LEIF ERIKSSON DISCOVERER OF AMERICA? - BY AWAKE! WRITER IN DENMARK

HOW DID THE VIKINGS NAVIGATE?

The Norse Vikings had no compasses.  How, then, did they come to be such excellent sailors?  When not sailing in open seas, they sailed with a coast in sight.  When possible they crossed a strait at a point where land could be seen on both sides.  In addition, they knew how to follow the sun and the stars. For example, they used a simple system to determine their latitude, employing a table of figures for each week of the year and a measuring stick to gauge the height of the midday sun above the horizon.  Because they had no system for determining longitude, when they were in open seas they preferred   to sail due east or due west, following a chosen latitude.

 If, for instance, they wanted to travel from Greenland to a position on the Vinland coast, they would sail south from Greenland until they found the correct latitude; then they would turn due west and find the desired  harbor.  Also, bird-watching was useful to a Viking crew in open seas.  They were experts in deducing where there was-by observing birds in flight.  They sometimes took ravens with them; when freed, the birds would soar and take flight toward the nearest coast.  The Viking crew than knew where to find the nearest land. 

Another aid to navigation was the taking of soundings. A Viking sailor would lower a line with a dead weight attached. This served two purposes. First, it enabled him to determine the water's depth. After the weight struck bottom, the sailor would haul in the line, using the span  of his arms to measure its length.  To this day, mariners measure depth in terms of the six-foot "fathom," a term derived from and old Norse word meaning "outstretched arms."  But the lead weight had a second function. Often, it was made with a hollow bottom that was filled with tallow. Thus, the weight would bring up a sample of the seafloor.  The sailor would examine the composition of the sample and consult  his sea charts, which contained written descriptions of the makeup of the seabed in various locations. Simple though their tools were, the Vikings became outstanding navigators. 

Next time: LEIF ERIKSSON DISCOVERER OF AMERICA? -BY AWAKE WRITER IN DENMARK/ What Evidence? 

From the Awake! magazine 

LEIF ERICKSSON DISCOVERER OF AMERICA? BY AWAKE! WRITER IN DENMARK

Leif Eriksson Sets Out

This may be how Europeans first set their eyes-though not their feet-on the mainland of the continent that was later to be known as North America.  The report of  what Bjarni had seen aroused a keen interest of fellow Norsemen in Greenland.  Their chilly land had few trees; to build and repair their boats and homes, they depended on driftwood or on the costly transport of lumber from overseas. But apparently just across the water to the west was a land with forests full of trees in untold numbers! 

Especially tempted by this new land was young Leif Eriksson , a son of Erik the Red. Leif was described as "a large, strong man, of very striking appearance and wise." About the year 1000, Leif Eriksson bought Bjarni's ship, and with a crw of 35 men, he set out to find the coasts Bjarni had seen.  

Three New Lands

If the sagas are accurate, Leif first found a grassless land, with larger glaciers covering the highlands. Because that land was like a single flat slab of rock, Leif named it Helluland-meaning "Stone-Slab Land."  This may have been the moment when Europeans first set foot on North America. Historians today believe that  Helluland was Baffin Island, in Northeaster Canada.

The Norse discoverers continued their journey south. They encountered a second land, which was flat and forested, with beaches of white sand. Leif called it Markland, meaning "Forest Land," today usually identified with Laborador.  Soon they discovered a third and even more promising land.  

The saga continues:  "They sailed out to sea and spent two days at sea with a northeasterly wind before they saw land." They found this new land so pleasant  that they decided to build houses and spend the winter there. During the winter, "the temperature  never dropped below freezing and the grass only withered very slightly."  Later, one of the men even found grapes and vines; hence, Leif Eriksson called the land Vinland, possibly meaning "Wineland." The following spring the mean sailed back to Greenland, their boats laden with the bounty of Vinland.

Scholars today would love to know just where this Vinland  of green pastures and grapes was, but its location remains elusive.  Some researchers in Newfoundland match the description in the ancient sagas.  A site excavated in Newfoundland shows that Norsemen did visit the island. Yet, other scientists hold that Vinland must have been farther south and that the site in Newfoundland served the Norsemen as a base camp or a gateway to a more southerly Vinland. 

