Queen Anne's Lace and Lilacs

Remembering 9/11

Link:

It's About Time

The festivities begin at 1 Pacific/4 Eastern. 

Honor Their Service

Time for another Troop-a-thon!  Starting tomorrow (June 25) at 4 p.m. Eastern/1 p.m. Pacific, you can catch the 8-hour live web broadcast at UStream.tv .  Last year was the first Troop-a-thon, and it was quite successful.  There are a number of  ways to donate care packages, which start at at $24.99 for a small package of goodies.  Packages are also available to purchase for a squad all the way up to a platoon.  Click here to donate (donations are tax deductible). 

I'm Tired, Too

I couldn't have said this better myself.

Cactus Cuties

Tim sent me an email of these kids singing the "National Anthem."  Check it out, you'll be glad you did!

I can't believe he knew about this before I did!  Oh, you were right, Honey - I am enjoying this!

102 Minutes that Changed America

Originally uploaded by savethedave

Tonight on the History Channel, they will be airing a special about 9/11, "102 Minutes that Changed America," at 9pm/8pmC. If you have time, please watch. Check out the website, too. They have many clips, interactive maps, and interviews to watch.

While reading through my blogs today, I came across this at Moonbattery:

And, Debbie Schlussel has some videos, sent to her by Bare Naked Islam, which are particularly heartwrenching.  I won't add them here, just the links to both sites where you can view the videos.

Photo by savethedave at Flickr.

One Minute Each Night

Tim received this in an email tonight.  I don't know if it's true or not, the part about Churchill or the part about a group starting this here in the U.S.  I do know that it should be happening.  I've seen that a number of blogs have posted this, so even if there's not one group in charge, there seem to be a bunch of small groups getting this going: 

ONE MINUTE EACH NIGHT....  could this help?

This is the scariest election we as Christians have ever faced, and from the looks of the polls, the Christians aren't voting Christian values.  We all need to be on our knees.

Do you believe we can take God at His word?  Call upon His name, then stand back and watch.  This scripture gives us, as Christians, the ability to call upon God to heal this land.  I challenge you to do so.  We have never been more desperate than now for God to heal our land.

"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."
                                        -- 2 Chronicles 7:14

During WWII, there was an adviser to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every night at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people, and peace. This had an amazing effect as bombing stopped.

There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America.  The United States of America and our citizens need prayer more than ever!  If you would like to participate, each evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8 PM Central, 7 PM Mountain, 6 PM Pacific), stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, for peace in the world, the upcoming election, that the Bible will remain the basis for the laws governing our land, and that Christianity will grow in the U.S.

Someone said if people really understood the full extent of the power available through prayer, we might be speechless;  it's our most powerful asset.

Thank you.  Pass this on to anyone who you think will join in.

#3 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!

[chorus]
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!

[chorus]

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!

[chorus]

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.

[chorus] - Julia Ward Howe

Whenever I hear this performance by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, I am always in awe by the end.  I love it!  Then I start thinking about my own experiences with "The Battle Hymn of the Republic."  When Mom was directing the choir at our churches, she always selected this song, and this arrangement, to be sung the Sunday before the Fourth of July.  Quite an undertaking for our little ol' choirs!  There were at least twice as many women as men (maybe four or five men), which is probably common.  Dad always joined the choir for the anthem.  Mom made me start singing in the adult choir the day I graduated from sixth grade.  I had to sing alto (I was a first soprano!), since I could read music.  I always wondered why I should be punished that way, but that's just how it was (yes, I survived, Evan, Brett, and Bethany!). 

Well, none of our choirs even remotely resembled the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  We always had a few women who could sing, a few who just liked to sing, and probably some who just wanted to help the choir have more bodies.  The men, however, were sometimes a different story.  Now, my dad could sing quite well, I just don't know if he read music.   On songs like this one, with such a huge men's part, I think it made him a little nervous - that, and fearing the wrath of Carole if he messed things up.  Mom would work with Dad at home on his part, knowing that the other men counted on him to lead their way.

On the big day, as Mom would begin playing the introduction, I would be a bit nervous myself, hoping the men would pull their part off without a major disaster.  Mostly, because I knew I'd start laughing if they got lost, and I usually couldn't get control of myself to finish the song.  Then it would be Dad and me, both, in Mom's doghouse.  I don't remember a time that things ever got out of control, so if there were any problems, they must not have been too awful.

I don't have any recordings of these performances.  It's a shame, really.  I wish you could hear Mom play "The Battle Hymn" on the piano - it truly is awesome and spectacular!  You can't hear the piano so well with the orchestra playing, but it's pretty huge.  Mom does it perfectly.

This has been one of my favorite patriotic songs/hymns most of my life.  When I was younger, I was moved by the music.  As I've gotten older, I appreciate the words and the message as much as I do the music.   If you get a chance, read the story of how Ms. Howe came to write "The Battle Hymn of the Republic."  In your research, you might discover a few other interesting facts about her that surprise you.

Happy Independence Day!

"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..."

~The Declaration of Independence~
(for a great reading, click here)

“If My people, who are called by My name, will 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.”

2 Chronicles 7:14

(Click photo for larger view) The Fourth of July was always a fun day when I was growing up.  My parents bought us snakes, sparklers, parachutes, and firecrackers.  When we were very young, my dad handled all of the lighting, of course.  We had to keep our distance, as dealing with fireworks was always a catastrophe waiting to happen, as far as Dad was concerned.  I suppose he had a point.   Sometimes my Aunt De-De and Uncle Ray would bring my cousin, John Charles, to wherever we happened to be.  John Charles was lucky.  They would buy him one of those huge bags with all kinds of fireworks!!  I was so jealous.  There were always several duds, but still - I always wanted one of those huge bags.

