Category: Nation

Does your heart start pounding when you watch or listen to the news?

Many of us know that feeling, because it’s obvious that emotions run high on all sides. Lots of speculation–and fear.

That makes it a good time to remind ourselves that our good old USA has been in turmoil before and this probably won’t be the last time that’s true. Whatever our current crises may be, this time likely will end up being another variation on an earlier period in U.S. history.

If you doubt that, just read this editorial from Harper’s Magazine. It appeared in their October 10, 1847, edition, 175 years ago.

(Please note at the time this was written it was socially and politically acceptable to use the term “man” to refer to all of humankind.)

It is a gloomy moment in history. Not in the lifetime of any man has there been so much grave and deep apprehension; never has the future seemed so dark and incalculable.

In France the political cauldron seethes and bubbles with uncertainty.

England and the British Empire are being sorely tried and exhausted in a social and economic struggle, with turmoil at home and uprising on her teeming millions in her far-flung Empire.

The United States is beset with racial, industrial and commercial chaos, drifting we know not where.

Russia hangs like a storm cloud on the horizon of Europe–dark, menacing and foreboding.

It is a solemn moment, and no man can feel indifference, which happily, no man pretends to feel in the issue of events.

Of our own troubles no man can see the end. …

What if we took that essay as encouragement instead of gloom?

History–all of it–is loaded with missteps and mistakes, repeated again and again. Yet the sun keeps rising and setting on schedule and so does the moon. God set it up that way.

Here are a few quotes and Scripture verses I pray would be heart-lifters for you as they are for me.

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. –Franklin D. Roosevelt

[Jesus said] “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. –1 Peter 5:7

Courage is fear that has said its prayers. –Dorothy Bernard

May you find JOY in your day-to-day,

Lenore

Take Heart! The USA Will Endure

May 29, 2025
We've all lived it. Times when we felt numb and hopeless, for whatever reason.

Right now some of us might blame it on taking in too much of what's going on around us in connection with the 2024 U.S. elections.

Angry talk, accusations and division fill the air–and every kind of media or social platform we turn to. Even friends and family members walk on eggs around each other, afraid to voice their opinions out loud.

It's fair to say it often looks and sounds more like we are the Divided States of America.

What happened to national unity?

From the beginning every American schoolkid heard over and over that the United States was the great melting pot. This was the one place on earth where it didn't matter what your name was or how much money you had. Whether you were born here or in another country and arrived via legal immigration.

No wonder the national mindset could be summed up like this:

We are Americans! We are one!

Also in that time everyone understood the truth of what we still say today: "Nobody's perfect."

Hardly anyone argued with that, being well-acquainted with their own repeated failures to keep their good resolutions.

As one old-timer put it, "Ain't no perfect people anywhere. Anytime."

Let's get our brains in gear

Let's set aside the charges and counter-charges for a moment and focus on some unique, foundational truths about our Nation:

We the citizens have the right to vote and elect our President, Vice President, Senators and Representatives and other governing officials.

We have the right to complain about those we elect at the National, State or local level of Government without fear of being dragged off to a work camp.

We have the right to work for any employer who will hire us. Own any car we can afford. Live in any house we can pay for. In any State we choose.

We are free to form our own opinions. Every single one of us, agree or disagree. Free to worship God–or remain skeptical.

This is rare. Shouldn't that fact give us the right to be proud of these United States of America?

Is America perfect? Not by a long shot. Is America more good than bad? Yes

If we focus only on the flaws in our society and in people and in our world, we cheat ourselves, our families and the people in our lives. There is so much more.

Like most Christians, I believe God put you and me right where we are, among the people in our lives. Why? Only He knows the full story. What if His purpose is so we can speak what is true and be a blessing? Here. Now.

As someone has said, if we're alive and breathing it's a sign that God still has a purpose for us. A reason to go on.

What can one person do?

Those of us who are Christians believe we are to pray for all those who are in authority, that they would have–or at least exercise–integrity and good judgment.

We all can pray that truth will prevail, in government, in education at every level, and in the hearts and minds of the people of this Nation.

Just as importantly, let's remind ourselves that ultimately, freedom is a matter of the heart and mind. As a Christian I believe this verse points the way:

[Jesus said] "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:36

For all of us, as clear-thinking adults, let's not get caught up in what is divisive. Rather, may we focus on what is good and right and true.

