A New Year

As we come to the brink of another new year, it’s a time to reflect upon the past and look forward to the future as well. If you had a great year then you’re probably hoping to maintain your momentum. Maybe 2005 fell below your expectations. If that’s the case, then a new year may hold the promise of a fresh start or a do-over. The wonderful thing about this life we live is that no one’s path is set in concrete, no destiny is yet determined, and every day offers the opportunity to change our course and adjust our sails. In that spirit, I offer the following essay as an encouragement to anyone who looks ahead to a different or brighter tomorrow. As I close I am reminded of a familiar chorus from the musical Annie which reminds us, “Tomorrow. Tomorrow. I love you, tomorrow. You’re only a day away.” That’s just what I was thinking.

A Ring Around The Moon
By Frank Carpenter
The iridescent moon was not quite full, though seeming somehow larger than usual... almost as if it filled the entire evening sky. And then there was the ring, that big beautiful ring around the moon. Not a small ring like halo or a belt. No, a giant, endless, wonderful ring. For that moment, the ring seemed to encircle all that I knew or could imagine. For that moment, the moon and the universe within the ring which enveloped it were everything. The silver sky, or something within it, held me entranced, as it were, for a time unmeasured, or immeasurable. Perhaps I lay there only for a moment, an instant, though it might just as well have been a lifetime.
Nonetheless, I felt as though everything changed during the encounter. That conclusion was unmistakable. The winds of change blew over me. Silently, sweetly, certainly. They were not such winds as I could detect merely with my senses, or which disturbed so much as a single blade of grass around me. There were the winds which blow through our souls and swirl within our very being, the winds of inner change.
The moon was still there, and very much so. The ring was still there. Yet, suddenly, I became aware of other things around me. Other things which had long cried out to be noticed, to be understood. Whose voices had been carried away by other winds and drowned out by more urgent voices. Yet, now I saw, I felt, I knew.
I became aware of the ground beneath me. How long had I lay there, in the wet grass beneath the moon and its ring? Ah, the ring. It had been raining for days. The ground was wet, more than wet. It more held me than supported me, but the feeling was not unpleasant. The grip of the wet ground against my back, against my long soaked clothing was a comfort, almost a relief. Without the pull of the moist earth, I might well have drifted off toward the moon above, lured b the intoxicating glow.
I could feel more than just the ground beneath me. There was more, much more. There was a whole world. The same world I had always known, yet which now seemed strange and wild and undiscovered. That was the change. I could no longer accept everything which before had been so clear, so concrete. I knew the world had not changed in the least, but I had. So, in relation to me, everything else must change as well. I inhaled deeply. Not the kind of breath which merely replenished oxygen in my lungs. I inhaled something better, deeper. It was a breath of life, of things so long left undone, unsaid, unknown. I was different.
However, I understood somehow that I could not be different alone. I must make the world around me to be different like me, or with me. Was it a calling? Perhaps more of an accepting. The acceptance of a call so long unheeded, one nearly snuffed out in the shuffle of daily life with its minutia of urgent details begging to be attended to. We get so busy with living that it becomes something less than living. I had forgotten how important every minute detail is. I had forgotten how very important life is. Now, I remembered.
All of this happened within the circle which held me through that time. The ring around the moon. Just an optical illusion, water vapor, reflected light, barometric pressure. Perhaps. Moon dust and magic are, however, somehow more appealing. A sign, a signal, a catalyst. It was enough. For whatever reason, I would never be the same. I could not, nor could anything else be. Blame it on the ring, the moon, the movie, romance, whatever. The world, the universe, were entirely different than they had been just a shore time before. It matters not the reason, for the why and the hows only serve themselves, yet they would be our masters if we tarry long enough to let them enslave us. No, there are other more pressing issues at hand ... broader frontiers yet undiscovered. Let it begin.

May you have a blessed New Year ... and make it an even better one than the last.

His Only Son

Well, there’s time for one last Christmas poem before the big day rolls around. On a more pensive note, though, today is actually the 2nd anniversary of my father’s passing in 2003. I had intended to write on that subject, but we’ll get right down to the season because that is the message that folks are looking for about now. Perhaps I shall return to reflect thereon after the holidays. However, I have taken the liberty of choosing a father/son story to finish out my poetic Christmas suite for this year. The following poem is actually a rather true story about one late night in my own parenting past. It was one of those amazing moments when what you know and what you feel suddenly collide with a staggering eternal truth. My prayer for you this season is that you may have a similar experience and that, if only for a moment, all the glitter and commercialism will fade away and the true wonder of that first Christmas comes shining through for you. That’s the moment when all the presents and parties and trees suddenly cease to matter and you come face to face with the Jesus whom God sent to us on that first Christmas day. Merry Christmas to all.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16

