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Fantastic! You've outdone yourself!!!
Any delay to get the thread up was all mine -- I worked Dolly's deadline from last night into noon today. Dolly gave it a fine recovery, and here we go into a more GLORIOUS FOURTH for this beautiful thread.
Dolly, I got caught up researching news of past Fourths. As best I can tell, the meaning and intensity Fourths of July come and go with bad times and reformist presidencies. Until WWI got underway, patriotism waned under Woodrow Wilson. It was near absent during the Great Depression, and also during the 1970s. A terrifically sad Fourth of July story I found was of Chiang Kai-shek, who issued this statement for the 1946 celebration:
"On this Independence Day of the United States, I and all Chinese people express our respect for your Revolutionary heroes and the people of your country who have taken precious part in the stuggle to protect peace and democracy... the United States always is willing to help friendly neighbors realize their ideals of democracy. It assures us that, because of this close cooperation among the peoples of the United States and other peace-loving peoples, a new era of freedom and equality will definitely come over the world."Oh my. Well, anyway, Happy Fourth of July to Taiwan, too!
And a very Happy Fourth of July to all your wonderful people.
Gorgeous Pledge graphic, too!
This is from my brother, the Minister's father-in-law. I though y'all might enjoy it. Be back later!
EAGLE MINISTRIES
IT IS WELL
"One never recognizes the worth of the anchor until he has experienced the fury of the storm. Only those who have gone through deep waters and bitter trials can know the comfort and reassurance that the Lord lovingly bestows in those hours of darkness when we seek His aid and cry for relief. Truly the peace of God that then floods our soul passes all understanding."
This truth has been abundantly illustrated in the life of H. G. Spafford. In 1873 this successful Christian businessman lost all of his material possessions in the great Chicago fire. Just a few weeks later he saw his wife and children off for a trip to France. He said goodbye to them as they departed on the ship, "Ville du Havre." This ship was rammed by an English vessel and sank within two hours - claiming the lives of 226 people. Although Mrs. Spafford survived, all four of their children perished. While en route to Europe to join his wife, Spafford was given the tragic news and later shown the spot in the mid-Atlantic where the shipwreck occurred. Although heartsick with grief, Mr. Spafford suddenly felt an inrush of spiritual peace and comfort as he looked to the Lord for strength. With tears streaming down his face, he picked up a pen to record his feelings, and from his heart there flowed these words:
"When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot,
Thou hast taught me to say,
`It is well, it is well, with my soul."
As we find ourselves fast approaching another time of national thanksgiving, isn't this one of the grandest themes of all? "It is well with my soul!" No matter what is happening in our world, our neighborhood, no matter if health is failing and dreams seem shattered, it is still "well with my soul." And I have Jesus to thank for that.
There are many things we can be thankful in this life of ours. But the best is that through Jesus Christ our Lord we can say with finality, "It is well with my soul."
Just wonderful...and a great essay
GOD BLESSED THE USA
http://www.brownielocks.com/godblesstheusaWAVE.html
What a great thread you've done here!! Thank you!! I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July and will celebrate the freedoms that our troops, past, present and future, have fought, and will fight to preserve. God Bless them all! The wisdom that our Founding Fathers had still leaves me in awe! God Bless our wonderful nation and as my 5th great grandfather said, when the Declaration of Independence was read for the first time:
"God Save the Free and Independent States of America"!!!
A Great 4th of July to All!
040611-N-9319H-054 USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), June 11, 2004 - USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) Sailors salute the American flag during the memorial service for President Ronald Reagan on the flight deck aboard his namesake aircraft carrier. USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) held a special memorial in conjunction with state funeral services in Washington, D.C. The ship is circumnavigating South America during transit to its new homeport of San Diego. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class Angel G. Hilbrands. (RELEASED)
050605-N-0905V-010 Persian Gulf (June 5, 2005) - The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) displays exceptional pride and patriotism as the battle flag is unfurled on her way through the Persian Gulf. The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group is currently deployed conducting operations in support of multi-national forces in Iraq and maritime security operations in order to set the conditions for security and stability in the region. Vinson will end its deployment with a homeport shift to Norfolk, Va., and commence a three-year refuel and complex overhaul. U.S. Navy Photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Chris M. Valdez (RELEASED)
030322-N-2578S-001 Central Command Area of Responsibility (Mar. 22, 2003) -- The guided missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) launches a Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) toward Iraq during the initial stages of shock and awe. Porter is deployed with coalition forces in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Christopher Senenko. (RELEASED)
030626-N-1539M-002 North Kingstown, R.I. (June 26, 2003) - The U.S. Navy's Flight Demonstration Team, "Blue Angels" soars over Old Glory as they perform the "Delta Formation" during an air show in North Kingstown, R.I., celebrating the centennial of powered flight. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Saul McSween. (RELEASED)
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