My Revolutionary War Ancestors

These are my ancestors (that I've located so far) who have been vetted by the Daughters of the American Revolution to have served in the War for Independence (spellings per DAR):

Minute Man Jesse Street, Connecticut
Private Hieronimus Carnrike, New York
Colonel Thaddeus Cook, Connecticut
Private Joel Hall, Connecticut
Lieutenant Joel Potter, Connecticut
Private John Potter, Connecticut
Patriotic Service - Asahel Hall, Sr., Connecticut - Member of Committee
Patriotic Service - Aaron Harrison, Connecticut - Member of Committee

These ancestors are through the line of my grandfather, Leslie J. Canright, Sr. Based on the evidence I've obtained, most of these men never met. Yet here I am, celebrating the creation of The United States of America. Wherever you are, gentlemen, thank you for your service.

I remember you.

11th Hour, 11th Day, 11th Month

In memory of Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Charles Wayne Stratton, MIA Laos, January 3, 1971, to July 5, 2007. DNA determination KIA Savannakhet Province, Laos, January 3, 1971, age 30.

And in everlasting love for and support of his wife and their sons, my playmates, Butch, Scotty, and Stephen.

 

"The Star Spangled Banner"
by
Madison Rising

 Chuck, I remember you.

"Missing in Action," May 2, 2011

Honor

On May 23, 2012, at 9:31 a.m., World War II veterans from South Carolina arrived at Gate 38 of Reagan National Airport in Washington DC to visit the WWII Memorial. Only moments before, the area was fairly empty and quiet until the gate attendant invited travelers to help welcome the vets.

 

See the article by Chris Muller.

Marxist America?

In this video titled "Marxism in America," Lt. Gen. (Ret.) W.G. "Jerry" Boykin discusses his background and training in understanding Marxist insurgencies and how current government actions parallel Marxist tactics. The video is annotated with links so that you can verify his information. Find out more about The Oak Initiative at http://www.theoakinitiative.org/

A Day of Infamy After 70 Years

 

Semper Fidelis

I continue to applaud the United States Marine Corps. My Uncle Robert, a retired career Marine, put into motion a wonderful gift for his brother-in-law, my Uncle Gordon, another retired career Marine. Uncle Gordon is 86 years old and spent 20 years as an active Marine and another 10 years as a Marine reservist. The Marine Corps League is replacing, at no cost to my Uncle Gordon, all his ribbons and medals that were lost over the years. This is a befitting homage to a wonderful man who spent his life serving his country, and it is a great privilege for his descendants.

Always faithful.

Blindfolds Provided: The Occupy Movement

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." -Abraham Lincoln

Yes, it's time for my High Horse. This won't be a short post; I researched well.

Until November 17, I knew nothing about the Occupy Movement except that it was in cities all over America, started with Occupy Wall Street, and was a messy protest. That's it.

Then I was caught in downtown Portland at the end of a small riot, and I found myself moved along with the glut of protestors who were chanting "We. Are. the 99%." I came face to face, toe to toe with police in full riot gear. Now I wanted to know more.

I was meeting my niece that night, so I asked her what it was all about. She told me about the traditional solid economy, through history, as being 80/20: 80% of the people had 20% of the money, and 20% of the people had 80% of the money. But now the division was 1/99.

Based on her explanation, the protests made no sense to me. Who is going to pay for cleaning up the parks, with their devastation and litter and human feces? Who is going to pay for the revenue loss of all the small privately owned shops in the Protest Zone, some of which had already been forced out of business? Who is going to pay for the additional police presence, the extra work of city officials? It certainly isn't going to be the 1%. It will be the taxpayers. It will be the 99%. Then my niece said something very wise: "If they want to make a stand and make a difference, they should do it without leaving a footprint. THAT would make an impact." It certainly would.

Later I thought, if the economy is so bad, how can thousands of the 99% take 2-3 months off work (so far) to protest? It isn't the 1% they're hurting.

So I began to research. And wow, were my eyes opened. The 99% don't have a clue of the origin or implications of their protests. Nor it's end design. I'm going to lay out my research next. Try to follow, because it is convoluted!

The original call to Occupy Wall Street was made in a blog post by a Canadian magazine called Adbusters. Adbusters is not-for-profit, anti-advertisement, anti-consumerism, and pro-environment. They have often been accused of being anti-capitalism and of antisemitism.

