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John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’” And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. John 1:15,16

Deuteronomy 33:27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2, 2008 – The future is getting “greener,” and so are the houses Homes for Our Troops will build in the future, thanks to a $1 million grant from The Sierra Club Foundation. The grant will allow the organization to build environment-friendly homes. “We are excited to increase the green building we incorporate into the homes we build for the severely injured veterans we assist,” said John Gonsalves, Homes for Our Troops president and founder. “This grant will allow us to incorporate state-of-the-art building techniques and materials such as geothermal heating systems and photovoltaic solar panels to...

BAGHDAD, Sept. 2, 2008 – American citizenship became a reality for 192 U.S. servicemembers from 54 different countries during a ceremony yesterday at Al Faw Palace on Camp Victory here. Army Command Sgt. Major Joseph R. Allen, command sergeant major for Multinational Corps Iraq, presents a servicemember and new U.S. citizen with an American flag Sept. 1, 2008, during a citizenship ceremony at Al Faw Palace on Camp Victory in Baghdad. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Christopher M. Gaylord, 13th Public Affairs Detachment   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Army Lt. Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, Multinational Corps...

Families United had a Patriotic display at the Triangle park today in St. Paul MN. The great thing was having Jon Voight come down and talk to the Gold Star Families and the Blue Star Families and thank them for being so strong on supporting the Troops and Their Mission. Mr. Voight was very strong in his works of thanks and his talking of how he was thankful of learning as he got older how his veiws have changed for the better.

QUOTES OF THE DAY Text of a Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate August 28, 2008 Dear Madam Speaker: (Mr. President:) Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 1622(d), provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. Consistent with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register the...

Here is an outstanding video that weaves video, photos and music together to make the point that both John McCain and Sarah Palin visited our wounded troops in Landstuhl, Germany, while Barack Obama did not. It also effectively makes the point that the McCain-Palin Ticket would be a President and Vice-President we could be proud of to lead America's Armed Forces. They have not only said they support our troops with their words, they have demonstrated that fact by their actions. . . (see video at link)

Baghdad, July 5, 2008 – Servicemembers from all over Iraq gathered here today in the Al Faw Palace rotunda on Camp Victory, to re-enlist and celebrate America’s Independence Day. 1,215 U.S. servicemembers from all over Iraq re-enlisted during a ceremony in the Al Faw Palace rotunda at Camp Victrory in Baghdad, July 4, 2008. Multinational Force-Iraq Commander Army Gen. David Petraeus led the ceremony. Photo by MNF-I Public Affairs (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. All 1,215 servicemembers celebrated by raising their right hand and pledging to continue defending the ‘land of the free’ in what is the largest...

CAMP PHOENIX, Afghanistan, Aug. 28, 2008 – The chief of the National Guard Bureau came to see his troops serving here during a two-day visit that began Aug. 26. Army Chief Warrant Officer Russell Hoyer from Voorheesville, N.Y., assigned to the Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix Logistics Task Force, poses for a photo with Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau. U.S. Army photo by Lt. Col. Paul Fanning, Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum was accompanied by Army Command Sgt. Maj. David Ray...

Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; Romans 15:30

Psalm 141:2 Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

Psalms 111:1 Praise the LORD! I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation. Psalms 111:2 The works of the LORD are great, Studied by all who have pleasure in them. Psalms 111:3 His work is honorable and glorious, And His righteousness endures forever. Psalms 111:4 He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; The LORD is gracious and full of compassion. Psalms 111:5 He has given food to those who fear Him; He will ever be mindful of His covenant. Psalms 111:6 He has declared to His people...

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Prime Nuri al-Maliki said on Monday that an agreement had been reached in negotiations on a security pact with the United States to end any foreign military presence in Iraq by the end of 2011. "There is an agreement actually reached, reached between the two parties on a fixed date which is the end of 2011 to end any foreign presence on Iraqi soil," Maliki said in a speech to tribal leaders in the Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone. "Yes, there is major progress on the issue of the negotiations on the security deal,"...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21, 2008 – Military families, mental health professionals, educators, pastors and other interested parties are invited to attend an educational seminar addressing issues facing military families who don’t live near installations. “We are concerned with the needs of military families who are unable to access support and services because they live too far away from a military base,” said Susan Hamilton, director of operations for Armed Forces Support Coalition, a seminar sponsor. “It’s important to educate many segments of the community about the difficulties these families face, so we are all prepared to be supportive.” The Colorado...

Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. Psalm 54.4

Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19, 2008 – Union Pacific is a company that is proud of its strong ties with the military. Hundreds of thousands of Civil War veterans helped build the first transcontinental railroad in the 1860s, which was considered vital to national defense. During World War I and II, the railroad canteen in North Platte, Neb., was a resting place for many troops on their way overseas. Union Pacific’s partnership with the military continues today and, in some respects, is stronger than ever, said Roy Schroer, assistant vice president of human resources. Of the company’s more than 50,000 employees, more...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19, 2008 – One Florida neighborhood’s younger residents recently turned a simple lemonade stand, the ages-old financial bastion of kids looking to make some pocket change, into a fundraiser to help out an area troop-support group. Children from a Wellington, Fla., neighborhood recently operated a lemonade stand for a weekend in support of Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, a Florida-based care package group. Here they pose with cardboard cutouts of soldiers. From left, Madeline Beaubien, Sydney Campbell, Sophia Beaubien, Chelsea Campbell, Brendan Beaubien, Erin Berlingo, Bradley Boland, and Connor Boland earned $200 for the organization through their efforts. Photo...

Psalms 31:1 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. In You, O LORD, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed; Deliver me in Your righteousness. Psalms 31:2 Bow down Your ear to me, Deliver me speedily; Be my rock of refuge, A fortress of defense to save me. Psalms 31:3 For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name's sake, Lead me and guide me. Psalms 31:4 Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, For You are my strength. Psalms 31:5 Into Your hand I commit my spirit;...

TRANSINNE, Belgium , Aug. 18, 2008 – With Joshua Mayo in the pilot seat and flight director Daniel Arvleo-Perez overseeing a mission control center hundreds of miles away, the space shuttle landed flawlessly. Not bad for a couple of teenagers. Chelsea Ryan, from Wiesbaden, Germany, reviews a checklist in preparation for a simulated space shuttle launch at the Euro Space Center, in Transinne, Belgium. Ryan was one of 24 participants in a space camp hosted by Installation Management Command Europe Region as part of its Camp A.R.M.Y. Challenge. U.S. Army photo by Ray Johnson, Installation Management Command Europe Region  (Click...

Republicans may not be able to count on the military vote in 2008, according to a report issued by the Center for Responsive Politics, which shows that troops overseas have donated about six times as much to Sen. Barack Obama as to Sen. John McCain. Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee, has raised $60,642 to McCain's $10,665 among this group, said the nonpartisan center, which examined information required by the Federal Election Commission for contributions more than $200....

But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 1 Thessalonians 5:8

II Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 12, 2008 – The United States has redeployed some 2,000 Georgian troops from Iraq to their home country, where a contingent of fewer than 100 American military personnel remain, a Defense Department spokesman said today. Pentagon Spokesman Bryan Whitman said the United States, meanwhile, is prepared to provide humanitarian aid to Georgia, where clashes with Russia broke out last week in the breakaway region of South Ossetia in the former Soviet republic and escalated over following days. No humanitarian missions currently are under way, he added. American C-17s began shuttling the brigade of Georgian forces Aug. 10 and...

