my country! I cannot stress enough what my country means to me! She’s the greatest nation on the planet, and I am humbled that God chose to allow me to be born here!

*Our Military! Yes, this is another repeat, but this year, I met a sweet young author, and she has opened my eyes to a little more of what our guys go through daily.   It’s heartbreaking seeing exactly how PTSD affects every serviceman in one way or another. It doesn’t always show in flashbacks or nightmares, though these definitely happen. There’s the guilt complex, mood swings, the “100-yard stare” or the everyday memories of that horrifying experience they went through. We owe them a great debt, not only for risking their lives and giving their time to protect us, but sacrificing a “normal” life so we can keep ours.

*Music! This year I got to attend the Majesty Music Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina. And believe me, this conference gave me a brand-new appreciation for Godly music! Such an encouragement!

*Conservative Values! My family has always taught my siblings and me to seek God when it comes to anything in life. What does God say about Marriage? About Life? About Capital Punishment? Because in the long run, it doesn’t matter what man thinks. It matters what God thinks. I praise the Lord for parents who have guided me to God’s views of the world around us, and the conservative values taught in His Word!

*The Pro-Life Movement! Speaking of Conservative Values, I am so grateful for those who are willing to stand up for the unborn, the mentally handicapped and the elderly! Just this year, I was blessed to begin working for Pregnant Options, a website that allows women in crisis to find the Care Center closest to them. These Care Centers help them prepare to be a mother, offer classes on Motherhood, provide medical services, and if needed give referrals to adoption agencies.  It’s a blessing to see everything these centers provide to those who want to choose life for their child! And it’s a joy to help with the editing of articles that have potential to save lives and offer hope to those in hard situations!

*Books! Good books! This year, I have read so many good books, whether it be a physical copy, eBook, or audio, there are so many good books out there! I love a story that challenges me personally in my spiritual life or in some other aspect (getting organized, writing advice, etc.). I also love an informative book. Like a biography, history, or even a cultural study (like The South Was Right! There is so much more to this book than the title reveals!) But there have also been those books that didn’t turn out so great…the ones I couldn’t finish. Which makes me appreciate the excellent books even more!

*Cooking! This year, I’ve actually gotten to play around in the kitchen a little bit…and nobody has died, and nothing has caught on fire 😉 I have cooked in the past, but Sarah is our main cook, so getting the opportunity to try my hand at culinary arts is always fun! Chicken Gyros anyone?

Have a Blessed Day!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

I’m so excited about today’s post! Kassie introduced herself to me earlier this year, and I have enjoyed everything I’ve read from her thus far. So when I had the opportunity to help her with her newest project, I jumped at the chance! And today, Kassie is revealing her gorgeous cover with the world! But first…a little information about this project!

The synopsis:
 
Some scars can't be seen. And some can't be hidden.
 
Layla Trent's life is pretty much perfect, except for the little matter of a dog of her own-- and maybe a brother. So why does a random nightmare of a princess dress, a hospital, and a stranger who's definitely not her daddy feel more like an aching wound? And can a broken, glassy-eyed puppy somehow help her release the pain she didn't even know she was carrying?
 
Corporal Andrew Reyes has proven he has what it takes to be the best-- a US Army Ranger. But when a double tragedy rocks his world, his resolve is shaken to the core. What's left for a man to live for when he's lost everything he ever wanted to be? And is the sudden appearance of a teenage girl with a three-legged therapy dog a cruel joke or a divine appointment?
 
Some scars can't be hidden. But some don't need to be. 

Kassie’s bio:
 
Kassie Angle is a teenaged Christian author, cowgirl, therapy dog trainer, stereotypical INFJ, and Army girl to the core. Her first love, i.e., debut novel, O to be Like Thee, swept her unsuspectedly into the world of indie authors. She tries to use her stories to fill the silences in literature, helping more people understand the world of the Army and showing how God heals the broken-hearted. You can find her and more of her writing at SoldierGirlStories.com.
https://soldiergirlstories.com
 
And just because Kassie has been annoyed with this question so much, I will clarify that this book is definitely not a romance! The soldier is older than Layla, and there is absolutely no romantic hinting in this story at all.
And now that you’ve been so patient, here is the beautiful cover!

Isn’t it perfect? I just love it so much! And the story (as far as I’ve gotten to read) is so good! I can’t wait to get my own personal copy of this beauty!

That’s it for now! Have a blessed week!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22