This is the original Adbusters post, dated July 13, 2011, that began the Occupy Wall Street movement. Their subtitle is "A shift in revolutionary tactics: are YOU ready for a Tahrir moment?" They called for 20,000 people to Occupy Wall Street on September 17, 2011. "The spirit of this fresh tactic...a fusion of Tahrir and the acampadas of Spain..."

The protest received additional attention when the internet group Anonymous encouraged followers to take part in the protests, calling protesters to "flood lower Manhattan, set up tents, kitchens, and Occupy Wall Street." They promoted the protest with a poster featuring a dancer atop Wall Street's iconic Charging Bull.

What is Anonymous? Anonymous is an internet hacking collective initiating active civil disobedience. They categorize themselves as hedonistic and uninhibited. A primary self-description will send chills down the backs of born-again Christians: "We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us."

Okay. What's a Tahrir moment?

Tahrir Square is a major public square in Cairo, Egypt. It was in Tahrir Square that the Egyptians revolted, on January 25, 2011, against then-president Hasni Mubarak. The protest, known as the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, lasted 18 days. In February, the Egyptian Armed Forces succeeded in removing Mubarak from office. Mubarak turned all his power over to the Egyptian Armed Forces. Just think about that for a minute.

Now let's go a step further. The "Tahrir moment" was a very small part of large movement known as the Arab Spring. The Arab Spring is a revolutionary wave in the Arab world that began in December of 2010. Per Wikipedia,  there have been revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt (Tahrir Square); a civil war in Libya resulting in the fall of its government; civil uprisings in Bahrain, Syria, and Yemen, the latter resulting in the resignation of Yemeni Prime Minister; major protests in Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, and Oman; and minor protests in Kuwait, Lebanon, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Western Sahara. Clashes at the borders of Israel (emphasis mine) in May 2011 were also inspired by the regional Arab Spring. Their major slogan is "The People want to bring down the regime." Reflect on this information for a moment.

Take note: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel addressed the Knesset during the Tahrir Square protest, saying that history would prove him right: the Arab Spring would result in an Islamic, anti-Western, anti-liberal, anti-Israeli and anti-democratic wave.

Next. What are the acampadas of Spain?

The word 'acampadas' simply means camping, but it's a reference to what is known as the 2011 Spanish Protests, the 15-M Movement, or the Indignants Movement. I won't go into great detail here, but it's a social economic protest about the high level of unemployment, and it is self-described as being inspired by the protests in Egypt and Tunisia (i.e., the Arab Spring).

Let's go back to Adbusters' original blog post for a minute. I read 7 very long pages of comments, dated from July 14 to July 29, 2011. Here are samples of the comments in chronological order. (Keep in mind that the original Adbusters post was made on July 13).

**"I suggest we demand the end of Capitalism, we all realize this is the over arching problem. If we are going to camp and demand change, why not demand real change. If we only demand change on a surface level we will be back where Egypt is now, again taking up the fight in Tahrir (liberty) square because their demand was not radical enough."

**" 'The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is it’s natural manure.' THOMAS JEFFERSON, letter to William Stephens Smith, November 13, 1787."

**"Demand all new money be 'New Money.'"

**"I would suggest you use the advice given to Diogenes by the Oracle of Delphi: 'Falsify the Currency.'"

**"We either abolish the Federal Reserve and all its secrecy or we have done NOTHING."

**"... this pamphlet, created by Egyptian activists and entitled "How to Protest Intelligently" could provide a guide for our tactics and demands. Creating a similar document specific to this event is something we are working on."

**"Anything less than an anti-capitalist message is doomed to become a spectacle reminiscent of the new left of the 1960's."

**"...in Solidarity, please consider this a tactical request."

**" Solidarity alert, Comrade. Come on in!"

**" The Occupation Needs YOU!"

**"Expect us. Anonymous."

The comments included many calls for tactical assistance and references to Arab Spring through admirable mentions of Egypt and Tahrir Square. One comment, which was supported by others, was to drag the CEOs out into the streets, submit them to a trial by the people whereby they would be found guilty. (Can anyone say "French Revolution" and "guillotine"?).

