Oh The Rocket's Red Glare

Well, here goes. This will be my first foray into the world of blogging...blogging, odd word. Another word coinage of the computer age. Wonder what old Will would think of a word like "blog"? The Bard that is...of Avon...oh you know!!! *Shakespeare*...for goodness sake…who definitely had a way with words. I have a dear friend, a Sister in the Lord and a writer who has a wonderful way with words and she is the one who encouraged me to try this.

Setting down my thoughts and sometimes, feelings, for public view is a daunting proposition and makes me feel sort of like Eve in the Garden before "the Fall", very naked and exposed. Hmm, that's not right. Actually she felt that way *after* when she realized she was nekked...oh well. Yet, who knows how God may use even my musings, or rants and raves, to nourish or enlighten someone. If what I share simply entertains anyone, makes someone *think*, reminds someone of some cool memories, or even makes you chuckle, then at least I know He is using even my simple and humble thoughts to good purpose.

After 3 days of sweltering, feeling as though I was actually melting and not just sweating every time I mustered the courage to venture out into the heat and hum-did-ditty, I am thoroughly enjoying this absolutely beautiful day of sun and sweet summer breezes...make me feel fine, blowin' through the corners of my mind. Ahhhhh yes, I could certainly take an entire summer of days like this. See, I'm not one of those "ladies" who sit quietly moist and misty sippin' juleps or lemonade in the shade (hmm, neat rhyme), I *sweat* and I don't like it, the heat or the sticky, icky sweat...aarrrrghhhhh. Nooo thanks, no long hot summer for me!

The best thing about this week is anticipating Independence Day. I'm a big kid (don't 'wanna grow up) about lots of things and one of them is fireworks. Just love 'em. I'm also a big-time sentimental slob about quite a few things. One being this wonderful, though sometimes seriously troubled and flawed country of ours, the good old USA.

When I watch "the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air", and the good old Drum & Bugle Corps is blaring out all the great patriotic songs, especially on the "Fourth", I get misty-eyed and my heart swells for this country...for all the good things about it and all it stands for. A few years ago I actually sang through tears as our church choir did a special Armed Forces salute at our Independence Day special service as members, some disabled, of each of the Armed Forces marched down the center aisle. And, boy oh boy, I was a wreck trying to sing “God Bless America” and the “Battle Hymn of the Republic”. I felt so blessed, and humbled, to have been able to take part in that. I am also reminded how dear what we have here really is. I think we all need reminding that our great freedom is indeed, and never has been, *free*. I hope everyone else also remembers that and thanks God for giving us all the brave young men and women who are out there today protecting us and paying the price for all of us here at home and for all those who have gone before, so many times, to protect what we have here, to secure our God-given freedoms, including the freedom to dissent. I hope we can all pray for their safe return home very soon and for real peace some day. I know this is all in God's hands.

For now this will be enough to start this new venture into the world of blogging. I will leave you with these two things, one a poem from a U.S. Marine Chaplain and the other, thoughts excerpted from a longer, but excellent speech by a very well respected man at the commencement of what should be, for all Americans, a proud and special holiday. May Old Glory always proudly wave, though tattered and wounded, " 'oer the Land of the Free, and the Home of the Brave".

"It is the soldier, not the reporter,
Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

It is the soldier, who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag."
-- Father Dennis Edward O'Brian, USMC

"What July Fourth Means to Me"

"Let the Fourth of July always be a reminder that here in this land,
for the first time, it was decided that man is born with certain
God-given rights; that government is only a convenience created
and managed by the people, with no powers of its own except those
voluntarily granted to it by the people.

We sometimes forget that great truth, and we never should.
Happy Fourth of July."

--Ronald Reagan, President of the United States (1981)