Battle Hymn on the 4th of July

Today we celebrate our Independence as a nation, even we, who are Catholics, and who were not welcomed upon these shores. Yet we came, also as refugees, and we came willingly, not only to escape famines and wars and persecution, but also out of that commission of Christ to go forth and bring the gospel to all nations.

And so we came, and we made our homes here in this Protestant nation, knowing that as we live here, we are merely pilgrims, for our citizenship is Heaven. Our God-given duty is to bring the light of Christ everywhere we go, to live in His name, to die in His name.

We live this commission out with dual citizenship, for as our primary citizenship belongs to God, we become earthly citizens in this nation, taking the title "American". Even though we weren't wanted here, this country could not make us go and we have, indeed, continued to spread the gospel to all levels of society. We have taken up the American flag, and have died for this country so that all men might have freedom to practice their religion, might have the freedom to determine the laws of this nation and society, free from dictatorship, free from oppression, free to welcome others to our land so that they, too, can make it their earthly home.

We are called by God himself to the virtue of Patriotism, for we recognize the great gift of the American soil and government as an extension of His own benevolent hand, and by serving our country as good citizens from taxpayer to soldier to public servant to Supreme Court Justice, we are serving God as long as we remember that we live and die for Him in all that we do.

My fellow American citizens in Christ, today as we celebrate, let us recall those who have come before us, those pilgrims who also made this land their home and served it with every moment of their lives, putting their hands to the plow and keeping their eyes on Christ.  Let us recall that we are still called today to do the same,  and that in dying to make men free, we do so not just for political boundaries, but to keep our religion free; we die so that others may attain eternal life.

Our greatest obligation to our country is to serve God with everything we have, everything we are, and everything we will ever be, and in so doing, sanctify our nation.

CARRY ON! 

BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;

He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;

He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword;

His truth is marching on.

REFRAIN:

Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!

Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch fires of a hundred circling camps

They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;

I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps;

His day is marching on.

(REFRAIN)

I have read a fiery Gospel writ in burnished rows of steel;

“As ye deal with My contemners, so with you My grace shall deal”;

Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with His heel,

Since God is marching on.

(REFRAIN)

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;

He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat;

Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet;

Our God is marching on.

(REFRAIN)

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,

With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me:

As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free;

While God is marching on!

Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!

Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Our God is marching on.

Smithereens

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

In honor of the 4th of July, I ask you, dear readers, that if you are going to be playing with fireworks, to take stock of your appendages and realize how much they are a part of you. Make sure you still have them at the end of the day!

If you have not, take some time to pray for our country. We'd be unrecognizable to the vision of our founding fathers, but I guess that's what happens when we place our faith in men and government for our salvation instead of looking to God. Let us therefore remember to look to God in all things for it is only through His grace that our country is so great.

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Pieces of Shrapnel

This has been my first week on summer hours at work, so I've taken the time to have a bit of fun and focus on my upcoming trip.

On Wednesday, my dog and I headed down to my brother's house. He came home from work early that day and decided to take an afternoon nap. His girlfriend and I left the dog to gaze out the patio window while we gallavanted down the street to a local fancy-schmancy restaurant for vino and appetizers.

We decided that it was a day to "misbehave". Our idea of "misbehavior" of course was to go to a fancy restaurant without being dressed for it! When we arrived, we waited for the fancy group in front of us who wore money-scented perfume to be seated in the lower dining area. When the hostess came back for us she asked us if we wanted to be seated there or "in the lounge"? We conferred briefly, and in that pause, the hostess, getting worried, explained, "Oh, well, actually there aren't any tables left in the dining area but you can feel free to be seated anywhere in the lounge..."

(hint hint, push push, shove shove!)

So it was, we were quite directly dissed and banished to "the lounge"! That has NEVER happened to me before! We didn't look THAT bad!

But we remained, we ordered a bottle of good Sauvignon Blanc and a cheese & crustini platter which was absolutely divine. Our server was incredible and so I must say, it was her gracious and personal service that has stayed my hand from giving the restaurant a scathing public review on a dining website.

But alas, we finished our vino and continued down the street to get more appetizers at a wonderful Sushi place that advertised Happy Hour from 3-6 pm. As it turned out, they didn't actually open until 4, so we walked a little further to a bar and grill, nursed a glass of wine and lots of water for an hour or so, then returned for sushi appetizers and another thing on their happy hour menu. Again...divine!

My brother joined us during that time but had to leave for an errand so we walked back to his house, where he was happily preparing a chicken for the grill. It was a wonderful evening of good food and good company and nice to have such a day of "misbehavior".

My goodness, when did I get so old that all of the above is "misbehaving"?

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Trippin'

I've also been preparing for my upcoming "Great Monastic Adventure". There have been things I've been needing to buy and have actually found some of them. Although I can't find any good shirts to layer over all the low-cut tight-fitting tops. Seriously, almost everything I find at the store is made for someone who either wants to look bustier than she is or reveal completely what is there!

I'm going to visit a CONVENT people, how in the WORLD would revealing cleavage be proper???

Seriously I noticed this problem before but now even more so, knowing where I'm headed. So I went to Sears and found a great guy's shirt. That does it. From now on I'm shopping in the men's section. Better quality stuff that doesn't show anything off!

So I still have a short list of needed items I can pick up from Target or somewhere.

On the food end of things, in looking at what to eat for the next few days, I've realized I don't want to eat anything that is going to get smelly in summer heat and hang out in my trashcan for the next few weeks. Our trash pickup is on Wednesday, and I can't leave that can out for 2 weeks without being fined by the association. So that means it will remain safely in my garage while I fly away. I'd rather not have my neighbors on either side of me asking "What died?".

If there is anything important to dispose of, hopefully they will allow me to add mine to their containers this week. I have generally good neighbors.

So, there it is. Not a very insightful post, but the reality of planning for a trip. And still so much to do before I go!

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Anyway, have a Happy July 4th! Be safe! And pray for our country!

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Happy July 4th!

In this country, although the celebration of our nation's independence is indeed recognized, in reality we can't FATHOM the true reality of what the original day was like. We have all been born, or naturalized, or immigrated into this country, a country that was already well established and has been a Super Power for a very long time.

In my observation, and even experience, while we all look forward to July 4th, there seems to be something missing; perhaps a sort of reverence due to our founding fathers? More often than not, the day is used for vacation-type pursuits - boating, grilling, heading up to the cabin, sleeping in, drinking beer or other beverages, and at the end of a hot, muggy, sunny day off from work, we watch pyrotechnics that may have come straight from China.

I'm not saying that all the above activities should not be enjoyed today, for engaging in them does honor the blood of those who have died for our country throughout our history; they died so that we CAN do these things.

In my estimation, though, perhaps we need to all be certain to take time to remember and pray for those who have fallen, and offer our own sufferings and sacrifices today on their behalf.

Before 2001, I'll admit that I really didn't get into the true spirit of our Independence. But the following year, July 4, 2002, following the 9-11 attacks, this reality hit home for me. People DIED so that we could enjoy our freedoms, and some people in this world DESPISE the freedoms that we have and will do their best to force the world into their control, or into the control of their own ideology. An ideology that leaves no room for freedom. We've seen such "governments" come and go throughout the history of the world; America stands as a bastion against such tyranny, and may she continue to do so.

That year, 2002, I wept during the fireworks; I could not stop the tears. People have died so that we may enjoy our freedom. The least we can do is to continue to honor the memory of ALL of the fallen, and ALL of those who are serving today to defend our country.


NOTE: The flag pictured is the Great Garrison Flag.