[dutchess]

It's Thursday at the Finest... That means another homerun (and a little humor break) from our favorite resident author JohnHuang2!!!

[dutchess]

God Bless Our Military
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Below are names of some of our FReepers' loved ones who are serving our country. If you have someone you would like to add, please address a post to Billie; Mama_Bear; Dutchess or Aquamarine and we will add their name to this list. As we pray for them, we pray also for all our nation’s leaders, and military personnel, and their families and friends. May God hold them close to His heart.

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We ask Lord, that You guide the leaders of our great country in their hour of decision. The burden that has been placed on their shoulders is overwhelming. We ask that with Your infinite wisdom You guide them gently to the right decisions.

Please give us the strength, Lord, to get through each difficult and devastating day that faces each of us and our country. Protect and guide our Military that are now being called to duty, strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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OhioWfan...................son mystery-ak......son, husband Gogrammy.............grandson Inspectorette................son Blessed American........nephew Slip18........................nephew anniegetyourgun...........nephew Diver Dave......niece, nephew ConspiracyGuy.....2 nephews Pippin..........niece, loved one Pippin...nephew & his fiance weldgophardline.....brotherinlaw Future Snake Eater.........cousin WaterDragon............grandson WaterDragon..........son-in-law BeforeISleep.................son kimmie7.....................brother Armymarinemom..........3 sons LadyX.....................grandson fawn796...................nephew Dubya.......................nephew StarCMC...................brother ValerieUSA................2 sons Lakeside....................2 sons Spruce...................daughter Philman_36............2 nephews american_ranger.............son lulu.........................son-in-law Warrior Nurse........active duty SK1 Thurman...........active duty David Osborne.........active duty fc2tomschermuly.......active duty bkwells..................active duty LongCut..................active duty cjk.......................... active duty Trish.......................active duty ODC-GIRL............active duty AF_Blue..................active duty Notwithstanding......active duty thumperusn.............active duty Q6-God..................active duty Q6-God.................twin brother Veloxherc...............actuve duty

Maigrey.....................cousin WVNan....................friend's son ladtx..........................2 sons Mama_Bear..............2 nephews gator girl..................husband severa.............husband, brother Hostel........................cousin MozartLover............son, nephew LBGA.............................son katykelly......................son cookcounty...................son SpookBrat....nephew, cousin Doug from Upland.....son-in-law Himyar......................son boxerblues............... sons the piper...................son sheeza................husband kemathen7............husband Tiffee4Bob..........boyfriend deadhead..................cousin JimRobinson.......2 nephews TexKat.............son, step-son RoseinRoseBear.cousin's hubby Consort..2 daughters,son-in-law Darheel......................niece Donaeus....................nephew dixiesass..................nephew BeAllYouCanBe............son Repubmommy...............brother AgThorn....................2 sons homeschoolmama.........nephew kneezles.......................son Redhead.........stepdaughter Redhead..step-grdaughter's fiance Atomic Conspiracy..half-brother Atomic Conspiracy...niece Atomic Conspiracy...nephew SunflowerGal..........grandson visualops..................cousin Alouette......................son eaglesiniowa.................son mrstank......................husband MrsMike31................husband

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Dutchess.

[Mama_Bear]

Good morning dutchess. I haven't had a chance to read John's Two Cents yet, I will after I get some sleep, but had to tell you that I love that Bush/Kerry graphic (the one of Bush giving him the boot). Did you make it? It is so funny!

I'm going to bed, it's after 2:30 here. It's going to be a very short night. LOL.

HUGS!

[The Mayor]

August 19, 2004

Grace And Glory

Read: Psalm 84:5-12

The Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. —Psalm 84:11

Bible In One Year: Psalms 103-104; 1 Corinthians 2

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There's a circular path in the park where I walk behind our home in Boise, Idaho. When I've walked three times around, I've gone 1 mile.

It's easy to lose count of the laps on my 3-mile walk. So each morning I pick up nine small stones and put them in my pocket, discarding one each time I finish a lap.

I always feel good when there's one stone left in my pocket. It puts spring in my step. I pick up the pace.

It occurs to me that my walk through life is a lot like those daily walks. I've completed three-score and ten years and don't have far to go. That too puts spring in my step.

