Part 1: To Care or Not to Care…?

It was about 10:30 a.m. or so, and I was sitting in a local, and seemingly popular, millennial coffee shop, attempting to work on some things for remainder of my current school semester and for post-school work. I decided taking a second to pull back from my work and reign in my thoughts, so I looked up and took in the environment around me. I noticed an older man, maybe in his early 60’s, and his young grandson, maybe 4 or 5, walking in. He had ordered his “little guy” a hot chocolate and then sat at the table next to me. A few ladies walked in shortly after, ordered

their coffee and went to sit on the soft, plush couches nearby. The little one kept asking about his grandma, the fact that his hot chocolate had “Ice” on top, and why his grandpa’s beard was so long. His grandpa then struck up a conversation with the family behind him, who was having coffee, with what looked like a daughter home from college. After talking about his Alma mater, his time in the Marine Corp, and how it had such an influence on his life, the family then thanked him for his service and parted ways He watched them leave and then the man returned his attention to his young grandson, who had been quietly sitting, watching and listening to his grandpa. The ladies that had ordered and sat on the couch, approached the older man about taking their picture, to which he agreed and joked about his lack of ability with technology. Hearing and silently observing the things going on around me, it struck me that the things we have most wrong with our world and the people therein, it’s the lack of common courtesy and care for one another. One may argue that it’s a lack of love that we’re seeing in our world, to which I would not disagree, but where do we even see and get our example of love? Obviously, I can say with utmost certainty that our example of love comes from Christ, His treatment of others and the ultimate demonstration of love, His death on the cross. If we expect to be loved by others, to be treated the way we desire to be, and to see others be treated the way we think they should be, WE need to be the example of Christ’s’ love. It is simple, but not easy. Loving how He loved, is not something we can expect to happen as soon as we’re baptized or as soon as we pray about it. It takes practice. Learning how to love someone regardless of their actions and flaws, is not something that is picked up after one ‘attempt’. We will fail, but that is all part of learning how to be better the next time.

Play Ball!

umpireSummer nights at the baseball game almost always start off with the umpire shouting, “Play Ball!” But just minutes before he utters that infamous phrase you’ll likely hear the words to our National Anthem sung by an individual, quartet or small chorus.

“Oh, say can you see, by the dawn’s early light what so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight, o’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming. And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there! Oh, say does that Star Spangled Banner yet wave, o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?”Rough Riders...field

What a great tradition we have established in this country. For more back ground on our National Anthem, you might consider re-reading the article from this site posted on July 4th; “Looking Into the Dawn.”

It was a beautiful Tuesday night in June, when 18 people harmonized their voices to serve the Frisco Rough Rider’s baseball team in singing the National Anthem. A special thanks to the men and women (and the two young ladies who signed) as they practiced, prepared and performed this great song for our country…The National Anthem!

Thanksgiving…224 years ago

Unless you simply refuse to accept it, our country was founded by God-fearing men.  The first president of our United States understood the importance of honoring and fearing (respecting) our Heavenly Father.  As George Washington penned this proclamation, notice how many times our president gives reference to God, our protector and ‘Author of all that’s good.’

thanksgiving proclamation

“Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor– and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”

Note: To 1) acknowledge the providence of God, 2) obey His will, 3) be grateful to Him and 4) humbly ask for His protection…is the duty of all nations!

“Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be– That we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks–for His kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation–for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of His Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war (recognizing God’s role in the Revolutionary War)–for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed–for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted–for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.”

Again note: Our tranquility as a country, the unity we enjoy as a nation, and our extreme ‘plenty’ is surely a blessing from God!  These truths are not from our own making, but from the hand of God.  That was something our first President clearly understood and adamantly promoted.

“…and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions– to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually–to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed–to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord–To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease (increase) of science among them and us–and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.washington praying

Each November our nation is united around ‘Thanksgiving,’ but how many of us will truly humble ourselves and pray?  Do we see this time as an opportunity to perform our ‘several and relative duties (for each other) properly,’ or are we too busy ‘shopping for the holidays?’  God has so generously blessed us!

“Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

G. Washington”

Looking Into the Dawn

early morning mistThere are some who are ‘early birds’ while others are ‘night owls.’  You’ve heard that the ‘early bird’ gets the worm, and the ‘night owl’ keeps vigil through the evening hours.  We all have our preferences when it comes to the morning watch or the late night.  Some are early to bed, early to rise while others burn the midnight oil; we know the difference.

To be honest we could examine the benefits one’s sleeping habits might have, but for the sake of this article, let’s consider what we might SEE during the early morning hours.  The sun is breaking over the horizon and the sky changes from deep shades of midnight blue to soft tones of lavender.  A beautiful sight to behold!

Depending on your location you might see a mist hovering over the valley, or feel the coolness in a mid-summer’s morning.  The reflection of the rising sun on the lake or the serenity of your sleeping spouse is sure to open the eyes of even the weariest dreamer.  But there was one early morning when a lawyer and amateur poet strained his eyes to see what he feared he had lost.  He was looking for something he had seen several hours early in the fading twilight.  Perhaps he didn’t even sleep as he was anticipating the sight.  But as the story goes, this 35 year old man waited patiently aboard a British Navy vessel waiting to see the dawn’s light illuminate an American symbol, the US flag that flew over Ft. Henry.flag

In 1814, during the War of 1812, Francis Scott Key was an attorney working toward a prisoner exchange with the British Navy.  During his visit aboard the British flagship TONNANT, he was met with resistance and  was not immediately released.  The reason; he had seen and heard too much of an upcoming attack on the town of Baltimore and her strong-hold, Fort Henry.  (An interesting bit of information; the commanding officer at Ft. Henry, Major George Armistead, requested a large flag to fly over the fort.  One so large, he said, “the British would have no trouble seeing it from a distance.”  The seamstress recruited for this 30 x 42 foot standard was Mary Young Pickersgill and her 13 year old daughter.  The two women cut fifteen stars that measured two feet from point to point.  In addition, eight red and seven white stripes, two feet wide, were cut and sewn together to form the US flag for Ft. Henry.  This highly visible banner proved to be very motivational to many Americans.)

The attack on Ft. Henry and Baltimore lasted 25 hours while more than 1,500 bombshells were sent to their target.  The British fired the new ‘Congreve rockets’ that traced wobbly arcs of red flame across the night sky as the assault continued long into the evening hours.  With both a land and sea attack, eventually the British cannons ceased their firing.  Then around 1:00 in the morning, the British ships came to life again.  This time, they lit up the night sky with a monstrous display of fireworks.  While the cannon’s were roaring and rockets were flashing, Francis Scott Key and the other Americans drew hope knowing Ft. Henry had not yet surrendered.   Then long before day break, in the predawn of the early morning, a sudden and mysterious silence filled the air.

Francis Scott Key waited in the darkness as his eyes strained to see the horizon and the wave of the enormous Ft. Henry flag.  The British had determined that Baltimore and Ft. Henry were too costly of a prize.  The retreat of the British navy had been ordered.  Francis Scott Key penned what he saw and at the same time asked a question to all Americans throughout the ages.  Other verses were written, but there is some discrepancy as to which ones came from the pen of Francis Scott Key.


O say can you see by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming,

Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Whether you’re an ‘early bird’ or not, the next time you wake up before the rising of the sun, look into the dawn and Francis Scott Keyconsider the freedom you have.  Wipe the sleep from your eyes and remember the battle of Ft. Henry in 1814.  We are a blessed nation.  One with freedoms we don’t necessarily understand nor fully appreciate.  Our nation is the land of the free, but it’s up to you and me if we are to continue to be the home of the brave.  Open your eyes and look into the dawn’s early light.  Search with pride and see the broad stripes and bright stars.  Francis Scott Key would be proud to know, they’re still there!