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Today, the Beloved Husband and I celebrate twenty one years of being married.
Twenty one years of loving, and arguing, and growing; of friendship and joy and fear and pain and celebration. Twenty one years of growing closer and encouraging each other to be better - together. Twenty one years of living with and loving the Best Husband in the Universeâ¢, who loves me and loves our daughter with every fiber of his being. Twenty one years of being partner to a man of humor, honor, adventure, kindness, integrity, and encouragement.
Twenty one years of being blessed with the most loving, sweet, understan ding, sexy, irritating, handy, challenging, and WONDERFUL husband God ever put on this earth.
My Beloved, you have been and are an incredible blessing to me. You are my anchor and my wings; you are my bedrock strength and my laughing muse. I cannot tell you how wonderful you are and how blessed I am to have you in my life. You are my BEST FRIEND, my LOVER, and the most PERFECT man for me! You are a fantastic Dad, an excellent son, a reliable brother, a cherished son-in-law... and my Beloved Husband.
Sweetheart, here's to many, many more years together, loving and teasing and arguing and cherishing.
I am truly blessed among women, for I have the man who is the other half of my soul.
UPDATE: Janie 2.0 has requested a photo. I apologize, but I have no photos of the Beloved Husband and me - obviously an oversight which I will need to correct - but I do have one of him and the Darling Munchkin:
Today's readings in the MacArthur Study Bible are 2 Chronicles 32 and 33, Psalm 85:8-13, Proverbs 21:12, and Acts 20:17-38.
How often do you feel overwhelmed by things? Sometimes life just seems to conspire against you; the task seems too big, the opposition seems too strong, and the road of progress just seems endless. The effort you expend doesn't bring the results you want, and frequently you feel you're going two steps forward, only to slide three steps back.
God knows this. God knows you get discouraged, and He knows you get tired.
You know what? That's all right, because He didn't make your shoulders big enough or strong enough to handle all this. He wants you - He wants ME! - to let Him carry the load. He wants us to have faith in Him and obey Him. When we truly rest in Him, He comes in to our situation and brings it to a conclusion that makes everyone say, "That could only be God!"
Take a look at King Hezekiah.
Many years have passed since the glory days of King David and his son, Solomon. Israel has been split into two parts: Israel, the northern kingdom, which had ten of the original twelve tribes, and Judah, the southern kingdom, David's line, which had Jerusalem and two tribes. Judah is small and weak, and had had a succession of kings after David, some who were faithful to God and many who were not.
But Hezekiah loved God, and restored the Temple and the proper worship of God. He tore down the idolatrous high places, he revived the celebration of the Passover, and had the priests and Levites reconsecrate themselves to the service of God.
But now, in chapter 32 of 2 Chronicles, disaster appears on the horizon: Sennacherib, King of Assyria enters Judah intending to conquer Jerusalem. Thus, Hezekiah makes what preparation he can for war, and then counsels the people:
Then he set military captains over the people, gathered them together to him in the open square of the city gate, and gave them encouragement, saying, “Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
"There are more with us than with him." The calm confidence of Hezekiah is an inspiration. He takes care of what he can, and trusts God to take care of what is beyond Hezekiah's ability. What faith and humility! What strength of character!
Contrast Senacherib's response:
After this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem (but he and all the forces with him laid siege against Lachish), to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were in Jerusalem, saying, “Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria: ‘In what do you trust, that you remain under siege in Jerusalem? Does not Hezekiah persuade you to give yourselves over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, “The LORD our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria”? Has not the same Hezekiah taken away His high places and His altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, “You shall worship before one altar and burn incense on it”? Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of other lands? Were the gods of the nations of those lands in any way able to deliver their lands out of my hand? Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed that could deliver his people from my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my hand? Now therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you like this, and do not believe him; for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand?’”
Furthermore, his servants spoke against the LORD God and against His servant Hezekiah.
He also wrote letters to revile the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, “As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my hand.” Then they called out with a loud voice in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them and trouble them, that they might take the city. And they spoke against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth—the work of men’s hands.
Ah, the arrogance and pride! How like Sennacherib we are, confident in our own power, believing that we are gods in knowledge and wisdom. We often rail against the Lord, boasting that He is less than we, blaspheming His Name by our words and deeds. We can be so foolish! In fact, that Bible calls us fools: "The fool has said in his own heart, 'There is no God.'" Biblically speaking, that's not an indictment against our intelligence, but against our morality. Take a look at Romans 1, and you will see how God condemns our willful rejection of Him along with the way we consciously suppress the truth of His godhead and power.
Wouldn't it be better to be truly wise, acknowledge our loving Sovereign, and submit ourselves to His will? I have heard it said, and have used it myself, that when you are on God's side, you are in the majority. When you are on God's side, you are on the side of the Creator of the universe, the Living God, the Lord God Almighty.