That does not mean constantly barging into conversations in an effort to ensure our opinions dominate. Rather, we are to be gentle and kind in our conversations with friends, coworkers and family members.

We cannot bring peace in the world all by ourselves, but we can be up-builders in the place where God has planted us.

NOW is the time!

If you have not registered to vote, do it NOW because the deadlines are upon us.

I implore you that between now and November 5 you would weigh the evidence and evaluate each candidate. Make up your own mind. Then be sure that you cast your vote–for your well-considered choices. Follow the instructions in your State, but get that vote in–and be sure it gets counted.

Let's not waste our privilege as citizens of this much-blessed Nation.

Humbly and lovingly,

Lenore
How Do We Get Through This Troubling Time?

October 22, 2024
Some of us assume what's being taught in the schools needn't concern us unless we have children still attending.

Are you sure?

Today's schoolkids will be tomorrow's adults. Tomorrow's leaders in every community and in every level of government.

What these children learn in school and adopt as their personal values today will determine how they will live–and lead–tomorrow.

That kid on the corner who "drives you crazy" today may grow up to be President tomorrow.

(And you may still be around. Don't you take better care of your health hoping to live longer?)

Politics and preferences aside, let's think it through

I don't pretend to be an expert in any way and this piece can only skim the surface. Any misstatements or mistakes are unintentional. Because situations vary from place to place, I hope it you will research the facts in your local schools and communities. Only then will you know for yourself what the issues are where you live.

If you've wondered why curriculum and policy in public schools has drawn so much discussion and criticism of late, start with this. Some years ago educators and school boards decided students needed to be better equipped for modern society, which called for more than "the basics." Classes such as sex education, cultural studies and sensitivity training became standard, along with varying amounts of computer science, technical skills, etc.

Choices had to be made because there's only so much time in a school day. Which subjects and practices would stay and which would need to be either shortened or eliminated?

The goal was that students would be more balanced, better-equipped to live in today's world and also more sensitive to all races, religions and ethnic groups. These changes and innovations were meant to ease tensions and enable a more sensitive, peaceful society for all

This often led to revisions in school policy such as ruling that any teaching of morals, ethics or integrity were not to be taught or even alluded to in the classroom. This would avoid anything that traced back to Christianity or other mainstream religious thought. The aim was to avoid offending those with other views.

(This does not imply teachers themselves lack morals or integrity.)

Each of us needs to be informed so we can form our own thoughtful judgments

This requires us to find factual information for ourselves. Start by spending some time on your computer and reading a variety of material and opinion for yourself.

Another "hot topic" in the news is The 1619 Project, but many of us remain hazy about the subject.

As usually presented, this Project dates the beginning of this Nation back to 1619. That's when the first European settlers set foot on these shores, bringing their African slaves with them. (Slavery was common practice in many parts of the world.)

Obviously, this predates December 18, 1620, when the ship Mayflower anchored in the harbor at Plymouth Rock, Connecticut, bringing the Pilgrims. They left Europe in order to found a colony where they could worship God as they saw fit.

A different view of the Revolutionary War

Proponents of The 1619 Project believe this War was fought not as a battle to win freedom from British control. Rather, the aim was to increase and preserve slavery in what later became the United States of America.

Already many schools are evaluating and/or changing over to this new view of history. Textbooks and curriculum materials likely will incorporate parts or all of this 1619 Project tenets. Some schools will do a complete switchover. Others will incorporate parts of it into what's taught.

Some educators believe before long this new curriculum will supplant traditional teaching of U.S. history at most public schools.

A unique aspect of The 1619 Project

This Project maintains the real reason white slave-owners chose to settle this land was to establish and expand slavery of blacks so as to build their individual wealth.

This means people with white or lighter skin have enslaved and discriminated against people with darker skin from before the beginning of this Nation and that individuals of color were–and still are–oppressed. Those with white skin were oppressors–and that continues to this day.

Furthermore, proponents believe that skin color determines one's life. For life. They maintain it is vital to teach this thinking so that all students develop compassion.

People who don't agree ask, "How can it be helpful to imprint the idea on school kids that the color of their skin determines what kind of life and what kind of future they can have? Ever? How is this not another form of racism?"

Take note of gender issues

You probably know that in many public schools, "gender identity" now is considered more a matter of preference than of body parts.

Personal pronouns count. Some schools outlaw the use of personal pronouns (i.e., he, she, his, hers) altogether, considering them "discriminatory." The approved substitution is "they," "them," and "their." (New textbooks may reflect this policy.)

