A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....08-10-04...God Bless the USA ~ Lift Every Voice (Rerun)

Billie | various

[Billie]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

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~ Billie, Mama_Bear, dutchess, Aquamarine ~

Lee Greenwood wrote those words in a song in 1983 to bring people together. In the introduction of his booklet entitled "God Bless the USA", which includes a CD of that song, he also wrote:

"I'm sometimes overwhelmed by this vast nation and wish I could see how America will change in the next one hundred years. As long as we continue to dream, create inventions, and solve the challenges of an ever-expanding population, we will have the power to create a better society. But it is inevitable that the freedom, liberty, and can-do attitude that characterize us will be challenged, sometimes in ways that leave us no choice but to defend ourselves and the land we love. It happened in 1941 at Pearl Harbor and again in 2001 at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon."

Through the years countless songs have been written and words spoken that celebrate the breadth of the American experience. Recalling a few, who can dispute the simplicity and beauty of such words as these:

~ from "America", by Samuel Francis Smith ~

"My country, 'tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing:
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims' pride,
From every mountainside
Let freedom ring."





~ from "America the Beautiful"
words by Katherine Lee Bates Martin
music by Samuel Ward ~

America! America!
God mend thine ev'ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control
Thy liberty in law."




~ Martin Luther King's American Dream ~

"I have a dream that one day...the sons of
former slaves and the sons of former slave
owners will be able to sit down together
at the table of brotherhood...I have a dream
that my four little children will one day
live in a nation where they will not be
judged by the color of their skin but by
the content of their character."




~ from Alistair Cooke ~

"It has always been cited as an irrepressible
symptom of America's vitality that her people,
in fair times and foul, believe in themselves
and their institutions."





~ from "The People, Yes", by Carl Sandburg ~

"The free man is willing to pay and struggle and die
for the freedom for himself and others
Knowing how far to subject himself to discipline
and obedience for the sake of an ordered society....
This free man is a rare bird and when you meet
him take a good look at him and try to figure him
out because some day when the United States of
this earth gets going and runs smooth and pretty
there will be more of him than we have now."

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 08-09-04 Military Monday

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[Diver Dave]

Afternoon, Billie.

Re-runs. Like so many others here, I will never tire of this re-run. Just reading the words of "God Bless the USA", "America", and "America, The Beautiful" bring a few tears to the eye, just like what happens when I listen and oft times sing along. Guess that disqualifies me to be a member of the Democrat Party.

While we were on vacation and attending an extended family BBQ, I listened to one of our relatives speaking and it was like listening to myself. He (a fellow Navy Vet BTW)said, "Call me weird or whatever, but I can't help it. Whenever I hear the National Anthem, the Pledge of Allegiance, or scenes of our Armed Forces in action, it's not unusual for me to wipe the tears of pride from my eyes."

So glad to hear I'm not the only "wierd" one.

May God Bless America
&
May America Honor God

[Billie]

Should that say effect ...or infect....sheesh...lol

[Billie]

Because for so long whoever won the Presidency had also won Delaware. In 2000 they decided the tradition still held because "Gore won the popular vote."

I hate those stupid people that keep saying 2000 was 'stolen'! But for Dubya's tenacity, the election *would* have been stolen - but certainly not by our side.

[Billie]

Good afternoon, Dave. I've missed you - read you had a really nice vacation. :)

Yeah, a lot of us are 'wierd' that way - about the flag, America the Beautiful, My Country Tis of Thee, Star Spangled Banner, our troops in action - their lives on the line for us, Taps.....

I love your sign with the flag.

[Aquamarine]

What a cute LOL gif!

[Aquamarine]

Just for you Dave. :-)

America The Beautiful

[LadyX]

"You wouldn't think that they would affect the Blue Ridge Mountains but they do.
Should that say effect ...or infect....sheesh...lol"

Aqua, Aqua -- don't be fooled!
We all know you typed it correctly, and that the rascally Letter Thief was poised with itchy fingers, switching the letters on you!!

You still retain our R-E-S-P-ect..:))

[Aquamarine]

LOL The letter thief looks more like a troll to me.

[LadyX]

Any resemblance to persons on FR like Diver Dave um...Jethro Clampett...is purely coincidental, and will not entitle said Letter Thief Person to romp at will.
Neither shall he be encouraged to cavort..:))

[LadyX]

There is a lovely song written by Christian artist Michael W. Smith on his CD Worship Again about our American Flag:

"There She Stands"

by Michael W. Smith
from his 2002 album, Worship Again

When the night
Seems to say
All hope is lost
Gone away
But I know
I'm not alone
By the light
She stands

There she waves
Faithful friend
Shimmering stars
Westward wind

Show the way
Carry me
To the place
She stands

Just when you think it might be over
Just when you think the fight is gone
Someone will risk his life to raise her
There she stands

There she flies
Clear blue sky
Reminds us with red
Of those that died
Washed in white
By the brave
In their strenth
She stands

When evil calls itself a martyr
When all your hopes come crashing down
Someone will pull her from the rubble
There she stands

We've seen her flying torn and tattered
We've seen her stand the test of time
And through it all the fools have fallen
There she stands

By the dawns
Early light
And through the fight
She stands

[Aquamarine]

Beautiful post Lady!