His Only Son
It was Christmas eve around midnight
the presents were under the tree
The stockings were stuffed, but
somehow it just didn't feel like Christmas to me
We had read the Christmas story together
before the kids went to bed
But all night I had felt kind of empty
somewhere in my heart or my head
The magic of Christmas was missing
it had faded for me through the years
As tradition became repetition
Until I no longer held Christmas dear
Instead it seemed more of a bother
and an expensive bother at that
Nothing more than an inconvenience
more mess, more bills, more fat
It was late, far too late, I imagined
and the end of a very long day
But I figured I better look in on the kids
before I hit the hay
In my son's room I had a strange feeling
as if something was left out of place
Then I noticed the moon light streaming in
and how it lit up his young face
I thought to myself, "sure, it's Christmas
there must be sugar plums dancing in there"
I gave him a kiss as I reached down
to brush back a wisp of his hair
Then I knew, in an instant, I saw it
what really happened on Christmas day
As my heart raced back to another child
long ago and far away
To a boy who was sleeping, as mine did
on that very first Christmas night
I saw his peaceful face awash
in the very same moonlight
Then I realized, finally, what God did
and the depth of the terrible price
God paid when He offered His only Son
for us all as a sacrifice
Of course, now I saw it so clearly
in the light of my love for my son
My own flesh and blood, whom I certainly
never would give up for anyone
But that's just what God did with Jesus
he sent Him to suffer and die
God sent Him because of His love for me
as I saw it I started to cry
And me, I was tired of Christmas
but I just didn't know what it meant
I had gotten too busy to notice the Savior
I knew that God had sent
I was filled with the joy and wonder
which eluded me all of these years
Now it was there, I could feel it
as it came flooding in through the tears
There, alone on my knees, in the darkness
I finally understood
That on Christmas God gave the greatest
gift of love that anyone could
By Frank Carpenter ©

Christmas Stories

The Christmas season has many traditions and one popular one over the centuries has been the fabrication of various stories and folk tales associated with our holiday. We’ve added Santa, reindeer, elves, fairies, grinches, drummer boys, snowmen and all manner of odd pets and characters. Of course, Christmas is actually about the birth of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God and the Savior for all mankind. However, as if by some dark design, we’ve crowded our tradition with a host of colorful and charismatic substitutes who all clamor for our attention. No wonder that so many people, even those of religious persuasion, often make it through the whole month with hardly a thought of Jesus or the true meaning of our ancient holiday. This is just my little reminder that when we get to telling and enjoying Christmas stories let’s not forget the one which matters most … for it is the only Christmas story that is true. Have a blessed season and tell the story.

Christmas Stories
There are so many Christmas stories
Oh how we love to hear
The way the children's snowman came to life
We applaud those flying reindeer
And the way they pull the sleigh
We love jolly old Saint Nick and his dear wife
Who could ever overlook
Those darling little elves
And all the magic things that they can do
We watch aghast with horror
As that mean old Mr. Grinch
Tries to steal Christmas morning from the whos
Adults and children just alike
All gather 'round the tube
To watch what they've seen many times before
The characters of Christmas
Come in every shape and size
So easy to believe in and adore
But there's another Christmas story
That our children need to hear
You've heard it and you probably know it well
The plot is not as colorful
Nor are the characters
Yet, it's the one we really need to tell
Remember how in Sunday school
You learned about the Christ
Who came to cleanse the world of its sin
They told you all you had to do
Was open up your heart
And Jesus would forgive you and come in
On Christmas day we celebrate
The birth of Jesus Christ
Who came to earth to save both me and you
He's the only Christmas story
That you really need to know
And the only Christmas story that is true
By Frank Carpenter ©

Christmas Can Wait

If you are anything like us, you may be starting to count the days and hours until Christmas and wondering how you’ll ever get everything done. It seems like that’s exactly what we end up doing each year. Some folks start early and leave very little for December, but many of us are scrambling just about now. Of course, most of the distractions and pressure related to Christmas have very little to do with the real meaning of Christmas. Worst of all, in that mad rush to get everything checked off of our lists we often do the spirit of the season a disservice. We cut people off on the freeway, we have altercations in the parking structure, and we walk right past countless folks who may truly need to be cared for. Indeed, statistically, the holidays represent a period of increased stress and depression, even boasting a much higher suicide rate than other times of the year. I’m so worried about my own Christmas that it’s easy to forget about others who are outside my intimate group of family and friends. However, aren’t love and forgiveness the whole point? A few years ago we had a December which seemed to be flooded with people who needed us, needed someone, just to help them get through it. The following poem grew out of those precious weeks, when we learned that sometimes there are more important issues at hand than our own selfish preparations. As you prepare for the holidays, I offer it for perspective. Oh, and have a merry Christmas.