Starting from Pre-K on up, teachers in some schools may ask students, "Which do you feel like today, a girl or a boy?" If the child's answer differs from the obvious, they will be asked what name they prefer to be called by today. During that day the child only answers to–and can only be called by–that name.

Some schools allow students to dress according to their gender identity of the day. Some allow kids to use the restroom(s) and showers that match the gender the child has chosen for the day. (Note: In some public schools, restrooms and locker rooms may already be unisex.)

To know about your local school(s,) ask

Any resident has the legal right to examine textbooks, teachers' lesson plans, etc., and whatever materials will be used in the classroom. Just go to the school and ask politely to examine the curriculum and teachers' lesson plans.

You also have the right to courteously ask school authorities about current practice(s) in the schools your children attend.

Be sure to allot yourself ample time so you clearly understand your children's school(s) and policies in use at each one. Ask questions and take notes. Get to know your school board members and attend school board meetings, not to argue but to understand. In most school districts, Board members are the bottom line.

Curriculum and school policy set the tone–and often the limits–for what teachers can say and what they can teach. Teachers and class studies influence the attitude of students over time. What kids and teens absorb today inevitably will have impact way beyond the classroom.

All this means these issues need to matter to every one of us, with or without children.

Changes in thinking happen little by little

Children learn attitudes in all kinds of ways. (So do we all.)

It's not enough to rely for information on talking heads in the media. That very well may be opinion and not even close to the truth of your local schools.

Local citizenry staying informed is essential because once a curriculum or a philosophy is adopted in a school or school system, it's hard to change. That's step one.

Step two is to speak our well-considered opinions, reasonably and calmly, when the subject comes up in everyday conversation.

Don't forget to pray

Only God knows how any of this will shake out in our society and what the future impact will be.

We are called to be faithful in how we raise our children and to be aware of current events, knowing that God always has the last word.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV

Let's pray HE will be in the midst of every discussion, every decision and every classroom.

And now may God, who gives us his peace, be with you all. Amen Romans 15:33 NLT

Lenore

Why what’s being taught in our schools matters to ALL of us

November 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
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
(I wrote this on Veteran's Day, November 11, 2009, but it's still true.)

Today is one day after the Texas Memorial for the twelve Fort Hood soldiers gunned down at the Base. (One civilian also was killed.)

These dead, too, were killed in a war, the one that remains nameless.

I watched the memorial service through tears. Perhaps you did, too. When family members processed past these soldiers' photographs, they stopped at only one. Some touched their loved one's photo, some held on with both hands, some wept openly. Their faces weren't shown, but I felt our watching world intruded on what should have been their private moment.

Every November 11th, one word screams at me: pain. The pain endured by those who serve actively and how it changes their lives. Those who love them and pray for their safety and wait for their return live with pain, too. Sometimes that pain never leaves.

Each Veteran's Day reminds me of a handsome cousin I never knew who was killed in World War II. My aunt and uncle had four younger children, but that didn't cancel their grief at losing one. Years later her eyes would tear and she took on a misty expression whenever she mentioned his name or looked at his photograph.

I understand that better now

Two of our granddaughters have served in the Navy, one in Intelligence, still serving. The other served a stint in the Medical Corps with the Marines, with one tour in Kuwait and another near Baghdad. She came home with memories that still haunt her.

My husband and I are very proud of both of them–and we still pray every day that God will keep them safe. Our entire family breathed a collective sigh of relief and thanks each time either of our granddaughters was safely back on American soil.

The tragedy at Fort Hood reminds us all that being in the Armed Forces and stationed here in the States does not guarantee safety.

I think we all need Veteran's Day, this annual reminder that Freedom is not free

We need to remember again that preserving the freedoms we so casually take for granted carries an extremely high price tag.

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

May we never forget that

And may we honor those who serve now, as well as those who have given of their lives in service to America

Next time you and I spot someone in uniform it will mean the world to that individual if we take time to shake their hand and say, "Thank you for your service. May God watch over you."

That may seem a small thing–and it is–but they need to know we honor them and their sacrifices for keeping America free.

None of us know what comes next. With the world as it is, let's pray every day for God's protection and preservation of this United States of America and for all those who serve you and me, at home and overseas.

God bless America and may God bless you!

Lenore

Let’s hear it for the wives! And the husbands! And the children! And the parents!

November 11, 2016
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