Category: Freedom

It's the time of year when flags and fireworks and patriotic songs remind us we live in a free country.

It's a good time to ask: How about you and me? Are we living free?

Each of us will answer that question differently.

And real freedom has very little to do with the circumstances of our lives. Keep that in mind as you read these words from a man diagnosed with cancer:

    "I'm a forward-looking person but also a living-in-the-moment     person So I wake up every day expecting to have a good day. It     may sound trite … but life as you get older is about 20 percent of     what happens to you and about 80 percent how you react to it." –Nick Charles

You've probably heard that sort of thing said before. I have, too, but never with more power.

Nick Charles said it when he was close to death–and knew it

Whether he was a Christian I don't know, but he spoke truth that applies to every one of us:

How we react to what happens to us determines our lives.

It's like that old advertising slogan: "It's what inside that counts." How we react and respond flows out of what's inside us, in the core of our being.

I confess it took me way too long to really grasp this truth, but I gained a new understanding when I read an old book, Man's Search for Meaning, by the late Viktor Frankl, M.D., Ph.D.

Before World War II, Frankl, his wife and his parents lived the good life in Vienna, Austria. Then the Nazis invaded and like almost six million other Jews, they were sent to a Nazi concentration camp and immediately separated.

Viktor Frankl never saw any of them again

Right away the Nazis took away everyone he loved and all Frankl's possessions, even his wedding ring. At losing that precious reminder of his "before" life, he thought for awhile he could not go on.

Then as if a light bulb went on in his mind (a gift he later felt came from God) a great truth became clear to him and from that moment on, Viktor Frankl knew he would survive Auschwitz.

Although he remained a prisoner, Frankl realized that no matter how the cruel guards mistreated him, only he possessed–and would possess as long as he breathed–the power to control his thoughts.

He summed it up in this statement

"Everything can be taken from a man or a woman but one thing: the last of human freedoms, to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."

Viktor Frankl in a death camp. Nick Charles close to death from cancer. Both of them very much in crisis mode, yet both expressed the same point:

We cannot control everything in our lives, but we do control what we think about it.

What we think about the circumstances of our lives dictates how we respond to what comes our way and to the people in our lives.

Knowing that gave them new courage to face what came next.

As usual, the Bible said it first

For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he …. Proverbs 23:7 KJV

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.   Isaiah 26:3 ESV

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7 ESV

Reread those verses and think what God gives to each believer to empower them to live fully and live free.

It's a bit sobering to realize what that means

It takes just three words to sum up this principle: It's our choice.

WE hang the labels on what happens to us.

WE choose to park our minds in a lousy place or in a good place.

WE decide how we will respond to what comes into our lives and to the people in our lives.

It doesn't matter whether we are young or old, rich or poor, in or out of crisis. Once we know this and really believe it is true, it can change our life.

As Viktor Frankl put it, it's the one freedom no one can take from us. It's the way each of us can "live free," unhampered by the idea that we are prisoners of circumstance.

And for those of us blessed to be living in the Land of the Free it's like the icing on the cake.

May God bless America, our beloved Country, now and in the future!

Praying, always,

Lenore

You can find real freedom in any situation

July 3, 2022
Reports from Ukraine and the surrounding countries keep us all on edge. Many of us are hazy about the long, troubled history of this part of the world and don't see the tie-ins between what's going on now and say, World War II. "Hansi's" story will fill in some of the gaps.

I met her when she spoke at a years-ago gathering of Christian women in our area. We knew only that our speaker had grown up under Hitler. As usual, I came prepared to take notes.

Maria Ann Hirschmann started off by saying, "Everyone calls me Hansi," and continued on in a lively stream of words.

Soon she announced that by God's mercy and protection she had reached the age of 84 years old.

I think it's fair to say none of us expected to hang on every word she spoke, but we did. Nor could we know how her story would relate to anything here in the United States.

Hansi was born in Czechoslovakia to German-speaking parents, which made them part of a small minority. Times were harsh, with never enough food. When Hansi's mother realized she was pregnant with their third child, her husband insisted she have an abortion, a common "solution" for an unexpected pregnancy.

"But my mother believed in God," Hansi said, "and she could not do that."

When the infant turned out to be a third daughter, her father took one look and said, "Ach! Another girl," and walked away in disgust.