QUOTE OF THE DAY President Bush Discusses Situation in Georgia Rose Garden THE PRESIDENT: I just met with my national security team to discuss the situation in Georgia. I am deeply concerned by reports that Russian troops have moved beyond the zone of conflict, attacked the Georgian town of Gori, and are threatening the Georgia's -- Georgia's capital of Tbilisi. There's evidence that Russian forces may soon begin bombing the civilian airport in the capital city. If these reports are accurate, these Russian actions would represent a dramatic and brutal escalation of the conflict in Georgia. And these actions would...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2008 – A California group is offering active-duty servicemembers the chance to secure a key component to finding a job before they reenter civilian life: experience. The group, Military Civilian Experience, created by active-duty servicemembers for their fellow troops, was partly inspired by the military’s practice of thoroughly training servicemembers before sending them to the battlefield, according to the organization’s Web site. The group’s officials feel it shouldn’t stop there, and they’re working to give servicemembers a head start on finding their civilian careers. “In our spare time since 2006, we have helped 96 servicemembers obtain...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2008 – During World War I, the Choctaw Nation began a long tradition of service to the country when a group of Choctaws volunteered as “code talkers,” sending messages for the military in a code derived from their own language to confuse German spies. Today, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma continues that tradition of service, extending it to include support of its members and employees who serve in the National Guard and reserves and families of military members. The organization is being recognized for its efforts with the 2008 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. Serving...

Psalm 139:1-5 O Lord, You have Examined my Heart and Know Everything about me. You Know when I Sit or Stand; when Far Away, You Know my Every Thought. You Chart the Path Ahead of me, and Tell me when to Stop and Rest. Every Moment, You Know where I am. You Know what I am Going to Say before I Even Say it. You Both Precede and Follow me, And Place Your Hand of Blessing on my Head.

As a Russian jet bombed fields around his village, Djimali Avago, a Georgian farmer, asked me: “Why won’t America and Nato help us? If they won’t help us now, why did we help them in Iraq?”

A Journey of 1,000 Thanks spans thousands of miles Posted: Wednesday, Aug 6th, 2008BY: Matthew Trout Statesman Editor     Keela Carr began her Journey of 1,000 Thanks in Barstow, California on Memorial Day, and is scheduled to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington, Virginia on August 8, 2008. On Memorial Day, Keela Carr began a journey. A journey that would take her across the United States on foot in an effort to give thanks to those who have defended her freedom to do so. The goal of her journey was to give...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2008 – The idea of getting people involved in a letter-writing campaign to reach all servicemembers currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan -- about 178,000 -- may seem a little far-fetched for the average person, but Cody Anderson is by no means “average.” For several years, Anderson has been collecting, packing, shipping and delivering care packages and phone cards to U.S. troops stationed around the world. Anderson, 53, a resident of Mineral Buff, Ga., has raised $50,000 in supplies, including personal hygiene items, games and snacks; $50,000 in phone cards; and $21,500 in Beanie Babies, to...

Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. James 4:11

Daniel 12: 3 Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: President Bush on Thursday said, "We remain a nation at war. Al Qaeda is on the run in Iraq -- but the terrorists remain dangerous, and they are determined to strike our country and our allies again. In this time of war, America is grateful to all the men and women who have stepped forward to defend us. They understand that we have no greater responsibility than to stop the terrorists before they launch another attack on our homeland. And every day they make great sacrifices to keep the American people safe here at home. We...

Report on Iraq by: Ben Giles, August 04, 2008 Now that major gains have been made to bring stability to Iraq, it would be foolish for the United States to simply leave the country arbitrarily, military strategists say. “The purpose of this [war] is to advance our interests,” said Frederick Kagan of the American Enterprise Institute. “That’s why America fights wars. And I think that this conflict has the potential to advance our interests in the region and in the global war on terror dramatically, but only if we see it through to its conclusion.” Kagan’s consistent support of the...

Subject: You Could Have Heard A Pin Drop! When in England at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of 'empire building' by George Bush. He answered by saying, "Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return was enough to bury those that did not return." You could have heard a pin drop! Then there...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1, 2008 – Letters a Minnesota couple has received thanking them for musical instruments they’ve sent to deployed troops show that just a simple note can change the atmosphere in the desert. Steve and Barb Baker, founders of Operation Happy Note, pose with a guitar that members of the 3rd Infantry Division signed and sent them after learning about Steve's wish to go to Iraq and hand out guitars. Operation Happy Note supplies deployed servicemembers with musical instruments. Photo courtesy of Operation Happy Note  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “The purpose of these … instruments is...