Christmas Can Wait
We’ve been wanting to get the cards done
And have the shopping out of the way
We’ve been meaning to decorate the tree
But things just kept getting in the way
It seems a neighbor, a friend, or a relative
Would call with some special need
Which was greater, by far, than ours
So our Christmas plans would concede
While the shopping days were slipping by
And the holiday crunch drew near
The Christmas pressure began to mount
As it seems to most every year
Then we realized maybe the hurting folks
That God kept sending our way
Needed Christmas even more than we did
Just like those on the first Christmas day
When God reached out to this hurting world
And, because of His love for you and me
He sent His only Son to suffer and die
On a cross of wood, at Calvary
God wasn’t too busy, distracted or tired
To carry out His wonderful plan
He sent us a Savior on Christmas day
As a gift to each woman and man
So our shopping and Christmas plans can wait
Now that we finally understand
We can’t turn away those who need God’s love
For we are His voice and His hand
By Frank Carpenter ©

Days of Infamy

Today is Pearl Harbor Day. Most of our parents and grandparents remember right where they were when they heard the news of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Those of us who are at least a generation away simply remember the poignant opening words of President Roosevelt’s speech to Congress: “Yesterday, December 7th 1941, a day which will live in infamy...” That attack drew the United States into World War II and the rest is history. As I considered this day, however, I realized that those of us who missed WWII recently had the opportunity to experience what Pearl Harbor felt like to the average American. That is because we lived through September 11, 2001. Like Pearl Harbor, that day brought an unprovoked surprise attack on American soil, resulting in a similar number of deaths. We experienced the shock, the sorrow and, eventually, the rise of an anger which cried out for justice. Perhaps all the more so because the September 11th attacks were primarily against civilians. Also, due to our modern technology, virtually every American repeatedly saw the news footage of the planes striking the World Trade Center and the collapse of the towers. So today is a day to think back over the years, to remember the events of 1941 and how they changed the course of history. I would encourage us to remember 2001 as well, for it evokes the same feelings and the war it sparked is still under way. That war is not just one of armed conflict, but a war of ideologies which will help to shape the next fifty years of history. As we look back on those two days, I offer a pair of poems which return us to that roller coaster of emotions. I wrote them both on September 11, while sitting at my desk that morning and watching the endless reruns of the images that terrible day brought to us. Below the poems, you will also find the entire text of FDR’s famous speech to Congress on December 8, 1941. I believe you may discover the emotions expressed therein to be familiar, even if you weren’t born yet. I daresay that “Happy Pearl Harbor Day” is most likely an inappropriate greeting to offer you, being something of an oxymoron. Nonetheless, I do encourage you to think long and hard on this day in history and take it’s lessons to heart as we march forward in the creation of our own current history. Every once in a great while there is a “day of infamy” ... and they must never be forgotten.

Somewhere in the Rubble
Somewhere in the rubble
At this moment, there are tears
Suffering we can’t imagine
The very worst of all our fears
Calamity in such proportion
That we can scarcely comprehend
Hours of darkness, just beginning
And we have yet to know their end
But somewhere in the rubble
In that city far away
Thousands still are clinging
To a thread of hope today
Our hearts are filled with anger
With bitter shock and with dismay
But let us not forget this hour
To pause and simply pray
For those who are in peril
And their would be rescuers
That God somehow may protect them
Give them strength to yet endure
That He might comfort those with loss
Give wisdom to the leaders there
And wrap His arms around this nation
In our hour of despair
Let us lift our prayers together
As we struggle just to cope
For somewhere in the rubble
There is still a ray of hope
By Frank Carpenter ©

The Heart of Freedom
Beware, you foes of freedom
Who dare to maim and kill
Who, by force, would stand against us
You have galvanized our will
You have struck the heart of freedom
Spilled sacred blood upon our soil
Stung the bastions of democracy
Yet, though we may recoil
Be it known, we shall not falter
In the midst of travesty
A sleeping giant has awakened
Which will rise from the debris
With a resolve and with a fury
Such as you have rarely known
Freedom’s mettle has been tested
And now its true strength shall be shown
By Frank Carpenter ©

FDR’s Speech to Congress on December 8, 1941:
Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with the government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.
Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleagues delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack. It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu. Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island. This morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.
As commander in chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger. With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounding determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God. I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, Dec. 7, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire.
From site: http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/P/fr32/speeches/ph.htm