(Photo property of KOIN Local 6, Portland, Oregon)

Now I want to talk about the Occupy Wall Street website. Their logo is a raised fist, and they describe themselves as follows: "Occupy Wall Street is a leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions. The one thing we all have in common is that We Are The 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%. We are using the revolutionary Arab Spring (emphasis mine) tactic to achieve our ends and encourage the use of nonviolence to maximize the safety of all participants. This #ows movement empowers real people to create real change from the bottom up. We want to see a general assembly in every backyard, on every street corner because we don't need Wall Street and we don't need politicians to build a better society. The only Solution is World Revolution."

The whole world? I thought this was just America. Naive, naive. Occupied:

Australia: Canberra, Wollongong, Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, smaller towns around the country
Belgium: Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Leuven.
Canada: Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal
Colombia: Universities
Cyprus: Nicosia
France: Paris, Nantes, Lyon, Grenoble, Perpignan
Germany: Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg
Hong Kong
Israel: Tel Aviv
Italy: Rome
Malaysia: Dataran, Penang, Kelantan
Mexico: Mexico City
Mongolia
New Zealand: Auckland, New Plymouth, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill, Pomare
Norway: Oslo, Bergen
Republic of Ireland: Dublin, Cork, Galway, Waterford, Letterkenny, Athlone
South Korea: Seoul
Switzerland: Zurich
United Kingdom: London, Bristol, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Brighton, Bath, Bradford, Cardiff, Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle upon Tyne, Plymouth, Exeter, Norwich, Belfast, Glasgow, Leicester
United States: Here we go! State (yes, all 50!), then number of cities Occupied.
Arizona 6
Alaska 7
Arizona 6
Arkansas 4
California 56
Colorado 7
Connecticut 4
Delaware 1
Florida 15
Georgia 8
Hawaii 5
Idaho 4
Illinois 10
Indiana 8
Iowa 6
Kansas 5
Kentucky 6
Louisiana 3
Maine 4
Maryland 2
Massachusetts 13
Michigan 9
Minnesota 3
Mississippi 2
Missouri 5
Montana 6
Nebraska 2
Nevada 3
New Hampshire 2
New Jersey 6
New Mexico 5
Ney York 13
North Carolina 10
North Dakota 2
Ohio 10
Oklahoma 3
Oregon 9
Pennsylvania 13
Rhode Island 1
South Carolina 3
South Dakota 4
Tennessee 7
Texas 18
Utah 5
Vermont 3
Virginia 7
Washington 23
West Virginia 7
Wisconsin 3
Wyoming 3
Puerto Rico 1
Washington, D.C.

And of course, Spain and all the Arab countries mentioned above.

So, like little lemmings, we have allowed ourselves to be manipulated and ultimately duped by Adbusters (anti-capitalists and anti-semites), Anonymous (hedonists who describe themselves as "Legion"), and the Arab Spring (revolution of the Arab world).

And the Occupy Movement is global.

Christians, brush up on your knowledge of the Rapture, the Tribulation, the Antichrist, the Apocalypse, and the Second Coming of Christ to rule the Millennium. Tell your family and friends about the salvation of Jesus through His death, resurrection, and ascension.

And Christians, if you're not already on your knees in prayer, the time is now. The showdown between the children of Isaac and the children of Ishmael approaches.

My High Horse

Sometime this week, when I have the mental and emotional energy, I'm going to get on my high horse about the Occupy movement. I accidentally got caught in a demonstration at Occupy Portland last Thursday, and the experience resulted in my doing a little research. I was shocked and dismayed and terribly alarmed. So be forewarned!

Occupy Portland

11/17/2011

Honoring our Veterans

"We Climb Because They Climbed"

Only today did I become aware of the Dallas, Texas, 9/11 Memorial Climb. There were 343 firefighters participating, one to represent each member of the New York City Fire Department that died in the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. Each of today's firefighters was given a badge with the name and biographical sketch of an FDNY firefighter who gave their life on September 11th.

I am proud to say that my cousin Dusty was one of the firefighters participating in the memorial today. These firefighters from Dallas and surrounding areas climbed, in full turn-out gear, 110 floors (55 floors twice) of the Renaissance Tower in Dallas.  What a fitting memorial! 

