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FReeper Canteen ~ Sunday Chapel ~ THE MAN IN THE GLASS ~ 6 July 2014
Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | The Canteen Crew

Posted on 07/05/2014 5:01:42 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska


 


 

 

THE MAN IN THE GLASS


I first heard the poem some years ago as a song performed by a former pop musician turned Christian entertainer. Its words had a powerful impact. They were a challenge to self-examination, and a warning about the consequences of life lived without integrity. They were a reminder that each of us must live with his or her self. And that we KNOW what's behind our image, no matter how carefully crafted, or how convincing it may be to others. I wonder if it might also speak to you. It's entitled "The Man in the Glass".

"When you get what you want in your struggle for self, and the world makes you king for a day, Just go to the mirror and look at yourself, And see what THAT man has to say. For it isn't your father or mother or wife whose judgment upon you must pass. The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life is the one staring back from the glass. Some people might think you're a straight-shootin' chum and call you a wonderful guy, but the man in the glass says you're only a bum if you can't look him straight in the eye. He's the fellow to please, never mind all the rest, for he's with you clear up to the end. And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test if the guy in the glass is your friend. You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years, and get pats on the back as you pass, But your final reward will be heartaches and tears If you've cheated on the man in the glass."

Was this poem written by a pastor to caution his congregation, or by an educator seeking to energize our conscience and encourage some set of core values? No. But I didn't know that, didn't know the REST of the story until this week. It seems that newspaper columnist Ann Landers received it some years ago from a young woman in Louisiana. In her letter, the young woman requested that the author's name be kept anonymous. He had died a few weeks earlier, you see, after years of struggling with a drug habit. He was only twenty-four years old. Hopefully, we can learn the lessons he discovered without repeating his mistakes. As a quote from a Farmer's Almanac of the late 1700s phrased it, "Eny dern fool kin learn from experience...; it takes a smart feller to learn from someone else's experience"!

In the end, our ability to learn from that man or woman in the glass depends on the power of our conscience. But sometimes a conscience can be an untrustworthy guide. We may feel guilty about the wrong kinds of things. Or we may not feel guilty about ANYTHING. The Bible speaks of people whose consciences have been "seared" as with a hot iron. (I Timothy 4:2) The modern term for such a person is "sociopathic". Such a person, it is said, may even be able to pass a lie detector test while lying because they feel no guilt, shame or remorse. Their conscience is clear only because it is nonexistent. Better we should DEVELOP our conscience, and inform it through a study of the timeless truth in God's word. James warned, "If anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away and immediately forgets what kind of man he was". (1:23-24)

Here's to hoping that all of us will take a good look, and learn from that man or woman in the glass.


CAPT J. David Atwater, CHC, USN


 

 



TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Free Republic
KEYWORDS: canteen; chapel; military; troopsupport
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To: Kathy in Alaska


Good Evening, Kathy!

***HUGS***



A Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours! Thank you very much for tonight’s Sunday Chapel thread.






"Dia shábháil ar fad anseo!"

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

21 posted on 07/05/2014 6:13:29 PM PDT by ConorMacNessa (HM/2 USN, 3/5 Marines RVN 1969 - St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in Battle!)
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To: ErnBatavia
Rest in Peace Pfc. Frank Joseph Garcia, USMC. Thanks very much for your service, Ern!



"Dia shábháil ar fad anseo!"

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

22 posted on 07/05/2014 6:16:50 PM PDT by ConorMacNessa (HM/2 USN, 3/5 Marines RVN 1969 - St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in Battle!)
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To: SkyDancer

G’Day, Janey...((HUGS)...and Shavua Tov to you and yours.

How is suitcase life?

It’s HOT here...pushing 80. All windows open and fans going.


23 posted on 07/05/2014 6:19:21 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska ((~RIP Brian...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~))
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To: Kathy in Alaska
Good - not bad considering looking forward to home.

80? Alaska? How hot does it get there in summer?

24 posted on 07/05/2014 6:26:03 PM PDT by SkyDancer (If you don't read the newspapers you are uninformed. If you do read newspapers you are misinformed)
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To: SoldierDad; vigilante2; PERKY2004; LUV W; GodBlessUSA; Tax-chick; Vineyard; jackv; Jemian; ...
Thanks, Military Families, for your service to our country.


John Conlee ~ They Also Serve


25 posted on 07/05/2014 6:27:58 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska ((~RIP Brian...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~))
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To: ConorMacNessa

Good evening, Mac...*HUGS*...and a Blessed Lord’s Day to the MacNessa family.

Any dirt time?

Boys home from work? BBQ happening?

It is HOT, HOT, HOT here. WHOA! A breeze is coming up. NICE!


26 posted on 07/05/2014 6:38:40 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska ((~RIP Brian...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~))
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To: Jet Jaguar; txradioguy; Laurita; CMS; OneLoyalAmerican; Defender2; JemiansTerror; Beagle8U; ...
To our Military -

Thank you for protecting us. Sleep well and safe.
May you be protected. May your families' hearts be at ease.

Thank you to our Allies.

**********************************

To those of our Military and Allies who gave their all,
- May your souls rest in peace. May your families be comforted.
May your/our country always remember.