Not long after, this Christian mother urged her best friend, "Marta," to take in Hansi, even though she already had four children. Marta felt her friend's distress and answered, "I will take your child and I will raise her for Jesus."

"She kept her promise and I learned about the Christian faith," Hansi said, "but my foster mother stressed that God wants us to be good–and then He would love us. So I grew up believing God could never love me, because I was not an easy child. I always talked, always asked, 'Why?' and was forever in trouble. I felt unwanted at home and at school, but now even by God."

Times were hard all over Czechoslovakia. The young girl grew up sleeping in haylofts and seldom had shoes, even in the coldest winter. Hunger stalked the land. "We had almost no food, no hope things could change and nothing to believe in.

"Then one day over the hill came the Nazi soldiers carrying the German flag.

"They told us not to be frightened. Hitler would take care of us. He would see to it that we had food and clothing and work, which meant money to spend. Within six weeks it all came true. We had enough to eat and at last we had shoes. Factories started up again, so we had jobs.

"Surely, we concluded, all this came about because of the goodness and wisdom of Adolph Hitler. So now we had someone we could put our faith in–and we did, because we saw the change all around us. Now we could dare to hope again."

Nazis went throughout the country testing children, even in the little one-room school Hansi attended. They chose her to attend the Youth Training Institute in Prague. "For the first time somebody actually chose me. I was the poorest kid in the village, so I could not expect to go on to high school or college," Hansi said. "Now I thought I had caught the rainbow.

"As I got on the train my foster mother whispered in my ear, 'Don't forget about Jesus.' I promised I wouldn't, but within a year I had totally forgotten everything I ever learned about Jesus."

For the first time in her life Hansi had a bed of her own, with warm blankets, in a warm room. She had new clothes (her uniforms) with three good meals every day. Leaders constantly told these young people. "The 'Great Supreme Being' has chosen Hitler to save Germany and all of Europe. And Adolph Hitler has chosen each of you to be a leader, to help him change the world."

"At last I had a purpose," she said. "Folks always ask me how the people of the Reformation could believe in Hitler and allow Nazism to take over their land. I tell them we were brainwashed, which is nothing more than being told the same thing over and over and over.

"We didn't know the word 'brainwashing,' didn't even guess it was happening, but it was. After awhile, you think it must be right, because you keep hearing it everywhere. We all believed what we heard and millions turned away from God.

"I know now that all this proves the truth of Proverbs 14:12, which reads, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death."

Her present fear for the USA

"My friends," Hansi told us on that California Saturday, "that is my biggest fear for my beloved America. I am very, very afraid for our country. As a nation we have turned to the ways of the world and it seems right. In so many ways we have abandoned the God of our forefathers.

"I know from personal experience that when you turn away from God a country can be destroyed very quickly.

"That's why I say to you and all my fellow Americans, in every election, Vote! Learn all you can about the candidates and choose carefully, but vote! If two people are running and you don't like either one, then vote for the lesser of two evils. But don't ever forget that being allowed to vote is a tremendous privilege and freedom is never something to take for granted.

"Freedom is God's gift and it is precious. I know, because I have lived without it."

In my next post I'll tell you about Hansi's dangerous escape from Russian captivity and her first frightening encounter with a dreaded American.

(Please note: This is my best paraphrase of Hansi's words, from my notes and also watched the five-part YouTube series about Maria Anne Hirschmann, a.k.a., Hansi.)

May God bless you and watch over you,

Lenore

Hear wisdom for America from a one-time Nazi youth leader

April 2, 2022
If asked to name a one-word description of what sets the good old USA apart most of us would answer, "Freedom."

Most of us take our freedom as Americans for granted. Why wouldn't we? Freedom is like the air we breathe: Always there.

Perhaps that's why we forget freedom isn't free and therefore take veterans and Veterans Day lightly.

Let's take another look.

Maintaining our freedom cost life itself for many. Those who loved them deal with pain and emptiness that won't quit.

Even many of those who survived still deal with pain of body and mind, some of them for life.

Veterans Day is all about honoring fellow U.S. citizens who served in our Armed Forces over the years. Even those who never served in a war zone set aside their personal "civilian" life choices for years.

Those who loved them and their extended families so often did the same. Without this sacrifice you and I would not be free.