The God who brought the Flood upon the earth, and rescued eight people out of it; the God who parted the Red Sea, and led a nation through it; the God who spoke history before it happened, and brought it to pass; and the God who loved us so much that He took our punishment so that we could be made alive and made members of His family - this is the God who fights for His people.
And poor, foolish Sennacherib?
Then the LORD sent an angel who cut down every mighty man of valor, leader, and captain in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned shamefaced to his own land. And when he had gone into the temple of his god, some of his own offspring struck him down with the sword there.
Don't mess with God: you'll lose.
And don't oppress the people of God, should He choose to use you as a tool to discipline them: He will remember, and He will repay.
The children of God should always remember His words to Joshua:
Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Immerse yourself in the Word of God, learn His ways of righteousness, obey His commands, and you will have nothing to fear.
Jesus promised us that He would never leave nor forsake us, but we have to take that first step of trust and place ourselves in the hands of our risen Lord and Savior. There is no safer place to be!
... or at least, what passes for one these days.
What burns my gut is that we have so many of our elected officials and public figures making immoderate and ill-considered remarks like Congressman Ellison's of the other day. Whatever happened to sober, thoughtful and LOGICAL expressions of opinion?
It seems that in this day of the All Powerful Soundbite™, the more outrageous you are, the more likely you are to be quoted. The more you're quoted, the more publicity you get. *sigh*
God forbid we should have people in the public service who are humble and self-effacing - people who go into government at great personal cost to be a servant to the public, rather than puffing themselves up.
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Today's readings from the MacArthur Daily Bible are: 2 Chronicles 30 and 31, Psalm 85:1-7, Proverbs 21:9-11, and Acts 20:1-16.
How often the Psalms call out to my heart and put the right words into my mouth! I cannot tell you the many times God has led my eyes to these verses of praise and pain, adoration and vengeance, and given me words to soothe my soul and renew my love for Him.
Today, Psalm 85 gives me these words:
Restore us, O God of our salvation,
And cause Your anger toward us to cease.
Will You be angry with us forever?
Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?
Will You not revive us again,
That Your people may rejoice in You?
Only God can intervene in this country, to restore us to our godly heritage. Only He can send His Spirit into us and turn our hearts to Him. The earnest prayers of His children should rise up to His throne, pleading for revival - first in our own hearts, and then throughout the land.
Believe me, we need revival. As someone recently reminded me, if God does not judge America, then He will have to issue an apology to Sodom and Gomorrah - and to Tyre and Sidon, to Egypt and Babylon and Persia. All these lands have felt His hand in righteous judgement in the past, and America is heaping up wrath for herself. Our sensuality, our passion for death, our lawlessness, our hubris, our wilful dismissal of our Rightful Sovereign... We richly deserve any judgement He chooses to send.
Yet, so far, He has mercifully stayed His hand. He graciously awaits us with long-suffering patience, and opens His arms in love to all who take Him at His Word.
Perhaps - just perhaps - He is preparing the land for a revival? Sometimes you must be smeared with mud before you appreciate being clean.
If you read the selection in 2 Chronicles, linked above, you will read the story of King Hezekiah, who loved the Lord his God. Hezekiah tore down the idols and the alters to false gods, he restored the Temple, and he called the Remnant of Israel to celebrate the Passover as the Lord had commanded. Because of Hezekiah's devotion to the Lord, God did wondrous things in the land -
And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered.
In that time, when the king devoted himself to God with his whole heart, God would bless him and all of Israel with him. Will we follow godly leaders? Will we follow our True Leader so we may walk the paths of righteousness and wear the laurels of honor, dignity, faithfulness, and love upon our brow? Will our example of devotion to the Living God cause His blessing to flood out into the land?
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
Let us sow holiness, righteousness and love in our own lives, and then pray that our heavenly Father will sent His Spirit like fire upon this nation. Let us pray the He will be merciful and cause His face to shine upon us once again, so that we may rejoice in Him. Let us pray that He will again lift us up to shine throughout the world as a beacon of justice and honor and godly strength.
And so I ask Him,
Will You not revive us?
Will You not return to us?
Will You not restore us that we may again bring glory and honor to Your Name?
Please, Lord. For Your glory - make us live again!
Thanks to Donald Douglas at Burkean Reflections:
You are a Faith-Based Fighter, also known as a religious conservative. You believe in Judeo-Christian values, restoring God’s rightful place in the public square, and in showing all the unwashed and unsaved liberal sinners the path to salvation, or at least to the GOP.
Take the quiz at www.FightLiberals.com
Yes, this sounds just like me. Of course, I do have two caveats: 1) I do remember that I'm a sinner, too, and so I hope that I show the love of God as well as His law, and 2) I'm not terribly sure I'd want to sent people to the GOP, considering how far astray its gone... Then again, a massive influx of strong, passionate and vociferous conservatives just might help the ReTHUGlicans return to being Republicans!
Well, some of them, anyway...
