Tuesday, January 28, 2025

The Algorithm of God and Terras Irradient

  For over ten years now I have been a rather prolific blogger.  For most of that time, I often wondered why I should pursue posting so many minor posts in so many varied areas instead of writing more reference books such as the six that I wrote from 1996 to 2003. After all, it seemed to me that my purpose in life was to write a Rainbow of Reference Books that would have been my lasting legacy.  However, with each passing year, that purpose seemed to be a fading dream.  And, as time went by, I began to question whether I was fulfilling the purpose that seemed to have been laid out for my life.


In September of 2024, I think I found the answer to my question.  I found the answer by performing a search on the Microsoft Bing search engine for "everett jenkins blogspot".  What the search engine revealed were page after page of some of the blogs that I have written over the last ten years.  Truth be told, I have written thousands of posts in that period of time.  What the Microsoft Bing search engine did was to highlight the posts that seemed to me to be some of the most profound pieces that I have written. 

In many ways, I was humbled and amazed.  Since 1996, I have always attributed my writing to trying to do God's will.  Through the Microsoft Bing search engine algorithm it would appear that I have received God's response to what I have done.

Simply remarkable!

Peace, 

Everett "Skip" Jenkins 
Fairfield, California
October 24, 2024

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After originally writing a post about "The Algorithm of God", it dawned on me that perhaps God was indeed helping me to comply with the words of Jesus that he spoke about in his "Sermon on the Mount" and to fulfill the motto of my college, "Terras Irradient".  Below is a post that explains my connection to Matthew 5:16 and why I feel so humbled by what I am observing now.

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins
Fairfield, California
December 15, 2024 

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Every year, as part of my Easter and Christmas observances, I watch Franco Zeffirelli's beautiful portrayal of the Christ story, "Jesus of Nazareth"




For me, the highlight of the six-hour miniseries is not the birth of Jesus, nor the performance of the miracles, nor the Crucifixion, nor the Resurrection.  The highlight of the six-hour miniseries comes midway when Jesus is at the height of his ministry and delivers the Sermon on the Mount 


I do not know why, but every time I listen to this portion, a chill runs up my spine.

However, it is only afterwards that I become a little bit disappointed because I know that this portrayal of the Sermon on the Mount is not accurate and that perhaps the most important part of Jesus' message was left off.  Thus, when I began the Black Alumni Weekend Memorial Service in 2011, I wanted to make sure that the most important part of the message for Amherst Alumni be said.  And so, at each Memorial Service I have someone read the following:

5 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

13 You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

14 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

The Amherst College motto is "Terras Irradient" -- "Let them give light unto the World".  In my own way, through my many blogs, I am endeavoring to comply with this motto.

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins
December 15, 2024

*****
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Monday, January 27, 2025

My Tribute

 The main notoriety I have achieved in this life is based upon my writing.  I have written six books (Pan-African Chronology [three volumes], The Muslim Diaspora [two volumes], and The Creation [one volume]) which achieved some notoriety and I have begun several blogs (Biographies, The Muslim Compendium, The Quest for Truth, Who's Who in Islam and Words of Wisdom) which have garnered additional notoriety.  However, whatever notoriety I have achieved for my writing has always seemed a bit undeserved.  Truth be told, I write not for notoriety, but for God.  In the coming days, I hope to be able to elaborate on why I do this.  However, suffice it to say that every book I write and every blog I begin, begins with a tribute to God.  I can only pray that God will continue to find what I write to be an expression of God's will.

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins

Fairfield, California

November 28, 2021

December 6, 2024

January 27, 2025
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Alphabetical and Numerical Listings (1-110)

 Alphabetical Listings


2024 Jenkins Family Update - A00099

A Meditation on John Coltrane - A00048

A Musical Meditation on Rumi - A00038

A Tale of Two Memorial Services - A00051

A Time For Us - A00096

A Very Special Mother's Day - A00076

After 50 Years Why Haven't We Made More Progress?: The Absence of Curtis Mayfield - A00082

Ahmad Jamal, R.I.P. - A00029

Amazing Grace - A00044

And the Grammy Goes to Tyla for "Water" - A00063

Art Laboe, R. I. P. - A00017

Barrett Strong, R.I.P. - A00023

Blue-Eyed Soul Singer Bobby Caldwell, R. I. P. - A00028

Book of the Month for February 2023: Autobiography of a Yogi: The Yogi and the Dream Weaver - A00045

