Great Afternoon World,
I am writing to tell you that the Allegence to this great country is still ALIVE! My son, who is 4-years old, came home the other day from his Pre-K class reciting the Pledge of Allegence. The heart-warming chant, and prideful glow of my son could have been (wishfully) the cause of bipartisan peace in our world. Both Momma and I were filled with tears and praise for the words which are silenced so often these days have been honorably forged in my son for another generation to unknowingly carry on the American tradition. We must have said the Pledge of Allegence a hundred times that day, and with each breath our family ties grew and bonded even more. I especially need to thank Miss Marcie and Mrs Shelly of Chesterbrook Academy in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, both of his teachers who feel that it is the RIGHT thing to teach, even against possible opposition. Bless this great country, the people who still believe in freedom, the volunteers who protect it, and the few good teachers who serve our children...Miss Marcie and Mrs Shelly, we honor you.
Very respectfully,
Mark
I made a change
A couple years back my wife was telling me about a funny radio show that had some good political insight. I started to tune in while I was getting ready for my day and was shocked to hear someone saying out loud the things I knew to be true. You see, I have dreams. It's always kinda been my thing that I have dreams about the future that come true. These dreams range from the mundane to the stressful. I've seen a lot of almost-ordinary but harsh life ahead for myself and my family with a few bright spots. Having experienced many of the things in my dreams that you talked about I was immediately captivated. I could never tell anyone about my dreams because they seemed insane. The only thing that gave me some hope was that my wife had some of the same dreams. Listening to you I was immediately captivated when you were talking about what-if's that seemed too outrageous to most people but seemed plausible to me.
Then one day, admid pre-election promises of our current president extoling the virtues of a civilian army as well funded as the military...we were watching the movie Operation Valkirie where the Hitler character is explaining to Von Stoffenburg (sp) about what the "civilian army" or Operaction Valkirie who's purpose was for recapturing city government centers in the event the army stopped supporting his rule. In the movie he says "Operation Valkirie... you can't understand National Socialism without it." In that moment I realized that our new government was not just a well intentioned but missguided bunch of people but a an ideological movement coming to power.
Then, before the election I did some googling and found the links to the New Party etc. and sent family and friends an email asking them to consider this in their vote. I'd also found links to New Party speeches where people were calling for the need for the people to suffer in order to be angry enough to throw off capitalism. At that time I was completely dispairing as the election gave us the sweeping victory of an unknown candidate.
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You on the other hand remained hopeful and kept reminding us that good will triumph. I really needed your positive outlook and hope. A couple years later I find myself accepting, hopeful and engaged in making things better.
We went to 8/28 and brought our kids. It was an amazing experience that gave me more hope than anything else. To know there were so many that wanted to be there had to stay behind and yet so many people showed up... it was a true blessing and faith building experience.
It took me a long time to come around to your 40 day challenge. I've heard similar messages at church of course over the years and been inspired to change before but this call you made reached me somehow more deeply. Maybe it's because you did something similar yourself to make your life right with God. Maybe it's the connection that I need to get my life right for the sake of my family. Anyway I'm not going to question it.
I started by asking God to help me change and be better because I couldn't seem to do it myself inspite of my good intentions. I started out by promising God that all I could promise Him was to read one verse of scripture per day. Even with that pitiful promise carried out usually at the last minute before sleep, it didn't take long before I was reading a whole chapter a night. Then I started praying every day. At first just a little then more. I suddenly felt that God was teaching me about prayer... that I was doing too much begging for things and not enough asking for what I could do or should do. I started getting answers which was new to me! And I've been starting to make unexpected improvements in other areas of my life and not even things I consciously chose to do but found myself doing - like daily exercise.
Lately I feel like I stand a little taller and look people in the eyes more readily. My wife says she thinks I've been more loving to her and I swear I haven't changed how I am with her, but hey, I'm not above taking some credit! But in short I feel like a remade person. I feel like God has given me a new heart. A gift I intend to hang on to till the end. And with this gift I think I can face what I know to be in my future with courage and faith.
God bless you and your family for all you do. Stay firm in the faith of Christ who is our hope and our rock.
David
Remembering to do good
Working hard to consciously remember to do good to all; writing this just made me aware that I unconsciously do lots of good things and I need to praise God that HE inspires me to do that.
Thanks for continuing to not give up on those who haven’t found their way yet.