Seated are (L to R) (no political affiliation intended *snicker*): Whackette (a terribly unflattering picture - she's much more elegant and lovely), Republitarian, Mad Hatter (?), and phreindly jaime (also unflattering. I need an new camera... [pout]).
Standing are (Right to Left): Jay of Virginia Virtucon, and Whackjob smooching on (he likes smoochies!)... Bunky? St. Lo? I'm sorry, I didn't converse with the "young'uns" enough to properly tell them apart... Too bloody busy being a social butterfly... [rolls eyes at self]
But I'm sure the DWJ staff will come on over and correct me... *snicker*
UPDATE: Oh my gosh, look what I found!
Whackette looks much better, but the picture still doesn't do her justice. Jaime has snuggled up to Mad Hatter (lucky guy), and Whackjob is "behaving." Bunky doesn't look too happy, though...
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Oh, I'm being evil, posting the other picture before this one... C'mon, guys - have at me in the comments! (Yeah, comment whore, here. Deal with it!)
Yes, I have - yet again! - fallen behind on my daily Bible reading, as well as on my Resolution 2007 postings. I am very thankful that, with God, each day is a new day, and that I can always come to the foot of the Cross to confess my sins and ask for His help to do better.
This past weekend at the Bog Conference was particularly helpful, because I had lovely discussions with Jim Bowden of Deo Vindice, among others. I was reminded for the thousandth time of God's holy sneakiness: He always seems to put the right person in my path at the right time to put the right word in my ear right when I need to hear it.
And so, here I am again, ready to do my poor best at being faithful to the Living God, who sheds His grace and mercy over my life with rich abandon.
Thank You, Father, for Your enduring patience with Your wayward child. Please guard my heart and fit it for Your courts above. Keep me in Your hands, and soften my hard and stubborn spirit so that I may follow you with joy and devotion. Help me learn of You and Your ways; Your holiness, Your justice, Your discipline, and Your love, so that I may walk ever closer to You.
You are the one true God: holy, righteous, powerful, loving. You are the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords, the Sovereign of all the universe. There is nothing beyond Your power, and Your wisdom surpasses all understanding. No one can thwart Your will, and Your provision sustains us all.
Thank You, Father. All good things do indeed come from You, and I praise You for You watchcare over me, sinner that I am.
All right. Jim reminded me that I can pick up on today's reading and go forward from now. After all, God's Word endures forever, so it will always be available when I get to the parts I've missed. So, I'm going to take the words of Paul and apply them:
one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Today's readings in the MacArthur Daily Bible are: 2 Chronicles 28 and 29, Psalm 84:8-12, Proverbs 21:6-8, and Acts 19:21-41.
My eyes quickly stopped at Proverbs 21:8, which reads
The way of a guilty man is perverse;
But as for the pure, his work is right.
Again, this is the right word at the right time: during the conference, I was reminded of the meaning of my given name (Kathryn), which is "pure." But how often is my way "pure," how often is my work "right"? Yes, I may be good enough for others to think I'm an okay person, but in God's eyes are my ways pleasing to Him?
All too often, I think He frowns in disapproval of my thoughts and actions.
I need to remember that my highest calling is to
Trust in the LORD with all [my] heart,
And lean not on [my] own understanding;
In all [my] ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct [my] paths.
Secondly, I noticed verses 10 and 11 in Psalm 84:
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
The LORD will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly.
There is a praise chorus, frequently sung in churches today, which goes
How lovely is
Your dwelling place
Oh Lord Almighty,
For my soul longs
And even faints
For You
Oh, here my heart
Is satisfied (is satisfied)
Within Your presence
I see beneath
The shadow of
Your wingsBetter is one day in Your courts
Better is one day in Your house
Better is one day in Your courts
Than thousands elsewhere
Better is one day in Your courts
Better is one day in Your house
Better is one day in Your courts
Than thousands elsewhere
Indeed, I must remember that the rewards of Heaven and of obedience to my loving, gracious Father are far beyond even the best I could imagine. When I walk in obedience to Him, humbly submitting myself to His guiding hand, I can walk in confidence and security. My obligation is to obey and love Him; His obligation is to deal with the consequences and always be with me.
I can only find rest in Him, and He has promised that He will not keep any good thing from me when I walk according to the path He has laid out for me.
Notice that word "good." God will only give me good things - and frequently His definition of "good" doesn't quite match up with mine! If I think wealth would be "good," and He withholds it, is that bad? No, of course not! In His greater wisdom, He may know that wealth would make me arrogant, selfish, and insensitive to His call. Perhaps He might permit ill-health to come into my life. Would that be a bad thing? It wouldn't if it developed a sweet and kind nature in me and a confident reliance on Him.
Christians are called to give thanks to God for all things, not because what's happening in our lives is necessarily good (illness, death, pain, inconvenience, etc., aren't "good" things of themselves), but because of what God is going to do in us for His glory in the midst of those circumstances.
Do you remember Paul's experience with this?