Book of the Month for December 2022: Cloud Empires: John Perry Barlow - A00020

Burt Bacharach: The Victorville Years - A00025

Cloud 9 on MLK Day - A00061

Dakota Staton: A Hidden Gem of History - A00032

Dante's "Purgatorio" and the Temptations "Just My Imagination" - A00100

Dreaming of a Jewish Christmas in August - A00014

Durand Jones & The Indications - A00078

Eleanor Collins, Ruby Sneed, and the Black Canadian Experience - A00072

Ella Jenkins, The First Lady of Children's Folk Music - A00091

Elza Soares, The Brazilian Voice of the Millennium - A00030

Frankie Beverly, R. I. P.  - A00084

Freshlyground -A00060

Goree Carter, The Forefather of Rock and Roll - A00068

Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song - A00024

Hallelujah Revisited - A00026

Happy Feelin's with the Soul Bird - A00085

Heal the World - A00073

Henry Fambrough, The Last of the Original Spinners - A00069

Hugh Price and the Waters of Bellagio - A00086

In Celebration of Coltrane: The Real Ambassadors and the Monterey Jazz Festival of 1962 - A00016

In Praise of Omar - A00056

Irene Cara, R. I. P. - A00019

It Won't Be Like This For Long - A00070

James Caan, Amherst College Memories and the Theme from Brian's Song - A00013

Jim Seals and Summer Breeze - A00010

Jim Seals' Diamond Girl - A00011

Joseph Clarence Chambers, Jr. (Amherst College Class of 1930), Composer of "All American Suite for Two Pianos" - A00089

La Vida Es Sueno - A00006

Mary Ellin Barrett, R.I.P. - A00015

Meditations on Rumi: The Music of Shujaat Khan - A00002

Meklit Hadero - A00004

Miho Nakayama, Japanese Music and Movie Star - A00092

Misia, Fabulous Fado Singer, R.I.P. - A00081

Music from the Barrio - A00055

Must See TV for 2024 and Beyond: PBS: Whitney Houston: The Concert for a New South Africa - A00094

Must See TV for February 2024: PBS: Gospel Live! and Gospel - A00065

Must See TV for February 2024: PBS: Gospel Live! and Gospel: A Review - A00067

Must See TV for August 2023: PBS: Independent Lens: Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary - A00035

Must See TV for January 2023: PBS: American Masters: Roberta Flack - A00022

My Tribute - A00033

Native American Indian Heritage Month - A00018

Nikki Giovanni, Poet Who Wrote of Black Joy - A00093

Owamni and Yoasobi - A00050

P. S. A Time For Us: The Lyrics and the Voice of Johnny Mathis - A00098

Red Baraat on Holi - A00071

Robbie Robertson, Native Son and the Leader of The Band, R.I.P. - A00042

Roberta Flack, Grammy Winning Singer and Pianist - A00101

Roger Whittaker, Anglo-Kenyan Singer of "The Last Farewell", R.I.P. - A00047

Samara Joy - A00027

Sara Tavares, R.I.P. - A00058

Sergio Mendes, R. I. P. - A00083

Shakira, The All-Time Best-Selling Female Latin Music Singer - A00102

Shuhada' Sadaqat, R.I.P., and Welcome to the Realm of the Ancestors - A00037

Sidney Poitier, R.I.P. - A00005

Songs for Native American Heritage Month - A00001

Songs That Always Make You Cry, Smile - A00097

Summer of Soul: Oh Happy Day! and Precious Lord, Take My Hand - A00008

The Eternal Essence of Quincy Jones - A00090

The Golden Time of Day - A00009

The Healing Power of Soul Music - A00039

The Healing Power of Soul Music: A Divine Addendum - A00040

The Immortal Life of Art Laboe - A00054

The Integration of Country Music - A00052

The Lasting Legacy of Madame Butterfly - A00031

The Magical Music of Maurice El Medioni, The Pianist Who Fused Jewish and Arab Music into Andalous  - A00074

The Magical Wonder of Route 66 - A00036

The Memorial Service: Shaman's Call - A00043

The Memorial Service: The Guiding Scripture - A00046

The Nearness of You - A00007

The Songbird of Asia - A00057

The Soul of Bentley and The Colors of the Wind - A00062

The Sounds of the Universe and the Music of the Spheres - A00080

The 'Spiritual Wonder" of Van Gogh's Starry Night - A00034  

The Wandering Day - A00088

The Weekend Theme Song - A00053

There's Something On Your Mind - A00066

Thom Bell, R.I.P. - A00021

Tio Feco y El Rey - A00003

TLC Forever - A00077

Toby Keith, R.I.P. - A00064

Traer Price's The Prayer Water Choreography - A00087

Unborn Child - A00012

Vincent van Gogh Masterworks by Rosalind Ormiston - A00041

We Are the World - A00075

Wild World - A00049 

Zahara, R.I.P. - A00059

Zakir Hussain, R. I. P. - A00095

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Numerical Listings 


A00001 - Songs for Native American Heritage

A00002 - Meditations on Rumi: The Music of Shujaat

A00003 - Tio Feco y El Rey

A00004 - Meklit Hadero

A00005 - Sidney Poitier, R.I.P.

