Saturday, January 5, 2013

PARTHENON EXPEDITION

 The history of Greece has been a source of fascination to me, especially after developing a greater appreciation of ancient civilizations, by touring historic ruins in the European country of Italy.  My course in Western Civilization in college was made much more interesting, because I had seen many of the places significant to Western Civilization, on the tour of Italy with my father, when I was in high school.   This photo represents a significant facade in Western Civilization, and that is the Greek Parthenon. 
 However, this full-size replica of the Greek Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens, is actually located in Centennial Park, in Nashville, Tennessee. 
 It is a popular tourist attraction, but I did not find out about its existence, close to my home state of Arkansas, until the 1990's! 
 There is no charge to visit its exterior, so it is frequently used as the back drop for group tour photos, such as this one. (There is a nominal fee for going inside, during regular hours of operation, which you can find out by phoning 615-862-8431)
 Nashville's version of the Parthenon is the only such replica in the world.  It houses a 42-foot-high sculpture of Athena, whom the Greeks worshipped as the goddess of wisdom. 
 I was reminded of my visit to the "Temple of Athena", when trying to visualize my First Place 4 Health memory verse( www.FirstPlace4Health.com ) for Week 2 of Motivated to Wellness, that comes from Psalm 40:4 .  I am visualizing this mother, and her small son, being blessed, as they trust in the Lord---not too proud to be cautious, as they are climbing down the steps, and turning  away from a false god:  "Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods."  Can you tell I am a "visual learner"??!!  My goal is to write a blog post, with appropriate photos, that will help me visualize, and hence memorize, each of the 10 Bible passages for this session of First Place 4 Health, currently in progress at First Baptist Church, in Mountain Home, Arkansas  ( www.myfbcmh.com ) .  I know that Scripture memorization (aka, "hiding God's word in my heart"), will give me MILES OF SMILES in the days ahead!  Tricia
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