Being American Isn't Easy

 

"America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You've gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say, "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours." You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country cannot just be a flag. The symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Now show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms.

 
Then you can stand up and sing about the land of the free..."

 

"We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious people to solve them. And whatever your particular problem is, I promise you Bob Rumson is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things, and two things only: making you afraid of it, and telling you who's to blame for it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you win elections. You gather a group of middle age, middle class, middle income voters who remember with longing an easier time, and you talk to them about family, and American values and character, and you wave an old photo of the President's girlfriend and you scream about patriotism. You tell them she's to blame for their lot in life..." (The American President, 1995).

I love this speech from the movie, The American President, because the words are so real, especially today in this United States.  You can replace the name, 'Bob Rumson,' with whichever political candidate you might choose, but the message is still the same.  Our president doesn't have a girlfriend, but his skin color is black.  Insert that and you have the same message...


Or insert the message that those from a religion we don't know about or understand...


Or that ... well, you fill in the blank with anything you don't like or agree with.


There will always be someone 'different' from us on which to place the blame.


But here's what I know to be true, placing blame and scaring people doesn't solve the problems.  It might win you an election, but the problems remain and, worse still, these actions create new and bigger problems.


For the first time in my adult life I am really afraid for my country, even more so than on September 11, 2001, because this time the threat is us.  We are at a cross-roads where we must choose new leadership for our country.  I have to agree that, given my choices, I would rather choose D - none of the above (not the first time this has happened), but as a citizen of the United States I owe it to my country to vote for the one I believe to be the best choice. 


And here is how I will choose...

Which one will lead most closely to my Christian belief system?
 



That system is not based in anger, finger-pointing, division, and hatred.  That system, my system, is based in love and grace.  These are the things Christ came to earth to teach us.


We have just celebrated the anniversary of the birth of our great country. I've just re-watched all the videos and movies about how this country came to be and I LOVE them!  This creation, as all creations, was HARD!  There was disagreement after disagreement after disagreement, but there were enough clear heads that kept them focused on the end game, the prize, that, against all odds, it worked.


Our first president, George Washington, intended to retire from office after his first term, but was encouraged to continue because he saw the young country leaning towards political parties and division.  He hoped that four more years of his leadership would calm the waters and establish the idea of one for all and all for one.  Alas, after four more years, the tides were cast and political parties were already in place.


The purpose of those political parties?  To further my beliefs over your beliefs, what I think is right over what you think is right.  In other words...POWER and CONTROL.


Here's what Mr. Washington said, "...There is an opinion that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the government and serve to keep alive the spirit of liberty. This within certain limits is probably true; and in governments of a monarchical cast, patriotism may look with indulgence, if not with favor, upon the spirit of party. But in those of the popular character, in governments purely elective, it is a spirit not to be encouraged. From their natural tendency, it is certain there will always be enough of that spirit for every salutary purpose. And there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be by force of public opinion, to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume..." (published in David C. Claypoole's American Daily Advertiser on September 19, 1796, under the title "The Address of General Washington To The People of The United States on his declining of the Presidency of the United States") 

Mr. President, you were right.  We are being consumed!  We can point fingers and say that 'they' don't belong to the right party or the right religion or the right country or the right skin color, but as long as we keep pointing our fingers at 'them' our problems cannot be solved.  Where are those leaders of so long ago who set aside personal wants and needs to fight for and create these United States of America?  Where is the spirit of compromise and providing for the common good?

We know of only two times that Christ ever showed anger towards anyone.  In both cases his anger was caused by ungodly attitudes and actions by those around him.  These were the religious leaders, the men who knew 'the rules' better than most of the others and yet, Christ corrected them on several occasions telling them that God wasn't about the man-made rules.  God was LOVE.

Look at who Christ spent his time with.  He ate with those no one else would eat with.  He spent his days and nights with the sinners and the sick and the hated.  He was scorned and killed because his love and peace frightened and angered the general population.  They liked the divisions, them and us.  'We are right and they are wrong!'

How, after all these years, can we miss the message of both of these men and so many more?  God continues to send us these men and women of light and we all agree that their message is sound. 

And then we continue to follow the loudest voices shouting just the opposite message.

I fear that one day all too soon God in heaven will be fed up with we human beings and decide that it is time to finish it.  And all these 'Christian' folks who have shouted the loudest and condemned so many others will find that they have missed the opportunity presented to them. 

We live in a great nation, founded in liberty and freedom and tremendous responsibility.  God put us all here in this time, in this place, to do great things.  We will live up to the challenges He has placed before us? 

Will we rise to the challenge and become what He always intended us to be?