A00006 - La Vida Es Sueno

A00007 - The Nearness of You

A00008 - Summer of Soul: Oh Happy Day! and Precious Lord, Take My Hand

A00009 - The Golden Time of Day

A00010 - Jim Seals and Summer Breeze

A00011 - Jim Seals' Diamond Girl

A00012 - Unborn Child

A00013 - James Caan, Amherst College Memories and the Theme from Brian's Song

A00014 - Dreaming of a Jewish Christmas in August

A00015 - Mary Ellin Barrett, R.I.P.

A00016 - In Celebration of Coltrane: The Real Ambassadors and the Monterey Jazz Festival of 1962

A00017 - Art Laboe, R. I. P.

A00018 - Native American Indian Heritage Month

A00019 - Irene Cara, R. I. P.

A00020 - Book of the Month for December 2022: Cloud Empires: John Perry Barlow

A00021 - Thom Bell, R.I.P.

A00022 - Must See TV for January 2023: PBS: American Masters: Roberta Flack

A00023 - Barrett Strong, R.I.P.

A00024 - Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song

A00025 - Burt Bacharach: The Victorville Years

A00026 - Hallelujah Revisited

A00027 - Samara Joy

A00028 - Blue-Eyed Soul Singer Bobby Caldwell, R. I. P.

A00029 - Ahmad Jamal, R.I.P.

A00030 - Elza Soares, The Brazilian Voice of the Millennium

A00031 - The Lasting Legacy of Madame Butterfly

A00032 - Dakota Staton: A Hidden Gem of History

A00033 - My Tribute

A00034 - The 'Spiritual Wonder" of Van Gogh's Starry Night

A00035 - Must See TV for August 2023: PBS: Independent Lens: Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary

A00036 - The Magical Wonder of Route 66

A00037 - Shuhada' Sadaqat, R.I.P., and Welcome to the Realm of the Ancestors

A00038 - A Musical Meditation on Rumi

A00039 - The Healing Power of Soul Music

A00040 - The Healing Power of Soul Music: A Divine Addendum

A00041 - Vincent van Gogh Masterworks by Rosalind Ormiston

A00042 - Robbie Robertson, Native Son and the Leader of The Band, R.I.P.

A00043 - The Memorial Service: Shaman's Call

A00044 - Amazing Grace

A00045 - Book of the Month for February 2023: Autobiography of a Yogi: The Yogi and the Dream Weaver

A00046 - The Memorial Service: The Guiding Scripture

A00047 - Roger Whittaker, Anglo-Kenyan Singer of "The Last Farewell", R.I.P.

A00048 - A Meditation on John Coltrane

A00049 - Wild World

A00050 - Owamni and Yoasobi

A00051 - A Tale of Two Memorial Services

A00052 - The Integration of Country Music

A00053 - The Weekend Theme Song

A00054 - The Immortal Life of Art Laboe

A00055 - Music from the Barrio

A00056 - In Praise of Omar

A00057 - The Songbird of Asia

A00058 - Sara Tavares, R.I.P.

A00059 - Zahara, R.I.P.

A00060 - Freshlyground

A00061 - Cloud 9 on MLK Day

A00062 - The Soul of Bentley and The Colors of the Wind

A00063 - And the Grammy Goes to Tyla for "Water"

A00064 - Toby Keith, R.I.P.

A00065 - Must See TV for February 2024: PBS: Gospel Live! and Gospel

A00066 - There's Something On Your Mind

A00067 - Must See TV for February 2024: PBS: Gospel Live! and Gospel: A Review

A00068 - Goree Carter, The Forefather of Rock and Roll

A00069 - Henry Fambrough, The Last of the Original Spinners

A00070 - It Won't Be Like This For Long

A00071 - Red Baraat on Holi

A00072 - Eleanor Collins, Ruby Sneed, and the Black Canadian Experience

A00073 - Heal the World

A00074 - The Magical Music of Maurice El Medioni, The Pianist Who Fused Jewish and Arab Music into Andalous

A00075 - We Are the World

A00076 - A Very Special Mother's Day

A00077 - TLC Forever

A00078 - Durand Jones & The Indications

A00079 - Toumani Diabate, The Great Kora Master, R.I.P.