And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
According to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, the chief end of man is to
glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.
Therefore I will join my voice to MercyMe's song, "Bring the Rain:"
I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that I've gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You
Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I prayBring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rainI am Yours regardless of
The dark clouds that may loom above
Because You are much greater than my pain
You who made a way for me
By suffering Your destiny
So tell me what's a little rain
... And I'm really not surprised. Ethics came up last year at Sorenson, and at Martinsville, so why shouldn't it come up again? Frankly, it is a big issue.
This time, however, instead of focusing on "Oh, gosh, we all need to blog ethically, and [shaking finger] bad BAD anonymous bloggers/commenters!" we actually heard a reason to blog ethically.
Yes, this post will be a very different "round up" than what I've done in the past. At Martinsville in particular, I gave a detailed account of who was there, what they said, and how they came across. I'm not going to to that for Blogs United in Hampton Roads, because I think it would miss the main point: ethics.
Part of the reason - which has been mentioned before - to blog ethically is that it makes people more likely to read you. If you can give a well-considered opinion, dig up a carefully researched story, put several seemingly unrelated facts together in a new and intriguing way, or conduct an intelligent and civil debate (or all of the above, hopefully!), you are far more likely to get a broad readership. If all you post is invective, ad hominem, childish Photoshop, and dubious rumors, people may read you, but your influence is likely to be low.
Yes, we all know that - even if we do confess in the depths of our hearts our occasional desire for a good, filthy snark-attack - but that's really rather selfish, isn't it? (Hm, oh, yes, I'm sure we bloggers can all confess to ego and pride as some of our hidden sins!)
How about:
When we descend to uncivil and false attacks, we often drive citizens away from participating in the civic arena, as well as away from the voting booth.
OK, that's a reason I can get behind! After all, I'm only a small-time blogger, and only "famous" (!!!) by association rather than on my own merit.
So, I like that as a reason to blog ethically.
But... What *IS* "Ethical Blogging," and how do we all get onboard the ethical train?
Frankly, I think it's almost an impossible question to answer and definitely it's fairly impossible to solve.
The reason it's hard question to answer is that we all have different ways of looking at things, and different lines we will or won't cross. For instance, Greg Letiecq over at Black Velvet Bruce Li frequently courts controversy. At Martinsville last year, he said something like, "...if no one goes out and hits the limits, then no one ever knows where the limits are. If no one exercises their rights, those rights tend to vanish."
Greg goes out and pushes those limits, whereas that is very much not my style. Our boundaries are different when talking about ethical blogging. (I'd also like to make it clear that this is certainly not a ping on Greg: I think he's a fantastic blogger, and he really digs in to get the story and back it up with facts. Me, I'm much more comfortable in a more non-controversial atmosphere, generally. 
)
So, I don't think there's much chance of codifying any set of "Rules for Ethical Blogging." Yes, I'd like to see us all swear to tell the truth, be courteous and respectful in discussion, leave candidates' families alone, etc., but there's no way - short of (God forbid!) regulation, which is certainly unacceptable! - we would ever be able to enforce those rules.
And this leads me to the aspect of all of us getting on board the ethics train.
Honey, I hate to be so cynical (and on a Sunday, too!), but I think Hell will freeze over before that happens. There will, unfortunately, always be someone who slips up in irritation and starts a blog-war. There will always be someone who makes an honest mistake which is blown out of proportion. There will always be those who just love to get down in the dirt and try to smear as many people as they possibly can, without regard to honesty and decency.
It's human nature, and it's inescapable.
The only thing that might work - the only thing - is for each blogger to moderate and control himself. I cannot force JohnnyAcrossTheWeb to adhere to a set of standards which he doesn't already hold inside his spirit. JanieNextBlogOver can't make me act like she wants me to, because I'm an independent person (OK, OK, I'm stubborn!) and I just might think to ask who died and made her God?
I can't pull your Internet connection, I can't hold a gun to your head, and I can't threaten you so that you "behave like a good little blogger."
For all the pleas I heard, from blogger and elected official alike, for ethical and courteous blogging, *I* know it won't happen until we raise our personal standards first - and let the market marginalize the dross in the 'sphere.
The only one who can change your behavior is you.
The only one who can change my behavior is me.
It's called "personal responsibility," "integrity," and "honor," folks.
And it must be imposed from the inside.
Well, sorta... At least they mentioned my famous (Hm - infamous?) "I'm blogging this" t-shirt, which is my "official" blog conference attire...
And that reminds me: I need to get a new one (or two). Think Geek also has it as a regular style t-shirt, so I suggest you go on over and get your own.
But I've been terribly busy helping out at the Munchkin's Horse Camp (taking photos, organizing, riding herd on kids, grooming, offering riding tips, getting water and ice, cleaning stalls...), and I'm too busy and exhausted to post.
Usually.