The Wonder of it All

Sometimes we get caught up in our daily lives and slowly lose the ability to see even the simple beauty which surrounds us. Eventually, all we see is the traffic and the laundry, our work and our chores ... the things that need to be done. Our senses become clogged by the silt of busy lives and hectic schedules. That's when a change of scene can do us the most good. For just as a bright light can temporarily ruin our night vision, so the bright lights, sounds and schedules of modern life can impair our perspective and leave us a bit discouraged. Having been out of town and out "in the wild" recently, I can attest that a little travel really can reawaken our senses, clear our minds and soothe our weary hearts. There is wonder and beauty all around us, but we become numb to it over time and a change of pace and environment can help us get back on track. For once we are refreshed and have seen a few sunsets in the wide outdoors, or even just slept in for a few days, the world looks completely different ... like focusing the lens on a camera just right. So, if your own life feels a little out of focus or something like a radio station that isn't quite tuned in, maybe you just need to take a day or two off and go someplace new. Mind you, we don't have to go far and we can escape for as little as a weekend or a day. But that change of pace just might be the ticket. Take that time for yourself, or with your spouse or kids, and you might just feel a whole lot better. Once you do, you may come back and discover once again that a new perspective will help you to see the wonder of it all ... even in your own backyard.

The Wonder of it All
Sometimes we need to slip away
From all that we're accustomed to
And break the routine of our lives
In places strange and new
For those moments bring perspective
To help us better understand
The larger world we must share
And our Creator's mighty hand
There are so many wonders
So much beauty to behold
More beautiful and precious
By far, than jewels or gold
Other people, other cultures
Near at hand, and far away
Who have so much to offer
As we wander on our way
Sometimes we need a fresh perspective
Beyond all familiar things
Before we see the wonder of it all
Such is the gift which travel brings
By Frank Carpenter

Travel Log Costa Rica

To my regular readers, I appologize for the communication gap as I've been out of the country temporarily and had trouble getting on the internet. Actually, I've been in Costa Rica, as I still am, and have seen an amazing cross section of the biodiversity in that country from the rain forest to the coastal plains. This is a beautiful place and the people we have come in contact with are some of the friendliest and most gracious I have ever had the pleasure to meet. It's always interesting to explore new places and I never cease to be amazed by the wonders of creation. Another thought-provoking aspect of my travel has been to experience how different parts of life interact. One thing in other countries that we often miss in the US is the dichotomy of classes. You can hide away in the most beautiful resort, but the poverty of the third world often exists a few hundred feet away ... or just over a fence. It makes one wonder about how we all fit together in the big, wide world. It's also interesting to observe how nature and man interact in areas where the great Venn diagram of our existence intersects. Food for thought. Each of these subjects reminds me how fortunate I am to be here and cause me to reconsider my own responsibility for the part I play in the larger scheme of things.

More to follow, but I just wanted to keep you posted. Right now, there's a howler monkey somewhere outside my window who reminds me that there is much yet to be discovered in this far away place of amazing beauty.

We Must Be the Gospel

Let's face it, our lives are constantly on display for all the world to see. Therefore, if we are followers of Christ, He is constantly on display through us. No matter what you or I think or say, the plain fact is that if we profess to be Christians then our actions and choices will reflect upon God. Indeed, since most people rarely read the bible we, in effect, become their bible. Our example, our successes and failures, our tempers and our charity, these are the outward reflection of our inward character. Rather should I say that these are the outward betrayal of our inward character. So if I point to God and say, "I'm with Him," then I should endeavor every day to honor Him with my life, for to do otherwise would clearly be to dishonor Him ... and He deserves far better. Worst of all, as people judge me for my actions they may be judging God as well and their own decision to trust or serve the Almighty could be influenced by my life. I do not mean to imply that I consider myself worthy to represent God. However, I believe we have an implied obligation to make our best effort thereto. Consequently, if am the only bible many people read what will the pages of my life convey about the character of God? A difficult question, but one that every honest believer must ask. Well, that is my spiritual thought for the day and I hope and pray you may you take them under consideration. In the mean time, let us each consider just who and what our lives represent and strive to live accordingly.