A00080 - The Sounds of the Universe and the Music of the Spheres

A00081 - Misia, Fabulous Fado Singer, R.I.P.

A00082 - After 50 Years Why Haven't We Made More Progress?: The Absence of Curtis Mayfield

A00083 - Sergio Mendes, R. I. P.

A00084 - Frankie Beverly, R. I. P.

A00085 - Happy Feelin's with the Soul Bird

A00086 - Hugh Price and the Waters of Bellagio 

A00087 - Traer Price's The Prayer Water Choreography

A00088 - The Wandering Day

A00089 - Joseph Clarence Chambers, Jr. (Amherst College Class of 1930), Composer of "All American Suite for Two Pianos"

A00090 - The Eternal Essence of Quincy Jones

A00091 - Ella Jenkins, The First Lady of Children's Folk Music

A00092 - Miho Nakayama, Japanese Music and Movie Star

A00093 - Nikki Giovanni, Poet Who Wrote of Black Joy

A00094 - Must See TV for 2024 and Beyond: PBS: Whitney Houston: The Concert for a New South Africa

A00095 - Zakir Hussain, R. I. P.

A00096 - A Time For Us

A00097 - Songs That Always Make You Cry, Smile

A00098 - P. S. A Time For Us: The Lyrics and the Voice of Johnny Mathis

A00099 - 2024 Jenkins Family Update

A00100 - Dante's "Purgatorio" and the Temptations "Just My Imagination" 

A00101 - Roberta Flack, Grammy Winning Singer and Pianist

A00102 - Shakira, The All-Time Best-Selling Female Latin Music Singer

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About the Author

  Over the past 71 years, I have achieved some notable accomplishments.  Below are the links to some of the biographical listings that set forth those accomplishments. 



I feel very blessed to have been able to do as much as I have, but I feel that I have been "called" to do even more.  The creation of this blog is my response to that "calling".  I look forward to seeing what your response to that "calling" will be.

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins
Fairfield, California 
November 28, 2021 
December 6, 2024
January 27, 2025
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A00100 - Dante's "Purgatorio" and the Temptations "Just My Imagination"

  I finished reading Dante's Purgatorio segment of The Divine Comedy.  It is most aptly described at



Notably in the documentary "Dante: Inferno to Paradise", Purgatory is not highlighted in depth. I am not sure why that is and probably will not until the journey through the book is complete.  So, in two to three months, I hope to have a fuller understanding of the book and its construction.  However, for now, I note that the Purgatorio concludes with the arrival of Beatrice, the woman who Dante loved from afar.  For some reason, Dante's admiration of Beatrice kept bringing to mind one of my favorite Temptations songs to the point where I began to hear it in my mind while reading the last four cantos of Purgatorio.  I think many of you know the song and when you think of one of the key motivations for Dante's monumental classic, one can understand the power of one's imagination.  Please listen to this and ponder what it all means.



Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins
Fairfield, California
January 15, 2025


Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)

Song by

The Temptations
Each day through my window
I watch her as she passes by
I say to myself
"You're such a lucky guy"
To have a girl like her
Is truly a dream come true
Out of all of the fellas in the world
She belongs to you
But it was just my imagination
Running away with me
It was just my imagination
Running away with me
(Soon) Soon we'll be married
And raise a family, whoa yeah
A cozy, little home out in the country
With two children, maybe three
I tell you I can visualize it all
This couldn't be a dream
For too real it all seems
But it was just my imagination, once again
Running away with me
I tell you it was just my imagination
Running away with me
Every night, on my knees I pray
"Dear Lord, hear my plea"
"Don't ever let another take her love from me"
"Or I will surely die"
Ooh, her love is heavenly
When her arms enfold me
I hear a tender rhapsody
But in reality, she doesn't even know me
Just my imagination, once again
Running away with me
I tell you it was just my imagination
Running away with me
I never met her, but I can't forget her
Just my imagination
(Ooh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Running away with me
It was just my imagination

 

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: skipjen2865@aol.com <skipjen2865@aol.com>
To: 
Sent: Monday, December 9, 2024 at 11:00:12 PM PST
Subject: Must See TV for the Month of December 2024: PBS: Dante and Book of the Year for 2024: Dante's "The Divine Comedy"


It is now December 9, 2024, and I have just completed Canto XXV of Dante's Purgatory.  As "luck" would have it, the PBS World station began a repeat airing the documentary "Dante: Inferno to Paradise".  