The choice is ours to make.  I pray it will be 'the right one!'

 

Old Friends Forever



I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, and my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avant garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.  

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 & 70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love... I will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.

They, too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face.

So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore.

I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day (if I feel like it).

Author Unknown

"A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

Proverbs 18:24 ESV

Set Yourself Free



Set yourself free from anything that might hinder you in becoming the person you want to be. Free yourself from the uncertainties about your abilities or the worth of your dreams, from the fears that you may not be able to achieve them or that they won't be what you wanted.

Set yourself free from the past. The good things from yesterday are still yours in memory; the things you want to forget you will, for tomorrow is only a sunrise away. Free yourself from regret or guilt, and promise to live this day as fully as you can.

Set yourself free from the expectations of others, and never feel guilty or embarrassed if you do not live up to their standards. You are most important to yourself; live by what you feel is best and right for you. Others will come to respect your integrity and honesty.

Set yourself free to simply be yourself, and you will soar higher than you've ever dreamed.

Author:  Edmund O'Neill

The Heart of a Teacher

I always have a hard time, this time of year, with all the children and young people preparing to go back to school.  I absolutely loved school, both as a student and as a teacher.  I still teach but not in the public school classroom.  I love working with all of my students, but there's still something about that building, the room, the desks, and the bells that I just miss.  The feeling will pass in a few weeks, and I'll be glad that I am where I am, but for these next few days I'll reminisce and dream just a little while.

I came across this in my mailbox today, and I thought it was so exactly right for most of us who have chosen this profession.  Enjoy!



An excerpt from The Heart of a Teacher by Paula Fox

The child arrives like a mystery box... with puzzle pieces inside some of the pieces are broken or missing... and others just seem to hide But the HEART of a teacher can sort them out... and help the child to see the potential for greatness he has within... a picture of what he can be Her goal isn't just to teach knowledge... by filling the box with more parts it's putting the pieces together... and creating a work of art The process is painfully slow at times... some need more help than others each child is a work in progress... with assorted shapes and colors First she creates a classroom... where the child can feel safe in school where he never feels threatened or afraid to try... and kindness is always the rule She knows that a child can achieve much more when he feels secure inside when he's valued and loved... and believes in himself ...and he has a sense of pride She models and teaches good character... and respect for one another how to focus on strengths...not weaknesses and how to encourage each other She gives the child the freedom he needs... to make choices on his own so he learns to become more responsible... and is able to stand alone He's taught to be strong and think for himself... as his soul and spirit heal and the puzzle that's taking shape inside... has a much more positive feel The child discovers the joy that comes... from learning something new... and his vision grows as he begins to see all the things that he can do A picture is formed as more pieces fit... an image of the child within with greater strength and confidence... and a belief that he can win! All because a hero was there... in the HEART of a teacher who cared enabling the child to become much more... than he ever imagined...or dared A teacher with a HEART for her children... knows what teaching is all about she may not have all the answers... but on this...she has no doubt When asked which subjects she loved to teach, she answered this way and smiled... "It's not the subjects that matter... It's all about teaching the CHILD." http://store.simpletruths.com/teacher-appreciation

Red, White and Blue

Ours is the only country deliberately founded on a good idea. 

~John Gunther

June 14 is flag day.  

 

I am the Flag

by Ruth Apperson Rous

I am the flag of the United States of America.

I was born on June 14, 1777, in Philadelphia.

There the Continental Congress adopted my stars and stripes as the national flag.

My thirteen stripes alternating red and white, with a union of thirteen white stars in a field of blue, represented a new constellation, a new nation dedicated to the personal and religious liberty of mankind.

Today fifty stars signal from my union, one for each of the fifty sovereign states in the greatest constitutional republic the world has ever known.

My colors symbolize the patriotic ideals and spiritual qualities of the citizens of my country.

My red stripes proclaim the fearless courage and integrity of American men and boys and the self-sacrifice and devotion of American mothers and daughters.

My white stripes stand for liberty and equality for all.

My blue is the blue of heaven, loyalty, and faith.

I represent these eternal principles: liberty, justice, and humanity.

I embody American freedom: freedom of speech, religion, assembly, the press, and the sanctity of the home.

I typify that indomitable spirit of determination brought to my land by Christopher Columbus and by all my forefathers - the Pilgrims, Puritans, settlers at James town and Plymouth.

I am as old as my nation.

I am a living symbol of my nation's law: the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.

I voice Abraham Lincoln's philosophy: "A government of the people, by the people,for the people."

I stand guard over my nation's schools, the seedbed of good citizenship and true patriotism.

I am displayed in every schoolroom throughout my nation; every schoolyard has a flag pole for my display.