It's been tiring, but very rewarding. Although I'm not a "kid person," I can handle them in twos and threes - and we have some fantastic young riders of character and poise in our group of eighteen. There are some who are just starting who are too adorable for words, and some who have been riding for several years. Some I just want to bring home with me, and some I really just want to smack - until they get something right and give that brilliant smile... And my heart melts!
Tomorrow is my last day, since I'm driving to Hampton on Friday for the Blogs United conference. I would ask that you keep us all in prayer for safety (only one fall so far, and she bounced right back on the horse with no worries). Also for me, so that I may show the love of God to each child, whether their personality is acceptable to my temperament or not.
“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:14)
These kids are our future - every child is! - and I need to really work on being lovingly firm to each and every one.
Thank You, Lord, for the blessing of these young and enthusiastic lives. Help me be a kind and patient servant to them. Help me show them Your love, and be an example of gentle stewardship to the noble beasts we ride. Thank You so much for the Lady who owns this stable; she is a shining example of graciousness to children, kindness and love for animals, and responsibility with joy. She has a life of hard work, and she shoulders it well. I ask You blessing on her life, Father - give her Your strength, encourage her faith, and give her prosperity according to Your will.
I have this terrible need to blog, but my laptop isn't with me. I think I'm going thru withdrawal!! So I have to settle for moblogging. *sob!
After seeing the USS Constellation (fun!) and the National Aquarium (too crowded), we deserve a break...
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| From Hawaii 2007 |
... Because he keeps twitting me about last year's photo, and I figured I'd give him more ammo...
Last night was just lovely! First, we had diner at the Chart House restaurant, and then took a water taxi over to the main dock area. 
We caught the tail end of the Fourth of July parade and wandered around old Annapolis before going to the Naval Academy, where the main event was center stage:
In an Irish pub, waiting for the right time to stroll down to the dock to enjoy Annapolis' fireworks.
--- I posted this last year, and it was well received. And so I post it again in hope that it lifts up someone's spirit and reminds them of the foundation of this great country on its birthday. Here is the wonderful mix that my blog brother, Alton, made for me. He'd asked me to record this post, and then he added music. Listen or read - but enjoy either way!
I would also encourage you to go over to Rick Moan's site, where he is "liveblogging" the events which happened July 2, July 3, and July 4 of 1776. He is an excellent and imaginative writer, and you won't be disappointed.---
Two hundred thirty years ago, a group of men - men of influence, wisdom, and courage - gathered together to sign a Document and birth a Nation:
IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
And so began the war for our Independence, a war where we threw off the stifling apron-strings of our Mother, Britain, and began our journey of discovery. The War was long, and fraught with set-backs, disasters, tremendous hardship, and discouragement. But through it all, one man held true to the ideal and fought with dogged determination to keep his army and his new country from giving in.
General George Washington. He was not necessarily a brilliant man, but he was honorable and resolute. He had been given the duty of defeating the British and winning the War, and he pursued his orders with unflinching persistence.
And in October of 1781, the British General, Cornwallis, surrendered at Yorktown, VA.
The United States of America was free.
But freedom doesn't come easily. The States had adopted the Articles of Confederation in early 1781. The Articles gave the States many sovereign powers, and any changes to the Articles had to be approved by nine of the thirteen States. Federal power was practically non-existent: it couldn't raise taxes, it couldn't regulate trade, it couldn't stop States from printing their own money.
With authority to act scattered throughout the States, and an anemic central government, America threatened to dissolve into a group of bickering little provinces. The States had their own armies, their own international ambassadors, they argued over interstate trade, the justice system left quite a bit to be desired. In other words, it was a bit of a mess!
In 1786, after much unrest and disputes among the States, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton petitioned that the Constitutional Convention convene to write a new Constitution which would strengthen and unify our young Nation. The man the Convention elected to preside over this process was none other than George Washington, the man all Americans look on as our First Father. General Washington was reluctant - he had recently lost his brother, and he preferred to remain at Mount Vernon, managing his lands. Finally, however, he accepted the duty, and made his way to Pennsylvania.
Under his calm influence, eventually each of the States made compromises and came to agreements, negotiated the power of the Federal Government and State Governments, outlined the authorities of the branches of the Federal Government, and placed the ultimate power of Government firmly in the hands of the People. The first draft was accepted in August of 1787 after months of wrangling and debating. Five weeks later, on September 17th, the convention dismissed, and the Constitution went to the States for ratification. It wasn't until July of 1788 that the Convention received word that the ninth State, South Carolina had ratified the Constitution.
Finally, enough States had accepted the Constitution to begin to implement its laws. Of course, there was further debate about the Bill of Rights, which were passed by a total of three quarters of the States by late 1791, but now America had her "supreme Law of the Land," which began:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Thus we began to work out this fine balance between the Power and Authority of the People, and that of the Government. Men and women have stepped up to serve our country in war and in peace throughout our 230-year history. Elected officials, military, police, firemen, medical personnel, charity organizations, human rights groups, and so many more have furthered the cause of Freedom and Liberty in our country.