Next time: LEIF ERIKSSON DISCOVERER OF AMERICA? -BY AWAKE! WRITER IN DENMARK/ HOW DID THE VIKINGS NAVIGATE?

From the Awake! magazine 

LEIF ERICKSSON DISCOVERER OF AMERICA?- BY AWAKE! WRITER IN DENMARK

WHO discovered America? Nobody really knows for sure.  The answer depends greatly on how you define "discover"  and "America."  (Note: I tell this: God discovered America/the World/ the Universe, because he made it)!  After all this, this vast land was populated for many centuries before the Europeans even knew it existed. Early in 1493, Christopher Columbus returned to Europe with eyewitness accounts of his first voyage to the Americas.  He actually landed on the islands of the West Indies. But he was not the first European to reach this amazing new world. A  band of fair-haired Scandinavians had evidently reached the North America mainland 500 years earlier.  

A thousand years ago, the North Atlantic was likely as cold and unpredictable as it is today.  A sailor may think that he knows the ocean's changing winds and currents, but and storm can make it impossible for him to find his bearings for weeks on end. According  to one of the ancient Norse sagas, this is just what happened one summer to young Bjarni Herjolfsson, and accomplished sailor and adventurer.  He lost his bearings-but he might have found a continent!

It was the era of the vikings, when the Norse expanded their dominion across the seas and down through Europe.  Their slim seaworthy ships could be seen anywhere from the coast of Norway to the shores of North Africa to the rivers of Europe.

According to the Saga of the Greenlanders, Bjarni went on a long excursion to Norway. As the winter of 986 C.E. neared,, he returned to Iceland with a full cargo. But to his surprise, he found that his father had left Iceland with a fleet of ships  under the leadership of Eric the Red.  They had gone away to settle in a large country that Erick had discovered west of Iceland.  To add to its appeal, Erik had named the island Greenland.  Resolutely, young Bjarni set sail for Greenland.   But then the wind changed. Fog descended upon the sailors.  "For many days they did not know where they were sailing," states the saga mentioned above.  

When the seaman finally saw land, it did not fit the description of Greenland.  The coast appeared to be lush, hilly, and forested.  They sailed North  with the coast on their left side. A second sighting of land seemed no more like Greenland than the first.  Several later, though, the land was different-more mountainous and glacial.  Then Bjarni and his crew turned east toward open seas and finally found Greenland and the Norse colony of Erik the Red. 

Next time: LEIF ERICKSSON THE DISCOVERER OF AMERICA? - BY AWAKE! WRITER IN DENMARK/Leif Eriksson Sets Out

From the Awake! magazine 

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK . . .How Can I Stop Worrying So Much?

Serious Situations

Not all situations are resolved so easily.  Consider a young man named Abdur.  His mother has cancer, and he has to support both her and his younger brother. Naturally, Abdur worries about his mother's condition. But he says:  "I take a cue from Jesus' words, 'Who of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his life span?  Instead of becoming frazzled, I try to think out the situation and determine what will bring the best results." -Matthew 6:27. 

Remaining calm in a crisis is not easy. Some become so distressed that they neglect themselves. Refusing to eat. However, the book Helping Your Teenager Deal With Stress warns that  when you deprive yourself of basic nourishment, you are "even less capable of withstanding the ravages of stress and even more susceptible to major health breakdowns."  So take care of yourself physically.  Get sufficient rest and nourishment.  

You can find the greatest relief by following the Bible's advice:  "Throw your burden upon Jehovah himself, and he himself  will sustain you.  Never will he allow the righteous one to totter." (Psalm 55:22)  Shane, quoted at the outset, was anxious about his future.  "I began to focus more on God's Word and his purpose," he recalls. Soon he realized that his future would be happy if he used life to serve God.  (Revelation 4:11)  "I stopped worrying about myself," says Shane.   "I had something bigger to think about." 

So when you find yourself worrying too much, seek constructive ways to deal with your problem. Get mature advice. And above all, take your concerns to Jehovah "because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)  With his help, maybe you will stop worrying so much. 