I don't remember going to see big firework displays until we moved to Haysville.  One time we drove out in the country to watch some off in the distance.  Sometimes we went to Joyland with friends.  There were a few times we went with the Douglas's to see their kids' gymnastics show (yes, extremely fun times!  How did that ever happen!), which ended with fireworks.  And I seem to recall being at a Wichita Aeros game one Fourth, and they had a big fireworks show at the end.  At least, we were at the stadium - maybe it was one of those gymnastics programs.

After the kids came along, we were usually in Nebraska with my parents in July.  We would buy a few things for Evan and Brett that were relatively safe.  We'd go up to the church parking lot to watch the fireworks down in Lincoln.  In Cherokee, we watched the show at the lake.  Oh, and there were a few Fourths in Houston.  I tried to keep up the same routine my parents had done.  I was always appalled at how much it cost - just a few fireworks, $50!   My kids never got the big bags, either (but, they were still luckier, as Houston allows fireworks for New Years, so they got them twice a year). 

Here in our section of California, fireworks are illegal.  This whole area is a fire waiting to happen, so even I am happy about that.  Even as I write, I hear fire trucks going by.  Cities nearby do allow them, and the kids have celebrated there a few times.  We have a variety of big firework displays in the area from which to choose.  The kids like going over to Sunrise Mall, although this year, they're going to the Folsom Rodeo, which ends with a big show.  Tim and I will go up to Placerville, where we've always gone.  I joke about going to see the "firework," singular.  Once upon a time, they had a great show.  Now, it lasts for about five minutes.  A bit disappointing.  I'll come home and watch "A Capitol Fourth" on PBS. 

A huge part of the day is the food.  My mother always made fried chicken, potato salad, baked beans, and peach cobbler.  I think she bought KFC a few times, too.  I have extremely fond memories of these meals, often a picnic at a park, so our dinners are nearly the same.  I do not fix the cobbler (I'm not good with crusts), but I cut up peaches to have after the fireworks show.

I grew up believing that I lived in the greatest country in the world.  I still believe this and am eternally grateful that this is where God allowed me to be born.  The song I have to play, above, is Lee Greenwood singing "God Bless the USA."  This has become one of my favorite songs.  I am proud to be an American, and I pray, daily, that God will continue to bless this country.  You hear (frequently, these days) of one person or another, some Hollywood type, speak of being ashamed to admit they're American.  Well, there have been presidents, politicians, actors, and regular citizens who have acted quite shamefully and have been total embarrassments, it's true.  I may be embarrassed that they are Americans (or even "human"), yet I have never been ashamed that I am an American.

"...It's time we stand and say

That I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I won't forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I'll gladly stand up,
next to you, and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA..."

Summer Spectacular - UPDATED

Every year, the Saturday before the Fourth of July, our little town celebrates the holiday.  There are festivities all day long at the lake which, normally, Bethany attends with several of her friends.  In the evening, we have a pretty fantastic fireworks show.  We have a bit of a family tradition on this day, as well.  At 2:00 p.m., we start the brisket.  We eat when we get home from the show, about 10:00 p.m.

There were a couple of changes this year.  Bethany is at basketball camp at the coast for several days, and we miss her, of course.  And then, Tim decided this would be a great time to work on a number of projects around the house.  They were working from sunup to sundown (at least, that's what we're calling it).  Brett and Evan were pretty good sports about it.   Which is pretty surprising, actually - I lost my bet.   

We decided to take Mac with us to the lake.  He loves riding in the RV and doesn't get too rattled by such things as fireworks.  Duchess and Purl are a bit jumpy and don't really enjoy the whole noisy experience.  Tim took Mac for a walk, down past everyone lining the street.  Mac was a perfect gentleman.  He was calm, sat nicely, shook a few hands, and didn't bark or pull on the leash.   What a difference two or three years can make! 

As I said, the fireworks show was fantastic.  I'm always surprised at that, since we don't live in a large city.  I decided to take pictures and record tonight's show.  I took the still shots, and Evan worked the camcorder.  It took a little of the wonder and excitement out of it, trying to get good shots, but it wasn't so much of a hindrance. 

We saw a number of Cal Fire people.  We had been checking all day to see if the fireworks would be canceled, what with the 800 or 1,000 or so wildfires surrounding us (a bit extreme, certainly).  Arnie asked everyone to forgo the fireworks/firecrackers this year (the only thing he's ever said that I haven't totally disagreed with).  Fireworks are illegal in our county anyway, so that's not an issue for our kids.  But, we certainly would have missed the community show.  (Click photos for larger view)

UPDATE:  Who knew it would take 24 hours to get the video ready?!  Frustrating, to say the least.  Anyway, the song that the fireworks were choreographed to is "Stars and Stripes Forever," the Boston Pops Orchestra, directed by John Williams.  If you'd like to sing along, well, I only know one version.  (The singing doesn't start right at the beginning.  It starts at the "da duh da da duh da da duhhhhh da da duh da da duh da da duh duhhhh".....you know, the part with the trilling piccolos.)  Here goes:

Fight Song
Fight on, Haysville Junior High School!
Fight on for your honor forever.
Fight on for your red and your white;
They will bring you a victory tonight.  All right!
Remember the name that you serve,
And the school that is cheering you forever.
Fight on Haysville Junior High School.
Go on, and fight!
You'll win tonight!
Fight on forever.  Hey!