Worthy to note, however, is that today's climbers trained for months in preparation for the memorial climb. They weren't climbing against scores of panicked civilians trying to get down. There was no smoke, no fumes, no screaming, nothing blocking their way. No one was bleeding or injured. There was no hurry. There was no heart-locked knowledge of extreme danger. There was no threat to the lives of the firefighters or to anyone else.

The FDNY didn't have those advantages.

Knowledge of today's climb and seeing a video containing Dusty caused the American Eagle in my soul to raise its head a bit more. I am proud of being part of one nation, UNDER GOD. I am proud of the human spirit. I am an American!

Learn more at www.dallasstairclimb.com and LIKE their Facebook Page, Dallas 9/11 Memorial Climb.

FDNY, those who fell and those who still stand, and those who have joined the ranks since September 11, 2001, I remember you.

And Dusty, I remember you!

9/11 Angel

It was my honor to hear this song and see the video for the first time on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The artist is Becky James; she's a friend of my friend Valarie. Becky shares lyrics copyright with Sarah McLachlan. The lyrics are written for the Rescue Personnel from 9/11 and those additional Rescue Personnel who came from other states to assist in the many, many days of toil that followed. It is doubly my honor to share this with you. The song plays through twice, but the video is different. At first she is in New York, then she visits other Fire Companies that served at Ground Zero.

 "Angel -- September 11, 2001, Memorial Rendition"

by Becky James

Spend all my time waiting

for another day

For a day that will make it okay

There must be a reason,

but I don't understand

Why I'm here and you were taken away

No way of knowing

you didn't stand a chance

One's mind cannot fathom such hate

If you can hear me,

I want you to know

I would gladly have taken your place

In the arms of the Angels

Far away from here

In your peaceful surrender

You stood tall in the face of fear

I will never forget you

I salute you my dear friend

In the arms of the Angels

We shall meet someday again

The day's long been over,

but my anger rages on

Images seep from my veins

The world keeps on turning,

but it's not like before

Life will forever be changed

A solemn reminder

that freedom has a price

Makes it easier to believe

This sheer madness,

this immeasurable sadness

That brings me to my knees

In the arms of the Angels

Far away from here

In your peaceful surrender

You stood tall in the face of fear

I will never forget you

I salute you my dear friend

In the arms of the Angels

We shall meet someday again

In the arms of the Angels

We shall meet again.

All gave some, and some gave all. I remember you.

And to Becky James, who brought comfort to so many, putting into words that which many couldn't, I remember you.

Remembering 9/11/2001

It's been ten long years since that horrible day when hate came to us. When death visited our own soil. When innocents and innocence were obliterated. When thousands of Americans died and the rest of us mourned. Well, not all of us. Many Muslims rejoiced. They danced in the streets.

Here are the deaths that day. Read them and weep.

     In New York City, New York:
          World Trade Center Towers -- 2,606
          American Flight 11 -- 87
          United Flight 175 -- 60

     In Arlington, Virginia:
          The Pentagon -- 125
          American Flight 77 -- 59

     In a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania:
          United Flight 93 -- 40

     Total Deaths 09/11/2001 -- 2,996

Of these deaths, included are 411 Rescue Personnel:

     New York Fire Department -- 340 Firefighters
                                                                -- 2 Paramedics
                                                                -- 1 Chaplain

     New York Police Department -- 23 Officers

     New York Port Authority Police -- 37 Officers

     Private Medical Services -- 8 Emergency Medical Technicians
     & Paramedics

Let's not forget these were people, not just numbers:

United States Department of Justice Photo.

A collage of photographs of almost 3,000 victims,

nearly all of those who were killed

during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001

(missing are 92 of the victims and all of the terrorists).

And remember also the thousands of loved ones left behind. The pain represented here is beyond comprehension and will continue into the next generations. People from over 70 countries were murdered that day.

From the rubble of the World Trade Centers appeared a Cross. It was a simple crossbeam of a demolished building, but it was a Cross. And it was standing. No one assembled it. No one erected it. It became a symbol of hope from the Hands of God. And now it has become a point of controversy from those who are suing to prevent the inclusion of the Cross in the 9/11 Memorial Museum, because "it's a religious symbol."