Daily thousands upon thousands of boys and girls pledge their allegiance to me and my country.

I have my own law—Public Law 829, "The Flag Code" - which definitely states my correct use and display for all occasions and situations.

I have my special day, Flag Day. June 14 is set aside to honor my birth.

Americans, I am the sacred emblem of your country. I symbolize your birthright, your heritage of liberty purchased with blood and sorrow.

I am your title deed of freedom, which is yours to enjoy and hold in trust for posterity.

If you fail to keep this sacred trust inviolate, if I am nullified and destroyed, you and your children will become slaves to dictators and despots.

Eternal vigilance is your price of freedom.

As you see me silhouetted against the peaceful skies of my country, remind yourself that I am the flag of your country, that I stand for what you are - no more, no less.

Guard me well, lest your freedom perish from the earth.

Dedicate your lives to those principles for which I stand: "One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

I was created in freedom. I made my first appearance in a battle for human liberty.

God grant that I may spend eternity in my "land of the free and the home of the brave" and that I shall ever be known as "Old Glory," the flag of the United States of America.


I wonder if we, as Americans, really ever think about what this flag represents.  It flies over our sports fields, it flies over our government buildings, it's posted in our churches and our schools, it's draped over coffins, and it's folded and presented to our heroes' families.  I'm afraid that we have taken for granted that our flag will always fly.  I hope that you flew your flag on Flag Day. 

I hope that you will fly your flag every day... and remember, exactly, what it represents...and be proud of the country it represents, flaws and all. 

My God! How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy! ~Thomas Jefferson

Freedom



photo courtesy of iStockphoto

This morning I was reading a book that I was given as a gift almost thirty-six years ago when I graduated from high school.  I don't know why I picked this book up to read now.  I don't know why I have kept it on my shelf all these years except that it was given to me by a very dear man, a friend's father who happened to be the minister of our church at that time.  Something just called me to it a few days ago and I decided to find it and read it.  Do you ever do things like that?  Something inside you tells you to do something.  There is no rhyme or reason to it, you just know you're supposed to do it.  And you do.

The chapter this morning was about freedom and what it really means to be free.  I appreciated, very much, the lesson that the author was trying to convey.  It's interesting, because the book was written by a Methodist bishop in the 1960's, that so much of what he had to say then is still so very relevant today.  His message was that freedom, true freedom, really is not.  We all have choices, and to those who have worked with me and especially to my son, you all know how much I 'preach' choices---and consequences.  Our freedom is exhibited in our choices.  We are free to choose just about everything in our lives, but when we choose one thing, then we're not free to choose another.  When we make that choice, then other choices are limited.  It is a fact. 

Just think about it...everything you do is a choice.  And with each of those choices comes the consequences of those choices.  If we choose to stay up an hour later than usual, we will suffer the consequences of fatigue the next day.  If we choose to push the snooze button, we will suffer the consequences of rushing to get to work on time or perhaps even being late.  I wonder just how many choices we average in a day.  I'm sure that someone somewhere has done a study on it.  It has to be an incredibly high number!

There are those people who work very hard at not making a choice.  They do everything in their power to get those around them to make the decision for them.  Somehow they believe that by not  making a choice they are absolved of all consequences if the decision was wrong and if the decision turns out to be the right one then they can claim victory because they 'elected' the decision-maker.  They seem to believe that the world is safer for them because they're not capable.  I would suggest that not making a choice is a choice.  They have chosen to give their power, their life, to someone or something else.

The fact of the matter is freedom is not free.  Here is a wonderful parable told by Rabindranath Tagore that demonstrates this fact:  "I have on my table a violin string.  It is free to move in any direction I like.  If I twist one end, it responds; it is free.  But it is not free to sing.  So I take it and fix it into my violin.  I bind it, and, when it is bound, it is free for the first time to sing."  The point is if you choose to be kind, you cannot be unkind.  If you have chosen to be loving, then you cannot be filled with hate.

We must all choose what we will be subject to.  We are either a slave to fear or faith, love or hate, goodness or evil.  I have chosen not to watch the images of hate, anger and fear.  I don't read about them in the paper or on the internet.  I don't watch them on my television.  I certainly know that they exist but I don't have to let them into my home or my head or my heart.  That is my choice.  It is freedom from those things that I seek.
Ernest Holmes reminds us, "The thing we surrender to becomes our power."  I choose to receive my power from faith, love and goodness, for in those things is renewal of life, of hope, and of peace.   

Isn't this what we, as a country, fight for?  Isn't this what makes us different from the Sadams or the bin Ladins or the Gadhafis of the world?  It is our choices that make us free--or not.