It seems a puny gesture to honor veterans only one day of the year, doesn't it?

In the larger sense, Veteran's Day is about what it costs to hang onto our freedom

One U.S. Marine Corps chaplain expressed it well.

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

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

"It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who gives 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'Brien, Sergeant, USMC

Giving honor where it is due

Honor translates into respect and appreciation. When we speak it and live it, our children pick up the message: Freedom is precious and those who protect it deserve to know we appreciate what they do.

It doesn't require grand gestures, just the right heart attitude.

If we truly value those who serve/served, it will show.

Children and young people are watching and listening all the time. Even (and especially) when they pretend not to. Kids watch adults hoping to pick up clues on what to believe and what to say and how to live.

From now on let's make sure we–and our children–notice and talk to veterans and those currently serving and just say Thanks.

This simple gesture can help kids understand that real people keep us free. People who have dreams and feelings and families who love them.

People very much like their parents and the adults they know and love.

If we don't pass on this attitude of appreciation to the next generation, who will?

It's as easy as speaking well of those who serve in our Armed Forces now or have done so in the past. Always.

Are they perfect and do they always make right decisions? Of course not. They are human beings, as we are. But to let the failings of a few overshadow what is good and right and true misses the point.

Why not choose to look instead at all this Nation has come through?

Ponder the gracious hand of God's blessing on this Nation, right from the start. When we do, we reinforce our own sense of gratitude and satisfaction as Americans.

What's more, our words and attitudes "trickle down" to our children–and beyond. Our positive comments help them feel good about their world.

Like it or not, our kids "catch" and mimic our outlook on the world.

Once again it comes down to the Golden Rule

It's all about being grateful and showing it. These simple words of Jesus (Matthew 7:12a ESV) cover most of life's situations and human relationships.

So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them…

Let's just do it! Let's speak our thanks to our veterans or those who actively serve in our Armed Forces. A hug or a pat on the back can encourage their family members, too.

Each of us, whatever our age or ability, can do that much. Any day of any year. Think how that bit of affirmation might strengthen and comfort them.

Instead of fretting and complaining about what's wrong with America, let's start being part of what's right with these United States of America.

Consider it a way to speak up for–and help to hang on to–our freedom as Americans. If it seems one person cannot make a difference, listen to Edward Everett Hale

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do. And by the grace of God, I will."

With gratitude,

Lenore

Let’s remember who we are as a nation–and tell our kids

November 10, 2021
The 20th anniversary of 9/11 occurs this year, 2021.

That day changed the way we Americans think and introduced all of us to a new kind of fear, an underlying anxiety.

Even now, television replays and photos of that day shock us and remind us of the ongoing horror and the sorrowful days that followed.

Some ask what good does it do to remember because no one can rewrite one second of that day?

Yet we must remember, if only to recall to our minds that 9/11 changed life as we knew it and ushered in extensive safety and security restrictions as "normal" in our daily lives.

Perhaps we need the annual reminder that life is fragile and each one of us is vulnerable at any moment of any day.

It could have been any of us that happened to be in the World Trade Center at that exact moment

Less than two months before 9/11, a friend and I sat in the the glass-walled Observation Tower on the top floor of one of those Twin Towers.

It was my first time in Manhattan and I loved it.

My husband and I lived in Washington state and I sang with a community choral group. In July of 2001 our Chorus traveled across the country to give a few concerts. New York City was to be our second stop.

First we sang for a large national church conference group in Washington, D.C.

Our performances ended mid-afternoon. That gave most of our chorus members ample time to head on over to the U.S. Capitol. We all knew from watching past Independence Day celebrations on TV that's what was scheduled for the evening of July 4th.

Now we–with no prior arrangements whatsoever–wanted to watch it up close and personal, so we decided to chance it whether we could find a place among the mass of attendees. After all, the hotel clerk said, "Just walk on over and find a place to sit."

A carefree July 4 in DC

About sunset a group of us singers/sightseers found empty spots where we could perch on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.

Not a barrier in sight. No fenced-off areas. All around us people were strolling about freely.

It seemed like a photo-shoot of America. The grounds were filled with folks of all ages and every color, many conversing in unfamiliar (to us) languages. Some people spread their blankets and picnics on the Capitol lawn. Some put out lawn chairs brought from home and positioned themselves to get the best view of the stage show and fireworks to come. Kids did what kids do, playing tag and running around between blankets and chairs.