In June of 2007, now-president Barack Obama proclaimed, "Whatever we once were, we're no longer a Christian nation. At least not just. We are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, and a Buddhist nation, and a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers." At the speech, Obama also blasted the Christians for hijacking religion and using it to divide the nation: "Somehow, somewhere along the way, faith stopped being used to bring us together and started being used to drive us apart. It got hijacked. Part of it's because of the so-called leaders of the Christian Right, who've been all too eager to exploit what divides us," he said.

And in 2010, he officially gave his stamp of approval, as President of the United States, for the construction of a mosque near Ground Zero. I'm not always certain how I feel about that.

Yes, I'm aware of the many 9/11 conspiracy theories, most of which blame our American government for the plan and execution of the atrocities of that day. War is good for the economy. Some say war makes good politics. There are those still living today who vehemently proscribe that President Kennedy would have soon stopped the Vietnam War, but after his assassination, President Johnson ensured it would continue for many years so there would continue to be jobs and export and a solid economy.

I don't believe myself to be an extremist, but I do believe that we are becoming a Muslim nation with a Socialist government. Check out this video with clips prior to Barack Obama's election as President.

I intended this blog entry to be a memorial for human devastation on and after 09/11/2001. I did NOT intend it to turn anti-Obama or anti-Muslim. But somehow my fingers kept typing, so somewhere in my mind I must be convinced that it's all connected. I give President Obama the respect due his office, and I treat Muslims whom I meet with the respect and kindness that Jesus Christ demands and I willingly obey.

"If My people, which are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." II Chronicles 7:14, King James Version

And to the 2,996 people who died on 09/11/2001, and to their families, and to their following generations, I remember you.

For my own memories of that infamous day, please read my blog entry Osama/Obama.

First Responders & Clergy Unwelcome at Ground Zero

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Tomorrow is the 10th anniversary of the terror that was 9/11. An entire day of memorial ceremonies has been planned at Ground Zero. And current New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has stated that first responders are not welcome. Due to "space constraints."

I kept hearing the rumors. I even re-posted on Facebook. But I don't think I really believed it. So I went to my ever-present source of rumor validity: www.snopes.com

And it's true.

Quoting CNN, Snopes has written: "...It's a painful insult for many of the approximately 3000 men and women who risked their lives, limbs, and lungs on that monumental day, puncturing another hole in a still searing wound..."

Funny. Firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, nurses, and police officers, to name only some of the first responders, weren't invited on that Tuesday morning, 09/11/2001, either. But they rushed to the scene as others were rushing away, and due to their efforts, many people survived the attacks. And 411 of the first responders didn't. By all means, let's exclude them from the memorial services.

Spiritual leaders are also excluded, as they have been from every 9/11 anniversary commemoration. The mayor says these exclusions are "to focus on the families."

Yes, the families. But CNN reported on September 6 that many "9/11 families" were confused, appalled, irritated, and anxious because they still had not received an invitation. Family members have made numerous attempts calling the Office of the Mayor. Most of those calls have not been returned. Some families were told, "Don't worry, you'll get your invitation next week," but have yet to receive an invitation. With the enormous crowds, how do they get in without an invitation? How can they prove they're a "9/11 family?"

So it seems that the 10th Anniversary Commemoration of 09/11/2001 may only be a forum for the politicians.

Meanwhile, two blocks away, preparation for the construction of a mosque continues.

9/11 first responders, I remember you.

Talent of the Silhouettes

Silhouettes "America"

(until 5:40)

Why I Stand with Israel

"For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet, til her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch." - Isaiah 62:1 

Thanks to John Hagee Ministries for the following truths, to which I have added comments.

1. Genesis 12:3 "And I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all nations of the earth be blessed." Point: God has promised to bless the man or nation that blesses the Chosen People. History has proven beyond reasonable doubt that the nations that have blessed the Jewish people have had the blessing of God; the nations that have cursed the Jewish people have experienced the curse of God. This is why America will fall, for we have become a nation that stands against Israel!
   