Next time:  LEIF ERIKSSON DISCOVERER OF AMERICA? - BY AWAKE! WRITER IN DENMARK

From the Awake! magazine 

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK . . .How Can I Stop Worrying So Much?

Don't Put Things Off

At times there is something we need to do, but we put it off because we find it unpleasant. Nineteen-year-old Shevone, for example, has personal difference with a fellow Christian. She knew that she needed to talk things out, but she procrastinated.  "The more I put it off, the more it bothered me," she confesses. Then Shevone remembered Jesus' words at Matthew 5:23, 24, which urge Christians to settle such problems immediately.  "When I finally did so," Shevone recalls, "I got relief." 

Are you putting something off-an unpleasant assignment or an uncomfortable  confrontation?  Well, take care of it soon, and you'll have one less thing to worry about. 

Next time: YOUNG PEOPLE ASK .  .   .How Can I Stop Worry So Much?/Serious Situations

From the Awake! magazine 

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK . . .How Can I Stop Worry So Much?

Get Advice

When Aaron was a youth, he worried so much about passing final exams that he had chest pains. He recalls: "I spoke to my parents, and they sent me to a doctor.  He immediately saw that there was nothing wrong with my heart and explained how anxiety can affect the body. Later  my parents helped me to realize that I had done all I could do in preparing for the test and that now I needed to worry more about taking care of myself.  My anxiety lifted, the chest pains went away, and I did well on my exams."  

If you feel weighed down by worry, don't suffer in silence. Proverbs 12:25 , partially quoted earlier, says in its entirety:  "Anxious care in the heart of a man is what will cause  it to bow down, but the good word is what makes it rejoice."   Only if you talk about your "anxious care"  can you get a "good word" of encouragement! 

First, you might want to talk things over with your parents, they may very well come up with some suggestions.  The spiritually mature ones in your local Christian congregation are another source of support.  Fifteen-year-old Janelle relates: "I was worried about going to high school, scared of facing everything-drugs, sex, violence-until I spoke to a congregation elder.  He gave me many practical suggestions. I immediately felt better because now I realize that I could handle the situation." 

Next time:  YOUNG PEOPLE ASK . . .How Can I Stop Worrying So Much?/Don't Put Things Off

From the Awake! magazine 

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK . ..How Can I Stop Worrying So Much?

"Worry Wisely"

Many people allow worry to immobilize them.  But an article appearing in a magazine for teenagers suggested that one can "worry wisely" by turning worry into constructive action!  The Bible has many principles to help you do that.  Consider Proverbs 21:5: "The plans of the diligent one surely make for advantage."  Say, for example, that you want to have a gathering of some friends in the congregation.   Good planning can spare you much worry. Ask yourself, 'Exactly who will be invited?  When do I want them to arrive?  When do I want them to leave?  How much do I really need in the way of refreshments?  What are some fun activities that everyone can enjoy?'  The more you think things out, the  more likely it is that your gathering will go well.

However, you can generate worry by allowing things to become too complicated.   Jesus Christ gave this advice to a woman who went to more trouble than was necessary in providing for her guest:  "A few things though, are needed, or just one." (Luke 10:42) So ask yourself,  'What really is important to make this gathering successful?'  Keeping things simple may help you to minimize your anxiety. 

Another source of worry might be your safety in school.  There may be little that you can do to change the situation there.  But you can take practical steps to protect yourself.  "Shrewd is the one that has seen the calamity and proceeds to conceal himself," says Proverbs 22:3.   Simply avoiding dangerous places-not only the isolated spots but also unsupervised areas where the unruly tend to gather-can lower your chances of running into trouble.

Schoolwork can be another source of worry. Maybe you have several important homework assignments and you're worried that you won't get  all of them done in time.  The principle at Philippians 1:10 is helpful:  "Make sure of the more important things."  Yes, learn to prioritize!  Figure out which assignment is the most time sensitive, and do that one first.  Then, move on to the next one. Gradually you will begin to feel in control of the situation. 

Next time: YOUNG PEOPLE ASK . .  .How Can I Stop Worrying So Much?/Get Advice

From the Awake! magazine 

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK . . .How Can I Stop Worrying So Much?