McConnell made it clear that if Republicans and Democrats fail to reach an agreement on energy amendments, the stalemate in the Senate on a wide range of bills will continue. “We all want to do the defense authorization bill, but right now the No. 1 issue in the country is the price of gas at the pump,” McConnell said. “Why would we want to get off that issue and go to anything else?”

LANDSTUHL, Germany – Although news outlets have reported charges that Sen. Barack Obama canceled his trip to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany because the media weren’t allowed to cover the event, U.S. European Command officials say plans were in place to allow limited press coverage. All media, including local press and the more than 40 journalists accompanying the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee on his eight-day international trip last week, would have been able to photograph the Illinois senator entering and leaving the hospital, said Air Force Lt. Col. John Dorrian, a U.S. European Command spokesman. Defense Department public affairs...

WASHINGTON, July 31, 2008 – A new Web site is giving the American public a nonpartisan opportunity to join entertainers, professional athletes and politicians in expressing gratitude to servicemembers defending the nation. “What we wanted to do and, I think, something that we were equipped to do, was to provide a forum that is really meant to be uplifting [to servicemembers],” said Stacey Artandi, founder of “Moment of Thanks.” “It’s meant to say [to Americans], ‘Shed your politics. Put them aside, and take a moment to be grateful for some of the things that we really cherish.’” The Moment...

But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. Psalm 66:19-20

POLL: What do you think? Bush declares progress in Iraq; says troop reductions may follow WASHINGTON — President Bush declared significant progress in the Iraq war Thursday, saying terrorists "are on the run" and that generally improved security likely will permit further U.S. troop reductions. Standing on the Colonnade outside the Oval Office of the White House, Bush also announced that effective Thursday, the duration of troop tours in Iraq will be cut from 15 months to 12 months. Bush said this reduction "will relieve the burden on our forces and it will make life easier for our wonderful military...

WASHINGTON, July 30, 2008 – “The Gigantic Garage Sale” at the South Florida Fairgrounds in Palm Beach County July 26 proved to be not only fun for shoppers, but also was lucrative for “Forgotten Soldier Outreach,” a care package organization. “The United Way of Palm Beach County and the South Florida Fair … do this once a year,” said Sue Beard, Forgotten Soldier Outreach’s Palm Beach County manager. “It was great! We got $500 for a day’s work.” The group began soliciting donations for the sale earlier this month. Contributions included jewelry, lamps, candles, collectibles and “re-gift” items, which...

Isaiah 50:7 For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded; therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

A top Iraqi official visited wounded American troops at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., Tuesday to thank them for their part in ending Saddam Hussein’s rule in his country. “We have come … to express our gratitude and appreciation for the sacrifices made by these great warriors, soldiers, in freeing the Iraqi people and in helping us in Iraq recover from tyranny and dictatorship,” Jawad Karim al-Bolani, Iraq’s minister of the interior, said through a translator to a handful of journalists in the lobby of the medical center. “We also want to express our gratitude to the...

President's Radio Addres In Focus: Freedom Agenda THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This week, Congress voted to expand a vital program that is saving lives across the developing world -- the Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, also known as PEPFAR. I thank members of Congress from both sides of the aisle for working with my Administration to pass this important bill, and I will be honored to sign it into law next week. PEPFAR is the largest international health initiative dedicated to fighting a single disease in history. And it is a testament to the extraordinary compassion and generosity of the...

Obama doesn't support the troops. But I guess that's only fair, they can't stand the sight of him either. 95% of base wanted nothing to do with him. I have met three troops who support him, and literally hundreds who regard him as a buffoon, a charlatan, a hindrance to their mission or a flat out enemy of progress. Even when the rumors were publicly admitted, almost no one left their duty sections to try to see him, unless they were officers whose presence was officially required. [snip] I can't imagine any officer of the few he met told him...

When I read the quote, I pictured what that seismic event might look like, and this movie scene came to mind. Note: All Possible Content Warnings Apply.