Sean Hannity has a saying that he quotes often on his radio show "Let not your heart be troubled".
Wonder if he realizes that he's quoting scripture:

Jhn 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Good night...see ya tomorrow.

[The Mayor]

We have to keep trying, the future for our children and grandchildren at stake - -

And that is the key point. We must change the Heart and Soul of these people.

Thru Christ alone !

[The Mayor]

I will keep you updated, I think there is another story, I'll try and find it..

[LadyX]

"We must change the Heart and Soul of these people.
Thru Christ alone !"

Rather than hammering points home, often gentle persuasion can prevail, being logical and reasonable when laying out facts and truths.

Always, though, it is as you say, not by our power and might, but by HIS, through us!!

[The Mayor]

I just found this update !

Wounded soldier's recovery seen as uncanny development

---

North Tonawanda group prays at exact same time Pirinelli regains senses

By LOU MICHEL
NEWS STAFF REPORTER
8/7/2004

Those who doubt the power of prayer might consider this uncanny development in the ongoing recovery of critically wounded Army Spc. John Pirinelli.
As hundreds of people gathered in North Tonawanda's Gateway Park on Thursday evening to pray for the 23-year-old soldier from Bergholz, a half a world away he started experiencing his first sustained moments of clarity.

Taking into account the six-hour time difference between Germany and here, Philip Pirinelli said his brother began squeezing the hands of family members at the same time the prayer service started at 8:30 p.m. Thursday.

"It was 2:30 a.m. Friday in Germany and Johnny began squeezing my hand consistently when I'd ask him to. By 5 a.m. his eyes were wide open, no more fluttering," the 26-year-old brother said.

And he just kept making progress.

By 6 a.m., Philip was playfully teasing his younger brother.

"I said "Johnny do you want your brother to give you a kiss on the forehead?' He'd shake his head no. Then I'd ask if he wanted my wife to kiss him and he'd nod his head yes," the older brother said during a break Friday from his bedside vigil at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.

Philip Pirinelli of Lockport is in Germany with his wife, Stephanie, and his parents, Robert and Rise Pirinelli of Bergholz. They arrived there Tuesday after doctors suggested they make the trip because of the infantryman's grave condition from a bullet wound to the back.

"It's crazy what the power of prayer can do. I can't imagine not having faith," Philip Pirinelli said, describing his brother's recovery as nothing short of a miracle. "A nurse who first saw him when he came in last week said he was so torn up he wouldn't live."

Surgery on Friday to replace a breathing tube also was described as a success.

"When I asked the doctor if my brother would be home for Christmas, the doctor said "How about October,' " Pirinelli said.

He and his father are scheduled to accompany the soldier on a medical flight either Monday or Wednesday to Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C.

State Sen. George D. Maziarz, R-North Tonawanda, who drove Philip and Stephanie Pirinelli to Manhattan late Sunday night to obtain last-minute passports for the overseas trip, said he has no doubt the entire turn of events is miraculous.

"I'm never at my house, but I was home for 30 minutes Sunday when I got the call there," he said referring to the Pirinelli family's plea for assistance in getting the passports.

Since then the passport story has been reported nationally.

"I got a call from a sailor on a boat in San Diego. He called me on his cell phone just to say thanks as a member of the military," Maziarz said, adding that State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno and Gov. George E. Pataki also called to commend him for assisting the family.


e-mail: lmichel@buffnews.com

[The Mayor]

Rather than hammering points home

I have been known to hammer some points home.. 4 years ago when hitlery was running I cane this close to getting into a fight. Some hitlery supporter confronted me when I spoke ill of her heinous.. 30 minutes later, after the blood vessels went down in my neck he said he would vote for Lazio and for me if I ever ran.. Sometimes a person has to get louder than them to get their attention. You can't let them intimidate you. I tell everyone, don't ask my opinion if you don't want to hear the truth.

[Dubya]

Great post.

[LadyX]

What a wonderful testament to the power of agreement in prayer for one another!

Thank you for the update on this miracle.

[LadyX]

When I made the comment "Rather than hammering points home," I had in mind Certain Family Members of my husband's..:))

Of all times, we had gathered in Florida in 1997 when the first of the 8 siblings passed away, and we were in a public restaurant when they chose to insult us - loudly...
All but one brother were dyed-in-the-wool-Ohio-Democrats and actually made very deliberately insulting comments to us and to Jerry and Faye, knowing the 4 of us were conservatives.
Whipped out their Democrat Party cards and praised Clinton and Hillary, etc.

We countered with asking if they approved of abortion - late-term abortion, homosexuality, etc., as the Catholics they were.

Made no difference, with them set in concrete, and overt hostility reigned in their talk.

With their misguided and haughty ilk, all you can do is pray they will one day let their minds open to truths...

We appreciate the distance between us, knowing if we ever moved back to Florida, there would eventually be blood shed..:))

[Kitty Mittens]

Thank you for the thread, Billie! :)