We all mingled peaceably and it seemed every face wore a smile.

Those in our group talked of how amazing and wonderful it was that such large crowds could gather so close to the Nation's Capitol building. One said, "It all reminds you what it means to live in a free country, doesn't it?"

Not one of us imagined this would be the last time crowds assembled for Independence Day–or any day–would enjoy such freedom of access.

Next day we were off to New York City to give another performance

We had some personal time earlier in the day. My friend had been there many times and insisted we must go to the Twin Towers, because "Everyone needs to go up on top and just look out at least one time in their lives."

We took the elevator to the top, the Observation floor, which featured glass walls that stretched around most of that floor. We found empty seats in the front row and sat for perhaps 20 minutes with our knees pressed against the glass.

Then I walked all around the roomy space, awed by the evidence of God's creative hand in the beauty of land and sea and sky on all sides. That grandeur touched my heart way more than the works of man, the impressive skyscrapers that dwarfed the Empire State Building.

A couple of smiling security guards watched as we came in and when we left, simply observing the people who were there. Nothing more.

Nothing more was needed.

That night our Chorus performed at a concert hall, complete with orchestra. (I kept pinching myself.) Once again, no complex security requirements. Audience members needed only a ticket. We performers simply walked in the Stage Entrance. One Security guard, casually keeping watch. No hassle, just walk in.

My heart brimmed over on that trip and on our flight home, thanking God that I was able to be included in that "dream" trip.

And so blessed to live in these United States of America.

Who could have known these would be "before" freedoms?

On 9/11, life changed. For all of us. Never again would we take it for granted that we were safe, simply because we lived in the United States of America.

Ever since, there's been an underlying sense of fear and watchfulness, as if collectively, we were waiting for "next time."

Since 9/11, nobody without proper credentials strolls aimlessly through the U.S. Capitol grounds–or anywhere else in public buildings or grounds of Washington, D.C. Or in most other Government buildings, whether national or state.

How have we come safely through these past years? We may credit this Administration or that Administration. We may reel off a long list of agencies and personnel and give credit where, yes absolutely, credit is due.

Yet every expert in every field tells us the best efforts by the best people remain insufficient. No agency, no amount of armed guards, no amount of money spent for the latest defense equipment, can guarantee the safety of this Nation–nor of us as individuals.

Evil is real. Evil exists all around us, just as it has since Eden. To consider Evil an outdated concept is akin to burying one's head in the sand.

The ongoing lesson is this: Only one sure Defense exists

By now we all know very well that people and programs are not enough to keep us safe. We need Help that will never fail us. Where can we turn?

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 ESV

Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Proverbs 30:5 ESV

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 ESV

As a Nation, as individuals, we could not be in better hands–on this day or any day of any year.

May God bless America, indeed, and keep us safe, both now and in the future!

And, Gentle Reader, may you know His peace in your heart and in your life, the peace that passes all human understanding.

Trusting and praying, too,

Lenore

Ongoing Lessons from 9/11

September 9, 2021
In recent times many people feared America might crumble under the strain of politics

They forgot this Nation has come through hard times before. Survived and even thrived, because of (or in spite of) whoever held elected office.

On January 9, 1790, our first President, George Washington described the beginning of these United States and used a phrase that's now common:

"The establishment of our new Government seemed to be the last great experiment for promoting human happiness."

Democracy, still in existence–to the amazement of the rest of the world. (Can there be any explanation except it is by the grace of God?)

You and me, blessed to live in America, the land of new beginnings. The land where anything is possible.

You and me, still here and still alive, by the grace of God. Every day is the gift of our Creator. May we take Psalm 118:24 to heart–and live it:

This is the day that the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

It's time to make a new start

Our recent Presidential election shows an almost equal divide among votes received. Opinion polls report the same. Differing mindsets are not bad because, hey, this is America. What's harmful is when "we" quickly judge "they" are blind and vice versa, forgetting we each have the right to sincerely believe what we believe.

Let's ditch the carping and criticizing that causes discomfort among friends and family "on the other side."