Problems-A Part of Life

It would be nice if we could lead worry-free lives. However, the Bible says: "Man, born of woman, is short-lived and glutted with agitation." (Job 14:1)  Problems-and the worries that accompany them-are therefore a part of life.  But if you let worries and anxieties dominate your thinking, you can do a lot of damage to yourself.  The Bible warns:  "Anxious care in the heart of a man is what will cause it to bow down." -Proverbs 12:25. 

One way to avoid unnecessary worry is to control your own behavior. Sixteen-year-old Ana says:  "Many of my classmates are worried about becoming pregnant or getting a sexual transmitted disease."  But you can avoid such worries by holding to the Bible's moral standards.  (Galatians 6:7)  Even so, not all your problems may be so clear-cut or easily resolved. How can you stop worrying so much? 

Next time: YOUNG PEOPLE ASK . . .How Can I Stop Worrying So Much?/"Worry Wisely" 

From the Awake! magazine 

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK . . .How Can I Stop Worrying So Much?

"One of the most stressful things for a young person can be the future. You worry about yourself.  Should I leave home? Go to school? Take up the full-time ministry? Get married? You have so many options that it's scary." -Shane, 20 years old.

DO YOU worry a lot? Many youths do, and for a variety of reasons. A newspaper published to offer guidance to parents reported:  "A recent worldwide survey of teenagers ages 15 to 18 in 41 countries revealed that getting a job is the top concern among today's teens."  Next in line was worry over their parents' health.  Fear of losing someone they loves was also high on the list. 

A U.S.Department of Education survey found that  "the pressure to get good grades" was a major concern of many youths in the United States.  The same survey revealed that more than a few young people feel the same way Shane did (quoted above) Another youth, named Ashley, says:  "I'm worrying about my future." 

Yet, other youths worry about their physical safety. According to a 1996 survey, almost 50 percent of youths  in the United States felt that their school was getting more violent.  Over eight million teens (37 percent)  reported  that they knew someone who had been shot! 

Not all worries are quite so grim, though. For many youths their biggest worries  involve their social life.  Says an on-line magazine directed to parents;  "Teens do worry about having a boyfriend or girlfriend, but more often they worry about having no friends at all." A teenage girl  named Meagan laments:  "How do you look and act cool?  I need some friends." Along the same lines, a 15-year-old Christian youth named Nathanael observes:  "The kids at school worry about style.  They worry about how they walk, talk, and look to others.  They're afraid of looking stupid."

Next time: YOUNG PEOPLE ASK . . .How Can I Stop Worrying So Much?/Problems -A Part of Life

From the Awake!  magazine 

Who Will Feed the World?

Soon-A Vibrant, Thriving Earth

Before renovating a dilapidated house, you may first need to clear out the rubbish. Similarly, Jehovah God will soon rid the earth of all the wicked, including those who see our planet, its natural assets, and even fellow humans as merely things to exploit in the interests of personal and corporate wealth.  (Psalm 37:10, 11; Revelation 11:18)  But Jehovah will preserve alive all who love him and strive to do his will. -1 John 2:15-17. 

Thereafter, the earth and its countless living things, including obedient humans, will be administered by a government of God's making-the Messianic Kingdom.  (Daniel 7:13, 14; Matthew 6:10) And what abundance the earth will produce under the wise rulership! Says Psalm 72:16:  "There will come to be plenty of grain; on top of the mountains there will be an overflow."  Yes, food will no longer be a cause of controversy and anxiety. Instead, it will be safe and plentiful. 

So as the present system goes ever deeper into its dark tunnel of despair and uncertainty, those who trust in Jehovah can look forward to a glorious  future right here on earth.   This hope is contained in the "good news of the kingdom," which Jehovah's Witnesses joyfully share with all who want a better and more just world.  (Matthew 24:14)  Thanks to this sure hope-and God's fatherly care of his people-we can, even now," reside in security and be undisturbed from dread of calamity." -Proverbs 1:33. 

Next time: YOUNG PEOPLE ASK . . .How Can I Stop Worrying So Much? 

From the Awake! magazine