But for me, no group deserves our honor and our respect more than the men and women who serve her in our Armed Forces. Each man and woman who enters the military takes this oath:
...I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same...
Our men and women do not swear to a particular leader. They are not members of a cult of personality. They swear to uphold the Law, and the Supreme Law of the United States of America is the Constitution.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what the Fourth of July means to me. "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness," "We the People," and "I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same."
Happy 231st birthday, America! I love you dearly, and pray that God will continue to bless and guide you. I pray that you will always be that "shining city on the hill," a light and example to the rest of the world of Freedom and Liberty.
Happy birthday!
As I said, today I visited Fort McHenry, and it was wonderful! I was greeted by Old Glory, of course:
She is so beautiful! I was reminded of Michael W. Smith's song, "There She Stands" -
When the night
Seems to say
All hope is lost
Gone away
But I know
I'm not alone
By the light
She stands
There she waves
Faithful friend
Shimmering stars
Westward wind
Show the way
Carry me
To the place
She stands
Just when you think it might be over
Just when you think the fight is gone
Someone will risk his life to raise her
There she stands
There she flies
Clear blue skies
Reminds us with red
Of those that died
Washed in white
By the brave
In their strength
She stands
When evil calls itself a martyr
When all your hopes come crashing down
Someone will pull her from the rubble
There she stands
We've seen her flying torn and tattered
We've seen her stand the test of time
And through it all the fools have fallen
There she stands
By the dawn's
Early light
And through the fight
She stands
She does stand. She is still waving over the land of the free and the home of the brave, no matter that there are those who want to pull her down.
Anyway - back to Fort McHenry. There's an EXCELLENT video by the History Channel (I spoke about it here) that is well worth watching.
The War of 1812 is actually America's second war for independence. Britain was taking our sailors off of merchant ships and impressing them into British service (one of the many factors of the war), and we didn't take too kindly to that. Another little factoid most people don't realize about this "forgotten" war, is that the Battle of Baltimore - the most famed battle, and the one which inspired our National Anthem - didn't actually take place until September, 1814. So, our fondness for playing the 1812 Overture is actually a mistake on this point, besides the fact that it was written to celebrate the victory of Russia over Napoleon's French army...
As you leave the Visitors' Center, there is a large statue of the brave man who commanded Fort McHenry that fateful night.
When he arrived in Baltimore in 1814, he commissioned a huge flag from Mary Pickersgill. He wanted a "a flag so large that the British would have no difficulty seeing it from a distance" and that is the flag which Francis Scott Key saw flying proudly the morning after the battle.
Consider the situation: in August of 1814, Washington had been sacked, President Madison had been forced to flee the city, and our fledgling country was in disarray. The Major probably knew that a rallying point - a glorious symbol - was desperately needed.
I doubt, however, that he had any inkling of the critical importance that flag would have in our country's history. Neither could he have imagined the inspiration it has provided to our nation down the years.
Here is the front entrance to Fort McHenry. To the left, out of frame, is the ravelin, which protected the front gate so troops could move out into battle safely. It also stored ammunition, and provided a base to catch any attackers in the defenders' crossfire.
Here's a picture from inside the ravelin, looking up and out. The grate to the right blocks a doorway that leads into an ammunition room. The angle of the stairs as well as the depth below grade helped to protected any powder from exploding due to a stray mortar.
I probably ought to have taken a picture from the outside, but, well... Ooops...?
This is one of the cannons which surround the fort. Most aren't from the Battle of Baltimore, but instead they're dated to the Civil War. Fort McHenry was fortified by the Union forces, but it never came under attack by the Confederacy.
It's actually quite interesting - the technology was pretty sophisticated. You can see the tracks at the lower left of the picture, which helped swing the gun from side to side. Some time after the Civil War, if I recall correctly, these guns were upgraded with "hydraulic" pistons. When the gun was fired, the recoil would slam it to the back of its frame. The pressure which the recoil built up in the piston would move the gun up to the load/fire positions. This made the process of load-fire-repeat much faster and more efficient.
Look at the size of those critters, though - pretty impressive, huh?
How about some video? This is a video I took from the top of one of Fort McHenry's bastions -
I took another from the interior of the fort as well:
Fort McHenry it truly inspiring, and you really need to go and visit yourself. If you're quiet and really listen, you might hear the voices of the men who served here. They would whisper their stories in your ear, they would tell of blood and fear and courage.
They would remind you of why they fought and died - and ask you to love and serve the country for which they sacrificed.
Men and women throughout America's history have stepped forward and lived this verse of "America the Beautiful" -
O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife.
Who more than self the country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!
Do you love your family, your country, more than yourself? Do you understand and cherish America's founding concepts of duty, service, self-control, honor and courage?
Will America - will we - return to God our Savior and Provider, God who has blessed us beyond compare, and allow Him to refine our gold?