When we hang onto the mindset of "sides," we all lose. Our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, laid out the reason why:

"A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

America's history is peppered with accounts of missteps and misguided leaders along the way. Yet God preserved this "great experiment" over and over again. And he tells us how to relate to those in authority positions, as in:

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Romans 13:1 ESV

This Nation was founded on timeless principles

Our founding fathers hammered out the unforgettable first paragraph in our Declaration of Independence:

"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."

Their last sentence identifies the cornerstone and foundation stones for their Declaration:

"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."

Our Founders were wise and principled individuals, yet they relied on our all-knowing God to show them the way.

It cost them dearly

Those men ho signed the Declaration of Independence and later, the U.S. Constitution, risked everything they had to found this Nation and to break away from powerful Great Britain.

They knew the hazards beforehand. A number paid with their lives and their fortunes–or members of their families did. As for their "sacred honor," some people around them called them traitors to the Crown. That surprised no one.

John Hancock refused to be intimidated and signed the Declaration first in large, bold script, declaring, "Well, I guess the King should be able to read that!"

Did our Nation's founders believe in God?

Decide for yourself:

"We recognize no sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus." –John Adams and John Hancock

"It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible." –George Washington

"By renouncing the Bible, philosophers swing from their moorings upon all moral subjects… It is the only correct map of the human heart that ever has been published… -Benjamin Rush

Our U.S. Constitution came into being in 1787

That's when many of these same men came together to write the binding document that would detail how the federal government would function.

It required courage even to try to put together this new way of running a country–and it took time. The Constitution vested the power of this union in the people, yet each state had different laws, interests and cultures. The challenge was to lay out how this group of states could unite into one body.

Predictably, not everyone favored such a system of government. Many citizens still had ties with Great Britain and remained loyal to the Crown.

As before, the founders forged ahead and relied on Almighty God:

"For my own part, I sincerely esteem it [the Constitution] a system which without the finger of God, never could have been suggested and agreed upon by such a diversity of interests." – Alexander Hamilton (In 1787 after the Constitutional Convention)

The great pillars of all government and of social life [are] virtue, morality, and religion. This is the armor, my friend, and this alone, that renders us invincible. –Patrick Henry

"The Constitution only guarantees you the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself." -Benjamin Franklin

These men had no instruction manual

They were striving to do what hadn't been done, to put together a nation like none other on earth and set up its governing structure from scratch

They had only themselves and God. But that was more than enough.

The brave men who penned the Declaration of Independence knew their Bibles. The principles they set down for this fledgling United States of America reflect Bible verses like these:

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.– II Cor. 3:17

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. – Psalm 33:12

Reflections from some later U.S. Presidents

"The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God." –President John F. Kennedy

"If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a Nation gone under." -President Ronald Reagan

"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both."-Dwight D. Eisenhower

Let's leave behind grumbling and intrigue and search out reasons to give thanks

May we look for evidence that God has not walked away from America. It's all around us if we have eyes to see–in people, in nature and yes, in politicians.

Every day let us humbly ask God to watch over us and to guide every public official, at every level, whether we voted for them or not. Let's also pray He will preserve this nation from those who would destroy it, whether from without or within.

Rich or poor, old or young, let's deliberately talk about what's right about America and those elected to lead us. That simple strategy will help us be a positive influence in our family and among our friends.

Our founders meant us to live honorable and peaceful lives. So does our Maker. Here are just two of many Bible verses that flesh out how to treat the people around us.

Let each of you look not only to his [or her] own interests, but also to the interests of others. -Philippians 2:4

[Jesus said] "And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them." -Luke 6:31

Imagine if we remembered who we are as Jesus people

Imagine if we let it show.

[Jesus said] "You are the light of the world . . . let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." –Matthew 5:14a, 16 ESV

If you and I live by those simple instructions our Nation will grow stronger.

It was true for our Founding Fathers and it is true for each of us: God is our strength, our hope, our refuge.

With a grateful heart,

Lenore

America will endure so long as we keep our foundation solid

January 21, 2021
It's the time of year when we celebrate the those who gave their lives so this could remain The Land of the Free.

Most of the time we take all this for granted, as if freedom were our natural right.

Not true. Freedom carries a terrible price tag.

On Memorial Day we count the cost in lives. For once we take a sober look at the truth.

Every headstone represents a person who lived, someone with a family who still grieves the loss of this life.

These individuals died so you and I could walk around without fear.