27 posted on 07/05/2014 6:40:41 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska ((~RIP Brian...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~))
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To: Kathy in Alaska; 2LT Radix jr; acad1228; AirForceMom; Colonel_Flagg; AliVeritas; aomagrat; ...
Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the
Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.


Providence~O Come Angel Band.wma

Providence~Thomas's Song.wma

Providence~He Is Ever Over Me.wma

Providence~Lord Feed Your Children.wma

Providence~Amazing Grace.wma

Providence~Sweet Beulah Land

HAVE A BLESSED LORD'S DAY!


28 posted on 07/05/2014 6:49:07 PM PDT by luvie (All my heroes wear camos! Thank you David, Michael, Chris Txradioguy, JJ, CMS, & ALL Vets, too!l go)
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To: Kathy in Alaska
I did get a little dirt time in today - weeding in the front garden. John-Man worked all day so I was the duty Grill Sergeant. A quartet of New York Strips - two-inchers - medium - 32 minutes cooking time - well received by the family.

We topped out at just over 80F today - low humidity for a change - stunningly gorgeous afternoon. Tomorrow is supposed to be a repeat - then the humidity returns Monday.



"Dia shábháil ar fad anseo!"

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

29 posted on 07/05/2014 6:49:22 PM PDT by ConorMacNessa (HM/2 USN, 3/5 Marines RVN 1969 - St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in Battle!)
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To: SkyDancer; Jet Jaguar
80 here is awful! LOL! It's not usually this warm.

Elmendorf is here in town, and Eielson is in the "interior", sorta like Alice Springs in the "interior" of Oz.
The "interior" gets much warmer and much colder.


30 posted on 07/05/2014 7:05:59 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska ((~RIP Brian...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~))
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To: Kathy in Alaska; laurenmarlowe; BIGLOOK; alfa6; EsmeraldaA; SandRat; mylife; TMSuchman; PROCON; ...


GOD BLESS AND PROTECT OUR TROOPS AND OUR BELOVED NATION!



TATTOO
(Click)


Must retire for the evening – an early Mass Call
awaits me in the morning!

For Every Morning Brings A Noble Chance,
And Every Chance Brings Forth A Noble Knight!

The Bugler, his grim visage replete with an evil sneer,
already mounts the parapet.

Soldiers of the Greatest Generation
Stand The Watch Tonight!





Standing With Them:
The Four Chaplains Of The USAT Dorchester!



TAPS
U.S. Marine Band
(Click)


"Do poor Tom some charity, whom the foul fiend vexes!"

(King Lear, Act III, Scene iv)




All Gave Some – Some Gave All!!!
(Click)


Good night, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America!

Godspeed our Troops around the Globe – especially those in harm’s way – by virtue of their service and sacrifice we continue to live in Freedom!






Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

" Dia shábháil ar fad anseo!"

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

31 posted on 07/05/2014 7:18:02 PM PDT by ConorMacNessa (HM/2 USN, 3/5 Marines RVN 1969 - St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in Battle!)
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To: left that other site

Sleep is good for you.

Congratulations to your guitar player, and congratulations to you for your “ambidextrous” musical abilities.


32 posted on 07/05/2014 7:24:53 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska ((~RIP Brian...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~))
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To: Kathy in Alaska

Can’t be sure - you have 80 feet of snow, mossies the size of humming birds .....


33 posted on 07/05/2014 7:25:35 PM PDT by SkyDancer (If you don't read the newspapers you are uninformed. If you do read newspapers you are misinformed)
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To: Kathy in Alaska

yes...I am about to hit the hay very soon.

Hopefully, people have used up all their fireworks.

And thank you for your kind words and encouragement for the band. I would rather have a few musicians who love the LORD and want to serve (even if they are musical beginners) than a whole truck load of Prima-Donnas.


34 posted on 07/05/2014 7:28:42 PM PDT by left that other site (You shall know the Truth, and The Truth Shall Set You Free.)
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To: All

The Lord's Prayer

35 posted on 07/05/2014 7:31:19 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska ((~RIP Brian...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~))
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To: txradioguy; sxytxredhead73
A Blessed Lord's Day to you and your family.


The 23rd Psalm


36 posted on 07/05/2014 7:32:59 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska ((~RIP Brian...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~))
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To: LUV W

Good evening, Luv, and a Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours.

Thank you for the hymns. ((HUGS))


37 posted on 07/05/2014 7:38:39 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska ((~RIP Brian...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~))
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To: Kathy in Alaska

So far, we haven’t had any gully washers here at la hacienda Jinx. It has cooled off some, replaced by lots of humidity!

Such is life, and we love it.


38 posted on 07/05/2014 7:40:42 PM PDT by HiJinx (People were created to be Loved; Things were created to be Used.)
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To: Kathy in Alaska

Howdy, Kathy! (((hugs)))

Hope you and your mom also have a blessed Sunday! How is that new car working out for the two of you?


39 posted on 07/05/2014 7:45:48 PM PDT by luvie (All my heroes wear camos! Thank you David, Michael, Chris Txradioguy, JJ, CMS, & ALL Vets, too!l go)
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To: ConorMacNessa
A stunningly gorgeous afternoon if most welcome!

And good eats too....

40 posted on 07/05/2014 7:51:27 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska ((~RIP Brian...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~))
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