Will we be able to answer "YES!" to Francis Scott Key's question:
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Yesterday I had the honor of going on board the US Naval Academy and taking a tour. I had to park on the street off-base (with a two hour time limit, no less! Yikes!), but it wasn't a long walk to the Visitors' Center.
My timing happened to be spot on, and I was able to join up with a tour which had just started. Our guide was a lady who had been a Naval Officer herself (along with her husband, and I believe that one of her two sons had just been sworn in as a plebe last week), and she was very knowledgeable and informative.
The tour took about an hour and a half, and it was well worth the $8 I paid. It also made me realize - dimly - that for all my assumptions on how hard the Academy is, in reality it's even harder than I thought. These young men and women are busy all day long, every day is packed full of learning, training, sports, and extracurricular activities (ECAs) to mould them into well-rounded leaders.
The Naval Academy is really something which cannot be adequately described (certainly not with the impressions from the two hours I spend on board), and so I'll post pictures with brief descriptions and not try to play tour guide.
Before I begin, however, I would like to remind you of one of the Academy's distinguished graduates, Robert A. Heinlein.
Heinlein was the first-ever recipient of the Grand Master Award for Lifetime Achievement by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 1974. He was considered one of the giants of early science fiction; his influence on the genre continues to this day.
Heinlein graduated from the Academy in 1929, and only served for five years, when he was discharged due to pulmonary tuberculosis. His Academy and Navy years shaped him, however, and he remained a strong patriot all his life.
In 1988, Heinlein died, but if he had lived, this Friday, 07 July, 2007, would have been his 100th birthday.
OK... On to the pictures!
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Ah, the eternal rivalry...!
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Dahlgren Hall, which was originally the armory. Now it's a temporary dining hall while the main facilities are being refurbished.
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Bancroft Hall, with Tecumseh Court in front. The plebes are sworn in in the Court, and the Brigade musters there to march into meals.
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Inside Bancroft Hall, looking up to the entrance of Memorial Hall.
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Memorial Hall enshrines the names of men and women of the Academy who have given their lives in service to our country. Presiding over it is the flag from Oliver Hazard Perry's ship, the USS Lawrence. Perry's friend, Capt. James Lawrence spoke these words again and again as he lay dying on the deck of the Chesapeake:
During the War of 1812, Lawrence commanded the U.S.S. Hornet, which captured the H.M.S. Peacock, and was promoted to Captain as a result. On June 1, 1813, commanding a new and untrained crew on the 49-gun frigate U.S.S. Chesapeake off Boston, Lawrence accepted a challenge from Philip Bowes Vere Broke, captain of the 38-gun H.M.S. Shannon. Four years Lawrence's senior, Broke had commanded the Shannon for six years, and had the best trained crew in the Royal Navy.
In less than 15 minutes, Lawrence's crew was overwhelmed. Mortally wounded, Lawrence shouted, "Tell the men to fire faster and not to give up the ship; fight her till she sinks!" True to his words, every officer in the Chesapeake's chain of command fought until he was either killed or wounded. Even so, the battle was lost in under an hour, the Chesapeake was captured, and Lawrence died four days later, leaving his wife and a daughter.
In honor of Captain Lawrence, a group of women stitched the words "Don't Give Up The Ship" into a flag. The flag was presented to Oliver Hazard Perry, commander of the U.S.S. Lawrence - named for Captain Lawrence - in the summer of 1813. Perry went on to capture an entire squadron of British ships in the battle of Lake Erie, on September 13, though not before every officer on the Lawrence - except for Perry and his 13-year-old brother - was either killed or wounded.
Lawrence's words became the motto of the U.S. Navy, which has named numerous ships in his honor, and Perry's flag now hangs in a place of honor at the United States Naval Academy. Copies may be seen at other Navy installations and, of course, in Burlington. Far less well known is Lawrence's last command to his crew - "Burn her!"
Beautiful, meaningful and noble traditions are built upon this kind of fire, courage and dedication.
The Naval Academy Chapel - imposing but not threatening, displaying a firm and anchored faith in God.
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On each side of the main aisle are four beautiful Tiffany stained glass windows. On the right, they depict nautical verses from the Old Testament, and on the left side, verses from the New Testament.
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This is a view looking back. Up top is a votive ship, hanging above a statue of Christ. The pedestal is inscribed with the words, "Come unto Me."
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Finally at the front of the Chapel is this window (also Tiffany) of Christ walking on the water. Above it is a large plaque with the opening words of the Navy Hymn "Eternal Father Strong to Save"
Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep,
Its own appointed limits keep.Oh hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea! Amen.Eternal Father, lend Thy grace To
those with wings who fly thro' space,
Thro wind and storm, thro' sun and rain,
Oh bring them safely home again.Oh Father, hear an humble prayer,
For those in peril in the air! Amen.Oh Trinity of love and pow'r,
Our brethren shield in danger's hour,
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them where so e'er they go.Thus evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea! Amen.