Their families lost someone dear to them so our Nation's government could continue to function as it has from the beginning. Now as then, you and I are absolutely free to vote for whomever we choose as our President–and all other lawmakers–in every level of government.

Free to worship God as we choose. Free to live where we choose. Free to send our children to whatever school(s) we choose and can afford.

Those who died to preserve these rights were–and are–heroes. They deserve the ceremonies and the flags that fly on their graves in military cemeteries all across the world.

Ever wondered how all those flags "magically" get placed every Memorial Day?

Here in the United States credit almost always goes to local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and Brownie troops.

Placing flags fits right in with Scouting goals. They want to build character and help develop citizens who participate, rather than sit on the sidelines.

Scouting couldn't exist without the moms and dads who support leaders and kids in so many ways.

Kneeling at graves and placing flags can be a significant experience. For at least a little while these youngsters will think of the bravery and sacrifice of those who died.

As for the rest of us, why not speak our thanks to these young people? And their parents? And their troop leaders?

Kids need heroes. So do we all

Especially now, when cynicism is running wild among us.

Late-night comics and talking heads endlessly slice-and-dice this individual and that one, over and over. Everyone is fair game, from the President on down.

Such critics get praise for their "wit" and "remarkable insights."

Do any of them–or do we–ever stop to think that it's a privilege–a precious gift–to be able to speak their minds? Or for us to listen to any speaker we want? Or watch any TV channel or webcast that fits our whim of the moment? Or read any newspaper or book we fancy?

All of it without fear someone will find out and report us?

You and I did not earn these rights ourselves. They did.

Memorial Day reminds us who we are

It seems to me we value being Americans too cheaply. We are a Nation birthed out of courage by those who risked everything to bring these United States into being.

Our founding fathers cared enough to fight for our liberty as a people.

Every individual who gave their life to preserve that liberty is proof the courage of those early patriots lives on.

Franklin D. Roosevelt, U.S. President during most of World War II, said,

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear."

How can you and I show courage and be a blessing now?

We can focus on what's right and good. We can speak well of our Nation and its leaders. We can stand for what's true and honorable in whom and what we applaud and reject what is not.

Like the Scouts, we can participate, rather than sit on the sidelines and carp.

That may include teaching the great old patriotic songs and poems–and the Pledge of Allegiance–to our children and grandchildren. (Never assume they automatically learn them in school.)

Why would I say that? Because I sing with a chorus and we almost always close with a patriotic song such as "God Bless America," or "The National Anthem." We see the same thing every time we perform. When invited to sing along, most adults–especially seniors–know every word.

Children, teens and many young adults usually remain silent. If asked why, they answer, "Because I don't know the words."

What more can we do to be a blessing?

When we spot a veteran or a current member of the Armed Forces, we can say, "Thank you for your service and for keeping our country free!"

Most of all, we can pray for our leaders and affirm what is good.

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone–for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.  –1 Timothy 2:1-4 NIV

Whatever our personal life challenges may be, we can pray for guidance and strength and trust God's goodness.

Good times or hard, God is with us

We can take God's word to His people–and us–seriously, as recorded in Joshua 1:9.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." NIV

Surely God's hand of blessing has been on these United States from the beginning. We do well to remember that, especially in this time when our nation seems so divided from within while dangers lurks on all sides.

Even as we honor those who gave their lives to keep these United States free, we thank God for His goodness.

If we keep that mindset and profess the faith and confidence within us, we will be remembered as people who made our own small world a better place, just by being alive.

God bless America!

Lenore

What does it cost to keep us living in freedom?

May 23, 2018
It's the season again to think about the roots of this country.

Most of us have at least a hazy idea of that time.

The Colonies seethed with unrest. People hated the ever-increasing taxes and the heavy hand of British occupying forces. Yet to act and speak against the King was a treasonable act, punishable by hanging.

More and more the Colonists carried out acts of resistance under cover of darkness.

To openly rebel would risk their lives. To band together as a group and publicly state their united resolve to be free would carry a heavy price tag. Nevertheless, they considered liberty worth fighting for.

Remember that unforgettable first paragraph of the Declaration of Independence?

"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."

This is how it ends.

"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."

Many of them did pay with their lives and their fortunes, or other family members did. As for their "sacred honor," many people around them called them traitors.