   
2. St. Paul recorded in Romans 15:27 "For if the Gentiles have shared in their (the Jews) spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things." Christians owe a debt of eternal gratitude to the Jewish people for their contributions that gave birth to the Christian faith. Jesus Christ, a prominent Rabbi from Nazareth said, "Salvation is of the Jews!" (St. John 4:22) Consider what the Jewish people have given to Christianity:
   1. The Sacred Scripture
   2. The Prophets
   3. The Patriarchs
   4. Mary, Joseph, and Jesus Christ of Nazareth
   5. The Twelve Disciples
   6. The Apostles
   It is not possible to say, "I am a Christian" and not love the Jewish people. The Bible teaches that love is not what you say, but what you do. (1 John 3:18)
   
   
3. While some Christians try to deny the connection between Jesus of Nazareth and the Jews of the world, Jesus never denied his Jewishness. He was born Jewish, He was circumcised on the eighth day in keeping with Jewish tradition, He had his Bar Mitzvah on his 13th birthday, He kept the law of Moses, He wore the Prayer Shawl Moses commanded all Jewish men to wear, He died on a cross with an inscription over His head, "King of the Jews! Jesus considered the Jewish people His family. Jesus said (Matthew 25:40) "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren (the Jewish people… Gentiles were never called His brethren), ye have done it unto me."
   
   
4. "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper that love thee." (Psalm 122:6) The scriptural principle of prosperity is tied to blessing Israel and the city of Jerusalem. 
   
   
5. Why did Jesus Christ go to the house of Cornelius in Capernaum and heal his servant, who was ready to die? What logic did the Jewish elders use with Jesus to convince Him to come into the house of a Gentile and perform a miracle? The logic they used is recorded in Luke 7:5; "For He loveth our nation, and He hath built us a synagogue." The message? This Gentile deserves the blessing of God because he loves our nation and has done something practical to bless the Jewish people. 
   
   
6. Why did God the Father select the house of Cornelius in Caesarea (Acts Chapter 10) to be the first Gentile house in Israel to receive the Gospel? The answer is given repeatedly in Acts 10.
   Acts 10:2 "A devout man, (Cornelius) and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always." Who were the people to whom Cornelius gave these alms? They were the Jews
   Again in Acts 10:4 "… thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God."
   Again in Acts 10:31 "… and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God."
   The point is made three times in the same chapter. A godly Gentile who expressed his unconditional love for the Jewish people in a practical manner was divinely selected by heaven to be the first Gentile house to receive the Gospel and the first to receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
   These combined Scriptures verify that PROSPERITY (Genesis 12:3 and Psalm 122:6), HEALING (Luke 7:1-5) and the OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT came first to Gentiles that blessed the Jewish people and the nation of Israel in a practical manner. 
   
   
7. I support Israel because all other nations were created by an act of men, but Israel was created by an act of God! The Royal Land Grant was given to Abraham and his seed through Isaac and Jacob with an everlasting and unconditional covenant. (Genesis 12:1-3, 13:14-18, 15:1-21, 17:4-8, 22:15-18, 26:1-5 and Psalm 89:28-37.)
   
   

   

See also Rockets into Roses, an artist's use of Kassam rockets shot into Israel.

Day 5 - Driving Vacations

"A picture of my favorite memory."

  "See the U.S.A. in your Chevrolet"
And that's what we did every summer, took a road trip,
eventually to 48 states, Canada, and Mexico.

Some Gave All

Taps Memorial

As soon as Taps was first sounded in July 1862, words were put with the music. As the years went on many more versions were created. There are no official words, but here are some of the more popular verses:

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the hills, from the lake,
From the sky.
All is well, safely rest,
God is nigh.

Go to sleep, peaceful sleep,
May the soldier or sailor,
God keep.
On the land or the deep,
Safe in sleep.

Love, good night, Must thou go,
When the day, And the night
Need thee so?
All is well. Speedeth all
To their rest.

Fades the light; And afar
Goeth day, And the stars
Shineth bright,
Fare thee well; Day has gone,
Night is on.

Thanks and praise, For our days,
'Neath the sun, 'Neath the stars,
'Neath the sky,
As we go, This we know,
God is nigh.

Missing in Action

Back in the late 1990s, I received one of those fill-in-the-blank emails intended to enable friends to know each other better. One of the questions I'm sure is now familiar to all: "If you could have dinner with three people, living or dead, who would they be and why?" Being who I am, I immediately typed, "Why would I want to have dinner with dead people?!"

Then my mind flooded with memories, and I deleted my flippant answer. Three people stood out, like lights in the midnight blackness: author Richard Brautigan, because he was a continual inspiration to my creative writing; my PaPa, because I had forgotten the sound of his voice; and my neighbor Chuck, still missing from the Vietnam War, because I wanted him to know that I hadn't forgotten his sacrifice.