I'm in no hurry to leave this life, but my times are in God's hands. As the body is breaking down under the weight of the years, there is a grace within that sustains me. I go now "from strength to strength," and in good time I will appear "before God in Zion" (Psalm 84:7,11). That will be glory for me.

Our Lord gives "grace and glory," the psalmist says—grace for our earthly walk and glory when we have finished it. "No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly" (v.11).

Do you need grace today? God gives it with both hands. All you have to do is take it. —David Roper

When all my labors and trials are o'er,
And I am safe on that beautiful shore,
Just to be near the dear Lord I adore
Will through the ages be glory for me. —Gabriel

God gives grace for this life and glory in the life to come.

[Aquamarine]

(Three years after 9/11, Kerry just discovered he didn't agree with Bush's response to 9/11. I question the timing of this.) Kerry said he would not have spent 7 minutes reading to those elementary school children. Instead, he'd have moved quickly and decisively to spend 40 minutes hanging out with Barbara Boxer and Harry Reid realizing "nobody could think."

Exactly!

It's good to have both of you back here a The Finest this week. Excellent post you two!

[Pippin]

LOL!

Another good one from (((JH2))!

(((Dutchess)))

[Billie]

:) Thanks, you two - it's so nice to have you BOTH back! There's nothing quite like JH's Two Cents on Thursdays! :)

[dansangel]

I *love* the graphic of Dubya kickin' ol' whatzisface!

Miss ya (((((dutchess)))))) - will be back in a while to read JH2's diatribe.

[ST.LOUIE1]

Bush kickin' Kerry's butt! LOL!!

Morning, (((((((((((dutchess))))))))))))

[Diver Dave]

OUTSTANDING Essay and accompanying graphics!

Poor 'ol John has visions of sugar plums (he thinks the presidency would be a plum job) dancing through his head.

First he was in Cambodia with Martin Sheen sailing Up a Lazy River filming Apocalypse Now.

Next thing you know he'll come out singing Moody River or Down By the Old Mill Stream.

Frankly, with that Sugar Plum filled head, he needs A River to Run Through It to clear out the funk of so many years of self-serving thoughts of grandure.

But, what do I know? I'm just a dumb 'ol plumber who's gonna flush Kerry.

[Mama_Bear]

Bravo!!! Another excellent commentary from our Finest JH2! Thank you, dutchess. Thank you, John. This is one of your very best. :-)

[Kitty Mittens]

Thank you for the thread, Dutchess! John Huang's Essays are always Fantastic!

[LadyX]

"In March of 1986, Kerry told a Senate hearing, "I remember Christmas of 1968 sitting on a gunboat in Cambodia. I remember what it was like to be shot at by Vietnamese and Khmer Rouge and Cambodians (that Christmas Eve), and having the president of the United States" -- a Buddhist country -- "telling the American people that I was not there; the troops were not in Cambodia. I have that memory which has been seared -- seared -- in me.""

Ah, my dear JuanHernando2 - -

We are in danger of becoming truly unkind here, mocking this brave man who braved terrible paper cuts while (re)writing (his own) history!
Surely a man is entitled to that pesky Amendment - the Freedom to Prevaricate?
The latter was pioneered by such admirable c artists um, experts, as WJC and HRC, among other notable figures...

I strongly suspect Kerry is so intent upon speeding up stem cell research research for Alzheimer's Disease because he fears his own meltdown - - wants a cure before the seared memories turn to justa heap of ashes... (even though it is not thought to be a valid approach to a cure for it.)

Whatta week, President Bush appearing at the VFW gathering as an impressive Commander-in-Chief.
By contrast, Kerry confidently strode to their podium, and because of the strong hall lights promptly had a flashback to 'that time' in Cambodia when the Viet Cong and Khmer Rouge and Howdy Doody all fired upon him at once - - sad, man - sad...

It musta been a shock to come back around and see those vets with their backs turned to him, and so many others with folded arms and intense glares - not tracers from combat fire - just plain old loathing.

Never underestimate the judgment of Real Persons, eh?

So much for this week's 'As the River Churns' - -
- -
I look forward to next week's episode!

Love n hugs,

~ LadyX

[LadyX]

Hoppin - - Hopin' I'm not too late
delivering this for your birthday !!!