Over the years folks have argued whether our nation's founders believed in God

Decide for yourself:

      "God who gave us life gave us liberty."                                                                                 - Thomas Jefferson

It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.      – George Washington

"What students would learn in American schools above all is the religion of Jesus Christ."                                                   - George Washington

"I am a real Christian – that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus Christ."                      - Thomas Jefferson

"Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."                                                              - George Washington

An American flag photo to treasure

This un-retouched photo arrived in my e-mail, photographer unknown.

Looking at this lifts my heart. It seems beyond "coincidence" that the rays of the sun just happened to line up this way.

I don't know about you, but lately I've been feeling we're all in the middle of a long, hard trudge into who-knows-what. It's good to remember again that our nation was founded on solid, godly principles like these:



    Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. – II Corinthians 3:17

    Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.   – Psalm 33:12

This year as we celebrate the birthday of the USA, let's give thanks! Thanks for those courageous men of faith and vision who founded our nation. Thanks for the protection of Almighty God from the beginning. .

Let's also pray God will graciously watch over and preserve this nation. Without His blessing, we are lost.

Grateful to be an American,



Lenore

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June 28, 2013
Right this minute there are big issues issues at stake in our Nation.

If you've read this blog for awhile you know I haven't waded in the murky waters of politics. I do so only because vital issues are getting lost in all the blather.

One involves both our faith as Christians and our rights as citizens under The Constitution of the United States. George Washington said, " . . . its only keepers, the people."

That's you and me, my friend. We are the keepers of our Constitution.

Are we paying attention?

One major issue relates to the often-referenced First Amendment

Amendment I was ratified December 15, 1791. Here's what it says:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise therof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

From the beginning word spread all over the world about America's Constitution and the rights it guarantees. That's why America shone like a beacon of freedom to my great-grandparents who wanted to worship God according to their understanding of what the Bible teaches and without government interference. In America they could live by faith without fear.

That's always been true. Until now.

Enter the new health care law, which mandates what employers must cover

Take Tyndale House Publishers and Hobby Lobby as examples. Since a Christian couple founded Tyndale House 50 years ago this firm has only published Bibles and Christian books. Their son, Mark D. Taylor, is the current president. Tyndale's 260 employees currently are covered by their employee health plan. Taylor, a Protestant, has no moral objection to contraceptives per se. However, as a Christian he believes it's against what the Bible teaches to provide Plan B (the morning-after pill), Ella (the week-after pill) and intrauterine devices to covered employees.

Our Government says he must. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has ruled that health insurance plans must provide such contraceptives free of charge. Tyndale House is a for-profit entity. Therefore, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says this Company does not qualify as a "religious organization" and therefore, is not eligible for an exemption.

(Tayor notes that even exemptions granted to nonprofit entities such as the Roman Catholic Church will expire after one year.)

Fines for failure to comply will cost Tyndale as much as $100 per day, per employee. That equals $26,000 per day. $780,000 per month. $9.36 million per year.

Tyndale management's only "crime" is wanting to freely exercise their faith without Government interference. They believe the federal government is telling them they must either violate their own conscience or pay fines that will put them out of business.

It doesn't stop there

Hobby Lobby was founded 40 years ago by a family working out of their garage on a $600 bank loan. The children, now adults, are involved in the business, which now has stores in more than 500 locations in 41 states. They believe it is by God's grace that Hobby Lobby has endured and aim to honor God and to treat their employees well with above-average pay and many benefits. They provide an employee health plan, but consider Plan B, Ella and intrauterine devices to be abortifacients.

Hobby Lobby gives half its pre-tax earnings directly to a portfolio of evangelical ministries. It has given away and distributed over 1.4 billion copies of Gospel literature mostly in Asia and Africa. It sponsors the YouVersion Bible app for mobile phones, which has been downloaded more than 50 million times. Yet this is a secular, for-profit company.

These business owners, too, believe requirements of Obamacare go against the Biblical principles on which their company was founded. Hobby Lobby's non-compliance fines could total $1.3 million per day.

So Hobby Lobby reluctantly sued the Government in Oklahoma City Federal courts. Their lawyer cited their "deeply held religious beliefs" as individuals and business owners who seek an injunction to block enforcement of the new health care law.

In a piece dated October 24, 2012, The Washington Post, reported the U.S. government was urging the federal judge hearing the case to deny the request to block enforcement of the new health care law.

