Today I am thankful to be living in the United States of America.
I ascribe the goodness of such fortune to a living God, whom many of my fellow Americans are free to deny, berate, and even curse. While I respect a person's right to do so, I find it unfortunate that they are so willing to "bite the hand that feeds them."
Granted, not everyone sees it this way, especially if they don't acknowledge that a hand exists. However, there is a class of people - believers and unbelievers alike - who can't even see the hand due to a special darkness in their hearts.
While many will spend time tomorrow giving thanks to the Lord for what He has given them, others will sit around and complain about what they haven't been given - by anyone.
There will be laments that Social Services didn't give them enough food stamps to trade for beer. Cries of injustice will be heard that their names didn't make it on more than one charity list for Thanksgiving dinner to be provided for them free of charge. Outrage will be expressed that stores are closed and they can't get their cigarettes. "How dare those people not give me what I deserve!"
Ungratefulness is an ugly condition of the heart fostered by greed that leads to a sense of entitlement. It blinds the mind's eye to all that a person really does have. It clouds the judgment and craves selfish, self-elevated behavior. This darkness is thriving in the spoiled nation of America.
Perhaps there is no cure for the whole population. Is it possible that Abraham Lincoln wrote in vain the words he delivered to his beloved countrymen back in 1863 when he proclaimed a national day of giving thanks, not just toward men or inwardly to ourselves, but to the Creator and Provider of all things?
His humble statement in the midst of national turmoil is a powerful guideline for giving thanks still. His grateful words challenge the heart beyond self, outward to others and upward to God. His thanksgiving appeals to the personal sensibilities and integrity of all mankind. His proclamation is a challenge to let some light into the dark areas of our hearts.
Perhaps there is a cure after all.
Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation
Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans - stateside, at sea, and abroad. I thank God for you and ask His blessing on you.
God, bless America.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
To the American War Zone Soldier in 2010
On September 29, 2010, Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates addressed Duke University students and staff on the disconnect Americans have developed regarding the U.S. military and the American duty to serve. (http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/nation/defense-chief-warns-most-americans-detached-from-wars-see-service-as-something-others-do-104033608.html)
He was quoted as saying, "Whatever their fond sentiments for men and women in uniform, for most Americans the war remains an abstraction - a distant and unpleasant series of news items that do not affect them personally."
While Mr. Gates' point was to address low-volunteerism, statements like this are unproductive and, rather than causing people to act, tend to cause blind acceptance of the viewpoint. In this case, it can be dangerously damaging to the morale of our existing U.S. Forces in war zones.
Dear American Soldier;
I agree that war is an abstract concept to those of us who have never been there and experienced what you are going through, and to say that it doesn't affect most Americans personally is probably true. I blame the government because WWII proved that, with the use of media and policy, the government CAN rally all of America behind its troops. Casually saying that most of us aren't affected belies the fact that MANY of us ARE affected and it glosses over a situation that someone should be doing more about.
For every 1 of you soldiers serving in war, there are - at minimum - 4 family members and a handful of friends and acquaintances who daily worry about and pray for you. Most of you soldiers have a much larger family (including extended members who worry as much as mom, dad and siblings) and dozens of people in the workforce, churches, colleges, etc. whose lives are affected personally by your absence and have concern for you on a daily basis.
Based on figures from May 2010 as cited by the Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/24/AR2010052403842.html)...
If, at minimum, 1 solder affects 10 people personally, then:
That figure doesn't include:
So maybe MOST Americans aren't affected personally - and we have soldiers at war to thank for that - but remember the 1.8 million PLUS who ARE affected personally! In fact, because those 1.8 million people also have people concerned for them too, I'd wager the number - the minimum number - could be as high as 180 million Americans who are personally affected by a soldier in a war zone.
Don't feel forgotten! The level of "personal affect" will be different for each American depending on how close he or she is to you, soldier, but not everyone is sitting over here in the U.S. completely unaffected by what's going on overseas.
Many Americans ARE behind you!
Many Americans ARE praying for you!
Many Americans ARE personally affected and can't express enough the gratitude we feel for your selfless acts of patriotism and brotherhood to all peoples.
May you be blessed with success in your missions and the assurance that what you do is not in vain.
Sincerely,
One Personally Affected American
NOTE: This article was written and published by this blogger, Tracy A. Drake, and is NOT a reprint of another person's work.
He was quoted as saying, "Whatever their fond sentiments for men and women in uniform, for most Americans the war remains an abstraction - a distant and unpleasant series of news items that do not affect them personally."