Dante: Inferno to Paradise | PBS

Watching this documentary now that I am over half-way through my reading of The Divine Comedy, I find it suddenly more illuminating.  The documentary is truly a masterful look at this master work of literature.  For those who are able to find it, I again recommend "Dante: Inferno to Paradise".  Sometimes one learns more over time than occurs from an initial encounter.

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins




----- Forwarded Message -----
From: skipjen2865@aol.com <skipjen2865@aol.com>
To: 
Sent: Friday, March 29, 2024 at 12:59:03 AM PDT
Subject: Must See TV for the Month of March 2024: PBS: Dante and Book of the Year for 2024: Dante's "The Divine Comedy": The Descent Into Hell


It is now Good Friday of 2024, and I am on page 118 of my 895-page journey to read Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy


The Divine Comedy begins with Dante's descent into Hell on Good Friday of 1300.


As depicted in the PBS documentary, Dante has placed himself into his grand work ostensibly as a way to ultimately reunite with the love of his life Beatrice Portinari.  


a woman that Dante only met twice before she died in 1290.

After spending 100 pages accompanying Dante on his descent into Hell, I found myself wondering why someone would spend so much effort on such a dark work.  I watched the PBS documentary and I read the Wikipedia article on Dante


and I came away with the thought that something may have been lost in the translation from Italian to English causing the beauty of this masterpiece to be lost.  It may also be that my concept of the afterlife is so fundamentally different than that of Dante.  Fundamentally, I find the notion of an eternal Hell where people are confined without any recourse to salvation to be contrary to my own theology. I suppose that colors my perception of The Divine Comedy so far.  However, we shall see what happens during the journey through Purgatory and Paradise.

Stay tuned.

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins





----- Forwarded Message -----
From: skipjen2865@aol.com <skipjen2865@aol.com>
To: 
Sent: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at 04:21:23 AM PDT
Subject: Must See TV for the Month of March 2024: PBS: Dante and Book of the Year for 2024: Dante's "The Divine Comedy": The Inferno


By some "divine" coincidence, the following was the quote from the Monday, March 18, 2024, page of "A Year of Zen" calendar;

"The mountain of release is such that the 
    ascent's most painful at the start, below;
    the more you rise, the milder it will be.
"And when the slope feels gentle to the point that
    climbing up sheer rock is effortless 
    as though you were gliding downstream in a boat,
"then you will have arrived where this path ends."

Dante

*****

I do not know where this Dante quote comes from, but what I do know is that the Monday, March 18, 2024, episode of PBS's "Dante" covered the life of Dante through the year 1306 and covered Dante's Divine Comedy through The Inferno.  The program has been insightful and profound.  

I highly recommend that everyone watch the program and ponder on Dante's motivation for writing this monumental work. 
Both the watching and the pondering could prove to be life changing in and of themselves. 

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: skipjen2865@aol.com <skipjen2865@aol.com>
To: 
Sent: Friday, March 1, 2024 at 04:14:06 AM PST
Subject: Must See TV for the Month of March 2024: PBS: Dante and Book of the Year for 2024: Dante's "The Divine Comedy"


On March 18 and 19, PBS airs the four-hour documentary by Ric Burns entitled "Dante" 

Dante (March 2024) | Steeplechase Films (ricburns.com)


As my Program Listings guide explains: "Explore the stunning power and drama of Dante Alighieri's great masterwork, "The Divine Comedy" -- inarguably one of the greatest artistic masterpieces in the history of literature.  This documentary by Ric Burns dives into the riveting life and times of the poem's maker, the politics and culture of the late Middle Ages, the birth of the Italian language, and the birth of humanism itself."

Based on this intriguing description, I have made Ric Burns' "Dante" documentary my Must See TV for the Month of March 2024.  

Also, in anticipation of actually having some background on the actual text of "The Divine Comedy" masterpiece, I recently purchased a copy of "The Divine Comedy" from Amazon. The book I received is 895 pages long and is divided into three parts: The Inferno, The Purgatorio and The Paradiso.  The Inferno -- The Hell -- is some 270 pages long.  If I am diligent, I think I can finish The Inferno by the time the documentary airs but I cannot read the entire book by the time.  Accordingly, just as I did with "The Autobiography of a Yogi" and "The Song of Bernadette" in 2023, I am making Dante's "The Divine Comedy" my Book of the Year for 2024.


It should be a very interesting March.

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins 

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