The dilemma for employers is obvious. They either go against their faith and keep employee health plans in place or follow their conscience and go out of business.

They either obey their understanding of what God says or what the Government says.

Look behind the smoke screen and the endless blather on TV

Numerous interviews and articles trumpet the same endless discussions about "women's reproductive rights," "contraceptive freedom," "bigots who want to ban birth control," etc.

This is not the issue.

For the record, I am not against contraception. Opinions vary about the morning-after (up to three days after) pill and the week-after pill, which induce a woman's uterus to slough off an implanted fertilized egg. Those of us who believe life begins at the moment of conception view these meds as abortifacients. Intrauterine devices are devices placed in the uterus by a physician that in various ways interfere with a fertilized egg being implanted on the wall of the uterus.

It seems to me there are three questions:

In cases such as Tyndale House and Hobby Lobby, is our Government "prohibiting the free exercise" of the owners' religion as they understand it?

As individuals of faith, what do we hold to be true?

If provisions of this tax-supported new health care plan violate our personal religious views, will we vote for candidates who back it?

Will we speak well of business owners who abide by faith? Will we support them with our words and give them our business?

Some words to think about

"The LORD gave me this message: 'I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb.'" –Jeremiah 1: 4 (NLT)

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, and I know that full well.   –Psalm 139:13-14 (NIV)

But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.   –Joshua 24:15b (NIV)

My reader friends, let's be sure to thoughtfully, prayerfully exercise our rights as American citizens and VOTE!

Praying along with you,

Lenore
When living by faith becomes a crime, what are we to do?

October 25, 2012
Young or old, every one of us needs someone to look up to.

We need heroes in our lives.

Memorial Day is all about honoring those who serve in the Armed Forces now and those who died to keep our Nation free. Certainly we can never repay them or their loved ones, so we clap and cheer, our emotions a tumble of pride, gratitude and humility.

Then we stop talking bravery and get back to normal.

What about the other 364 days of the year?

Maybe it's time we stop looking "out there."

Heroes live all around us.

They come in all ages, all sizes and all shapes. Think of military spouses who thanked God their husband or wife survived terrible injury and now pray every day for strength to keep going. Consider the mom or dad with a severely disabled child or a loved one who needs constant care. Try to imagine the anguish over what was lost. Yet every day they get up, smile and keep on showing love.

Heroes, every one. One may live next door or even under your roof.

Heroes keep their word. They hang on through hardship. They keep on loving despite disappointments and refuse to give up. They consistently affirm the good in others.Spend five minutes with them and we walk away feeling better about ourselves. Lifted up.

Children especially need heroes

From their youngest years, kids crave stability and trustworthiness. Faithfulness. Love that won't quit. Something to believe in that's as sure as sundown and sunrise. Just by being loving parents, imperfect and flawed as we all are, we fill their deepest needs. They feel safe and secure.

That continues, even through their prickly adolescenet years. Every survey says that young people still pay more attention to their parents and how they live than to any media or sports star. Even when our grown children are well into adulthood they watch us, to learn how to handle life.

That's our contuing privilege and it gives us purpose for every day we live.

It's okay to feel shaky

None of us can role-model goodness and courage every day of every year. But we can ask God's help, then go forth with trust and joy. I like this "road map:"

    Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
    Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. –Psalm 3:5-6

Let's keep praying for our military personnel

They serve our nation and they serve us. Their courage wavers, too. They get weary and weak and want to give up sometimes. They need our prayer support.

It's personal in our family. One granddaughter is on her second re-enlistment with the Navy and scheduled for a Middle East deployment. Another completed her duty with the Marines Corps after a tour in Kuwait and one near Baghdad. Like all military parents our daughter and her husband wait and worry and most of all, pray.

Others will continue to argue over the "rightness" or "wrongness" of war. Let us unite and thank God for those who serve in our Armed Forces and pray He will preserve this nation.

With love from your fellow learner,

Lenore

Looking at the heroes around us

May 27, 2012
In such a time as this, let us celebrate those who died–and those who live–to keep us the land of the free.

Let us not waste our freedom by forgetting the price tag.

May God continue to bless these United States of America!

Seize the JOY in this day,

Lenore

Reason to celebrate!

May 30, 2010