The day Chuck's family, and mine, heard the news is still crystal clear in my mind, though I was only ten years old. There was a knock at the front door, and I answered it. It was Chuck's mother-in-law from next door, and she was sobbing. I let her in, then turned as my mother entered the front room from behind me and said, "Go in yonder!"

I fled to the back part of the house. One of my older sisters was in our bedroom, and the oldest one, who knew Chuck's family the best, was in the bathroom. I pounded on the bathroom door and announced the first of what I now call my psychic flashes: "Chuck's been shot down! He's missing!" The bathroom door flew open as my sister pulled up her clothes, and both sisters joined me in the hallway.

"What happened? How do you know?" they demanded. I said, "Mrs. _______ just came over, and she's crying!" My oldest sister asked, "What did she say?" I paused in momentary confusion. "I don't know, she didn't say anything, she's talking to Mommy." "What did you overhear?" she asked. "Nothing," I replied, "I just know." That was when she slapped me.

My sisters may remember this differently; after all, they were older. But in my memory, that's how it happened. It was the one and only time in my life that my sister ever hit me.

After our neighbor left, my mother came to us. "Mrs._______ was just here. Chuck's been shot down. He's missing in action." Both of my sisters slowly turned their heads toward me, their eyes wide. But then we began to cry. Our hearts had taken their first real blow. My mother walked away, not knowing what else to say.

Time went by slowly at first. Both sisters looked at me strangely for a while. I played with Chuck's kids, as usual. But all of us were forever changed. I was finally aware of the war, and I started paying attention to the television coverage. I cried for Chuck's children. The youngest was very young and hardly remembered his father, but he would talk to me about him sometimes. (I remember being told that when Chuck was about to ship out overseas, his youngest child locked all the doors and windows so his daddy couldn't leave).

I wore a POW-MIA bracelet for Chuck for a long time. The bracelet was a metal band, nickle-plated, and about a half-inch wide. It was imprinted with his name, rank, and the date he went missing. That bracelet became as much a part of me and who I am as a wedding ring does to a married woman. I never took it off. My sisters and our friends wore his bracelets, too.

Eventually, the bracelet began irritating my skin, as moisture was always trapped beneath it. I had to take it off, and it was severely corroded inside. So my mother got me a new one and I thoroughly coated the inside of it with clear nail polish so it wouldn't corrode again. But over time, the polish wore off, and I had to have another bracelet. This one I not only coated with clear nail polish, but I also removed it before taking a bath. But taking it off frequently weakened the middle of the band, and ultimately it broke in half right through Chuck's name. (I still have the two pieces, I just don't know where). I don't recall how many years had passed since Chuck went missing when that bracelet broke. And my last bracelet has a place of honor on my living room shelf.

As I got older, I began to babysit Chuck's children. I remember when they told me how to make coffee: half coffee, half milk, and half sugar!

And when Chuck was declared legally dead, I cried again.

As more years went by, I knew that Chuck had only three possible fates: 1) He was now dead; 2) He was a prisoner of war; or 3) He had been a prisoner of war, and it had so changed him that he hadn't come home. I talked about him with new friends. I purchased POW-MIA bumper stickers. I wore POW-MIA pins. I prayed for him and his family. And I never forgot, although our families moved and drifted apart.

Several years ago, I reconnected with Chuck's wife and his youngest child. And now we keep in contact maybe twice a year or so. Chuck's mother is gone, his mother-in-law is gone, and my mother is gone.

Very recently, the unbelievable happened. Chuck's wife received word from the military that the wreckage of Chuck's plane had been found, along with a small amount of human remains. DNA confirmed that the bones were Chuck's. The waiting is over. He had died before we knew he was missing. And I am thankful to God that Chuck never had to endure a prison camp.

This one man, who left his family to die for his country, is part of who I am today. And the interesting thing is, I never met Chuck. He moved his family into the house next door, then left for Vietnam.

But Chuck, I remember you.

"More Than a Name on a Wall" by The Statler Brothers

(Image from http://woodstockamericanlegionpost1026.org/POWMIA.html)

(For information on the history of POW-MIA bracelets, click here.)