Times are a changin...

Last night I finished reading a book involving Scottish history. The majority of the facts were accurate.
This book ended with battle between the Scottish and the English in 1513. This would be the year of King James IV and King Henry the VIII. So here's what happened... King James had been forced to marry Margaret Tudor (Henry's sister) and finally, in 1512 she gave birth to a son, James V. During this time King Henry had his nobles begin raiding Scotland through their borders. The English navy would raid the shores and hang the captains of the Scottish ships and impressed their crews. Henry was a greedy young man (he was about 21 or so at the time) and wanted Scotland under his rule.
King James was a man loved by his people. Under his clothing he wore a belt of remorse made of iron. He wore this because of his father, the king before him, who had been a homosexual and had allowed his (for lack of a better word) concubines onto councils and placed them in places of high authority. Several earls and leaders of the many clans banded together and killed the king, placing James IV on the throne.
Now, for many years there was an alliance between Scotland and England. A bond of friendship known as the Auld Alliance. Clearly Henry decided to disregard this. At the same time, Scotland had an alliance with France so that if either country was invaded the other would retaliate. Henry, before attacking Scotland, invaded France. This of course prompted James to invade England.
So now comes the battle of Flodden just across the river Tweed and on English soil. I won't go into detail, you can look it up for yourselves, but suffice it to say that Scotland's advantage was turned around and their weapons were no match in the end for England's superior artillary. Scotland suffered a devastating loss. There are different accounts of this battle but it was estimated that nearly 20,000 Scottish died on the fields there. King James included. Several earls, lairds, abbots and an archbishop were among the dead. England's losses were few in comparison and did not affect their history as it did for the Scottish.
Thankfully for Scotland, Margaret Tudor was not about to let her brother take her kingdom and so she was set to marry a lesser noble (a common occurence) and would rule until her son, the new king, James V, would be able to take the throne.

Now, you're probably wondering why I gave you a history lesson. But here's why.

You notice any similarities between then and now?

We're still a warring people. We still have people wanting something that someone else has; land, material things, women/men. Have we really changed? Or are we still, at heart, the same as our ancestors? In so many ways we've advanced, changed, but in so many ways we're still the same. And in some ways it breaks my heart. Just because we walk straight, talk smoothly, dress nicely and feign kindness does not mean we are a changed race. Beneath all that spit and polish beat hearts filled with desires, greed, hopes, fears, love, hate.
And every day we bear witness to these things. Every where there is something new tradgedy reported from somewhere else in the world. Sadly, these are the things we are more familiar with, the things we are constantly exposed to.

So last night after reading this book I sat on my bed and prayed. I prayed that God would help me some how, some way make a difference. I'm not joining the army to go overseas to destroy. No, maybe that's what you think, but it's not. I'm joining the army to help make a difference. Either here in Canada or somewhere else in the world.
I'm still not entirely sure how God is going to use me but I'm praying that He'll show me soon enough.

Now.. Can someone tell me of a site where I can trace my ancestry? I'm cheap though and don't want to pay if I don't have to.