For those who wish to pay their respects and honor our Fallen Heroes, please visit this thread:
Names,Stories, and Pictures of Fallen Heroes of Operation Iraqi Freedom
STAR SPANGELED BANNER
Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:
'T is the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
Between their lov'd homes and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us as a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
FRANCES SCOTT KEY
AMERICA, WE LOVE YOU!
AMERICA, WE LOVE YOU!
AMERICA, WE LOVE YOU!
AND OUR LOVE IS GREAT ENOUGH TO HOLD YOU ETERNALLY VICTORIOUS IN THE LIGHT!
Repost of the Call to Arms Prayer:
BLESSED MERCIFUL FATHER,
We commend to your heart and keeping those who have been taken in war, especially those who recently went down in those helicopter crashes. Surround them with your love and our prayers on their Homeward Journey to your Kingdom. We ask that you will greet them, and tell them for us how grateful we are for their sacrifice, and that we honor them and shall not forget their service. Seal their families and loved ones in your love and our prayers. Seal them in flames of comfort and healing. Help them to adjust and bear this loss and sacrifice of their greatest treasure. Reach into their hearts and directly convey to them that we acknowledge our debt of gratitude which we can never repay. A wise man* has pointed out that we cannot be complacent during a time of war, for someone has died for us this day. We are required to ask and answer the question, "am I worth it?" Dear God in Heaven, guide us and show us how to answer "yes!"
Father, enter now into any and all court martial procedings and let only your divine Will be done. Overshadow the entire military justice system. Intercede especially in the case of Col. West, and most particularly let only your divine plan for this man be allowed to manifest. We bow to your Will, for your Will is indeed Good.
We call forth your Divine Presence over our Supreme Court and all who work with it and present cases before it. Father, we ask that you will take command particularly of this case before them now regarding the Guantanmo Bay prisoners being granted access to the US Court system. Father, we can see that this case will have very important implications and ramifications for how we conduct the War on Terror, so we ask that you will see to it that ONLY your Will in this matter is done. Take particular notice of any and all cases which have any implications affecting our military in any way. We continue to ask that you will overshadow our entire justice system and that you will guide our leaders in the best way to overcome the deadlock we are seeing with judge appointments by our President.
We are distressed, Father, to learn that the Select Committee on Intelligence in our Senate has been compromised by plans outlined in a memo to use classified information for party political gain. Father, guide our Senate leaders into the best and wisest course to follow to safeguard our intelligence and to restore integrity back to that committee which is We the People's instrument for necessary oversight of our intelligence organs. We further ask that any and all compromise of the safety of our troops which may have already occurred be mitigated and neutralized by your Grace.
Shatter all opposition to our system of government, and any and all possible judicial abuse, executive branch abuse, or Congressional/Senate abuse!
Father, you have responded over the past few years to our collective prayers to reveal to those in charge, any plots against our people and cities. We have heard of another round of threats to our large cities during this Islamic month of Ramadan, so we ask that you will please intercede and expose any and all such plots and plotters! Surround our cities and their public servants with walls of your blue lightening and angels of protection from your very own Throne.
Enter now into our media and expose the Truth and Lies. Let our people know what is the Truth about the situation in Afghanistan and Iraq and elsewhere....both good AND bad! Let the Lies and distortions also be exposed and publicized as such so that our people can judge righteous judgement in the decisions before them. Father, we know how a truly free and unbiased press is so very necessary for the preservation of our freedoms. Take command of all media, and let your Word reign!
We pray, dear Father, and our Lord, for your Presence in our lives. Help us to know how to perform the tasks and say the comforting kind word which can make a difference in the lives of those around us. Help us to draw ever closer to you as we learn more and more about you through our attention on you. Help us to be your hands and feet as we move through the world. Help us to serve and find the measure of joy which selfless service gives as its own reward.
Father, and Blessed Redeemer, enfold our family, our friends, our troops and our allies, and all for whom we are responsible in any way in your Light and Peace. As the Thanksgiving, Hanukah, and Christmas Seasons approach, grant us an extraordinary gift of being able to touch the hem of your garment amidst the hustle and bustle and stresses of our lives during this busy time. Help us to be mindful of those who are putting it all on the line to make it possible to even have the hustle and bustle making those stressful demands! We are so grateful that as our President reminded us this last week, you are the author of Freedom, and you care about what happens to Freedom on this planet! Many of us are not on the front lines in this war in our physical bodies, but many of us have pledged to hold vigil on the frontlines of the spiritual warfare which is going on concurrent to the physical battles. Help us to fulfill that pledge and make a difference so that each and every precious young son and daughter will return home to their families safe and victorious.
Take our prayers now, blessed Father and Lord, and multiply and make them perfect and in alignment with your Will. We thank you for hearing us. Help us now to wait in stillness and Peace for your loving reply and instructions for each of us individually as to our special and acceptable offering to lay on your altar for the protection of our troops and nation during this month, November 10 through December 10, 2003, which we deem as your time for a special Call to Arms.
Amen
* "Dear Lord,
Lest I continue
My complacent way
Help me remember
Somewhere out there
A man died for me today
--As long as there be war
I then must
Ask and answer
Am I worth dying for?"
Taken from the book, "A Man Called Intrepid" by William Stevenson about William Stephenson, the head of British intelligence services prior to and during WWII.