While Mr. Gates' point was to address low-volunteerism, statements like this are unproductive and, rather than causing people to act, tend to cause blind acceptance of the viewpoint. In this case, it can be dangerously damaging to the morale of our existing U.S. Forces in war zones.
Dear American Soldier;
I agree that war is an abstract concept to those of us who have never been there and experienced what you are going through, and to say that it doesn't affect most Americans personally is probably true. I blame the government because WWII proved that, with the use of media and policy, the government CAN rally all of America behind its troops. Casually saying that most of us aren't affected belies the fact that MANY of us ARE affected and it glosses over a situation that someone should be doing more about.
For every 1 of you soldiers serving in war, there are - at minimum - 4 family members and a handful of friends and acquaintances who daily worry about and pray for you. Most of you soldiers have a much larger family (including extended members who worry as much as mom, dad and siblings) and dozens of people in the workforce, churches, colleges, etc. whose lives are affected personally by your absence and have concern for you on a daily basis.
Based on figures from May 2010 as cited by the Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/24/AR2010052403842.html)...
If, at minimum, 1 solder affects 10 people personally, then:
- The 94,000 troops in Afghanistan affect 940,000 Americans personally, and
- The 92,000 troops in Iraq affect 920,000 Americans personally.
That figure doesn't include:
- The families of the killed and injured soldiers who are still personally affected - daily
- The non-deployed military members working with soldiers in transition to and from theater (with or without injuries) who are personally affected - daily
- The military and VA medical staff caring for wounded and traumatized soldiers who are personally affected - daily
- Or the random number of patriotically driven Americans led to pray for soldiers they've never met who are personally affected - daily
So maybe MOST Americans aren't affected personally - and we have soldiers at war to thank for that - but remember the 1.8 million PLUS who ARE affected personally! In fact, because those 1.8 million people also have people concerned for them too, I'd wager the number - the minimum number - could be as high as 180 million Americans who are personally affected by a soldier in a war zone.
Don't feel forgotten! The level of "personal affect" will be different for each American depending on how close he or she is to you, soldier, but not everyone is sitting over here in the U.S. completely unaffected by what's going on overseas.
Many Americans ARE behind you!
Many Americans ARE praying for you!
Many Americans ARE personally affected and can't express enough the gratitude we feel for your selfless acts of patriotism and brotherhood to all peoples.
May you be blessed with success in your missions and the assurance that what you do is not in vain.
Sincerely,
One Personally Affected American
NOTE: This article was written and published by this blogger, Tracy A. Drake, and is NOT a reprint of another person's work.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Alien in the neighborhood?
Screaming screechy howls outside.
Amplified by echo.
4:00 am.
Unnerving to say the least.
That's what my husband and I woke up to one morning last week.
The only way I can describe it is to say it sounded like a goose was screaming.
As we tried to identify what we were hearing and wondered if our three cats were okay, I saw two shadowy images cross my neighbors lawn. We went outside to investigate but found nothing. Knowing we've had foxes in the area, I went to Google and almost instantly found the answer.
It was a red fox in distress.
All three of our cats turned up by morning, all of them fine, so I'm not sure if I saw two foxes, a fox pursuing a cat, or a cat pursuing a fox, but there was definitely a fox in distress out there.
Here's what it sounded like:
Amplified by echo.
4:00 am.
Unnerving to say the least.
That's what my husband and I woke up to one morning last week.
The only way I can describe it is to say it sounded like a goose was screaming.
As we tried to identify what we were hearing and wondered if our three cats were okay, I saw two shadowy images cross my neighbors lawn. We went outside to investigate but found nothing. Knowing we've had foxes in the area, I went to Google and almost instantly found the answer.
It was a red fox in distress.
All three of our cats turned up by morning, all of them fine, so I'm not sure if I saw two foxes, a fox pursuing a cat, or a cat pursuing a fox, but there was definitely a fox in distress out there.
Here's what it sounded like:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
God Bless America
God bless America…
… a nation where Christians are free to work out their new behavior in Christ through trial and error…
… and where those who don’t believe in Christ are free to criticize them for it.
God bless America…
… a nation where its people are free to express themselves in the architecture of their capitol…
… are free to write erroneous email about the history of that expression and pass it around as gospel truth…
… and are free to rebuke those who do and print the truth.
God bless America…
… a nation where, regardless of the original architect’s design for Washington DC and the plans of man in the generations following…
… despite the poor behavior of those who call themselves Christians…
… and for mercy’s sake of those who reject Him…
… God has chosen to place His mark on our capital city.
I take great comfort in that.
God, PLEASE bless America!
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