Indeed. And Father, I thank You for the men and women who have stepper forward to serve their country. I ask Your blessing on their lives: give them courage and strength, lead them in honor and duty, cleanse and enlighten their hearts and minds, and protect them by Your almighty power.
Well, one thing we didn't manage to do when we were out in Hawaii this last time was have some Thai food. However, the Beloved Husband is up in Annapolis on business this week, and he thought (I agreed, of course!) it would be a brilliant idea for me to drive on up and enjoy the sights while he worked. So, I foisted the Munchkin off on some friends who were going camping (well, OK, they asked to take her...LOL) and drove up on Sunday, arriving at about 4:30pm.
...Which is, of course, almost dinner time!
Me being me, that means that I plan vacations around where I want to eat! Fortunately, the Beloved Husband LOVES Thai, and so we toddled off to a restaurant we'd found via Google Earth and its accompanying Yelp review: Lemongrass.
Wonderful! Everything was just great, except for two caveats. First, their little outdoor area, where we ate, has naked business lot around it. That's hardly anything they can help, and their area is well kept and maintained. The interior, from the brief glimpse I caught, is full of casual elegance: lots of wood, simple lines, and the rich aromas of the food waft enticingly through the dining area.
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Actually, once I caught a whiff of all those scents, I knew the food would be luscious... and I was right!
We started off with beverages: the Beloved ordered a Singha beer, and I ordered my first-ever mojito, because I couldn't resist the Ginger Infused part of the description...
Oh. My. Goodness!
I remember loving daiquiris on the rocks (LONG before all this "frozen this that and the other thing" madness) and kamikazis as well - it's no wonder I enjoyed this drink! The ginger was a nice, light touch in the background of this crisp and refreshing drink (yeah, I know, I'm using all my adjectives... C'mon, a thesaurus is your friend!)
We ordered five dishes (tom yum soup, lettuce wraps, yum woonsen salad, green curry and the duck curry), but I only took pictures of three of them [oops].
The husband had the tom yum - or lemongrass - soup, and finished it all. It might have been a bit mild for him; he enjoys a fair bit of burn in his Thai food. But he said the flavor was just right, and he didn't mind not having to pick out too many crushed lemongrass stalks and kaffir lime leaves...
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The lettuce wrap appetizer was delicious, although instead of iceberg lettuce, I would have preferred a bibb lettuce or a red leaf lettuce, but that's because I have a personal bias against iceberg lettuce. The chicken filling, however, had a fantastic flavor, and its heat didn't hit you right away. Instead, the spice in this dish came up over about two to three minutes until it was a lovely glow in your mouth. Absolutely nothing to make you dive for your water, but just a little warmth to make your mouth glow.
Then the yum woonsen salad came, and the spice level went up just a bit. Again, it was still nothing which would make you call the fire department, but it was a bit more assertive than the lettuce wrap appetizer.
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When my husband was based in Hawaii from 1990 through '95, we had a favorite Thai restaurant which would make this salad (a bit more simply) and called it "yum salad."
Well, it's certainly yummy! (OK, that was bad...)
While I'm more used to the small chicken strips in this salad, Lemongrass chose to use ground chicken and add a couple of tender shrimp. The bean thread noodles (and I may be using the wrong term - but these are my favorite noodles anywhere on earth!) were cool and held the sauce and other ingredients together nicely.
Once again, Lemongrass presented a dish which had marvelous flavor, beautiful and elegant presentation, and just the right level of heat.
The curries we ordered for the main dishes came up next, and this is where my other little quibble comes in: they don't have Thai sticky rice (unsweetened) to go along with dinner [pout]. They had regular rice, which was fine, but I really like Thai sticky rice with Thai food...
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Anyway, the Beloved Husband very much enjoyed his green curry with chicken. The flavor, he said, was perfect, and he gobbled it all up, leaving nothing for snaking on the next day {sniff].
My duck curry was equally mouthwatering. The red curry surrounding the duck was almost buttery, it was so smooth and rich. It didn't overwhelm at all, and the spices were fragrant and brilliant in my mouth.
Oddly enough, this dish had pineapple chunks in it, which seems rather strange. It worked beautifully, however, with the tangy-sweet taste of pineapple partnering with the lush curry spices like a match made in heaven.
Yes, I really loved that curry!
Unfortunately, after all this bounty, neither of us had any room for dessert, and so we didn't taste the Thai sweet rice and melon or the fried bananas and ice cream. I guess I'll simply have to force myself to return another time and indulge myself!
At any rate, I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone. The service was professional and cheerful, and at $65 for the two of us (including drinks, but not the tip), it's not terribly expensive at all.
So the next time you're in this area, go on over to Lemongrass at 167 West Street, Annapolis, MD, phone (410) 280-0086. All major credit cards accepted, casual attire is fine, open seven days a week (but check for the specific hours).
I'm at Ft. McHenry today. I bet I'll be choked up for most of my visit!