We Must Be the Gospel
Words alone are meaningless
Unless accompanied by deeds
Lofty statements are but vanity
Unless we meet the people's needs
For the gospel of our Savior
Though recorded on a page
Is only the foundation
It merely sets the stage
The balance of the message
Is the life we choose to live
The love we share with others
And our willingness to give
Indeed, in many cases
The only gospel most folks see
Is the love of Jesus daily lived
In the lives of you and me
We are the words and pages
We are God's hands and feet
We must be the gospel
Before the message is complete
By Frank Carpenter

The Middle of Nowhere

I find myself leaving the country for Thanksgiving this year and heading south to Central America tonight. To that end, and certainly on a long overdue lighter note, I offer the following poem entitled “The Middle of Nowhere.” Now, I’m actually going somewhere. However, aren’t there times when we all feel as if we really are nowhere … or going nowhere. Yet, no matter how remote our circumstances at any given time, almost any place we happen to be, or be heading, has something to offer or enjoy. And when all else fails we must remember that often the company we keep is far more important than where we keep it. I have generally been fortunate on both counts but, as is commonly the case in life, my attitude is what allows me to enjoy my surroundings nonetheless. I’ll try to post a few updates as I travel this next week. In the meantime, I hope that wherever your somewhere is you’ll enjoy it!

The Middle of Nowhere
I set out for the middle of nowhere
I and my hearty band
Presuming it to be easily reached
Yet, it proved more elusive than planned
We drove to the end of the highway
Until it seemed we were almost there
Turned off on a dirt road and hiked awhile
But still we were always somewhere
No matter how distant the venue
No matter how small or obscure
Every time we were almost to nowhere
It turned out to be somewhere for sure
So if you’re off to the middle of nowhere
Or suspect you are there, even now
Rest assured that however remote it may seem
It will still be somewhere, somehow
By Frank Carpenter ©

Tokens of Affection

Today’s subject has been stewing in my brain for quite some time. It grows out of experience as a parent and extensive interaction with a broad spectrum of teenagers. I suppose it actually applies to all relationships, but the inspiration was born as I observed young people. Perhaps every parent in history has cautioned every teenager and young adult in history, in more or less words, about easing gently into relationships and remaining as frugal as possible with their affections. In that sense, I am probably no different than the rest. After studying kids in junior high and high school, as well as young adults in college, I am more convinced than ever that our affections need to be guarded and cherished with the utmost prudence. So many people, young and old alike, seem to throw their bodies at the opposite sex, in varying degrees, without giving their hearts and minds a chance to catch up. Rather, they allow their hearts and minds to be dragged and driven by their passions. Now I’m not just talking about sex here. Clearly, that’s happening. However, I’m more concerned at this particular moment with the “stepping stone” affections which may lead to greater commitment. Even such simple transactions as holding hands or kissing need to be considered more carefully. I refer to these actions as transactions because they are just that. Something is exchanged. It provides mutual benefit, and it develops relationship. Why are these modest transactions a big deal? It is because they build or imply commitment. If you can get first, second and third base out of your mind try to consider affections as relating to levels of commitment. Far too often physical affection of some kind forms the foundations of attachment, rather than companionship, mutual respect or intellectual stimulation. Yet, these are the things that actually build a true and lasting relationship. Perhaps the only thing worse than affection that implies commitment is affection without commitment, which only serves to cheapen all of the above. Men are often accused of degrading women, and they do their share, but this is an area where many women do a dandy job of degrading themselves … not only by their actions, but by their personal advertising as well. Ladies, please demand a little respect for you determine whether you are treated as an object or a person. Likewise, you men, how about a little honor, respect and self control? It’s a good rule to treat everyone else’s sister in the same manner that you would like to have your own sister treated. Such attitudes can serve to build firmer relational foundations. Cherish the first caress, the first hand-holding, the first kiss, and make them more meaningful as milestones. It’s a simple case of supply and demand. Anything that is readily available and easily had goes down in value, it becomes cheap. Naturally, the opposite applies as well. So choose to be valuable, and that will increase the value of your entire relationship. Besides, why squander your kisses on someone until after you have determined whether or not they are deserving thereof? Kissing frogs is a terrible way to find a prince. Likewise, we should be frugal with our words as well. By the time someone actually finds a person truly worth saying “I love you” to, the words have often come to mean so little that we have degraded the amazing gift those words can be. Choose them carefully, especially because love is so easily confused with lust and infatuation. Too many young people bet too much of themselves on their ability to discern between those three words. When they lose that bet, they only end up stealing something precious from their own future … and from themselves. And since I’ve mentioned love, I guess I’ll go all the way out on the limb and mention sex as well. All I want to say here is that love is never the justification for sex. In that context, especially if you are young, the two are usually mutually exclusive. The litmus test is that if you don’t want the advice of older married people like me, or your parents, because we “just don’t understand,” then it’s probably not love. If that is the case, please reconsider my supply and demand comments above. Then I would urge you, once again, to be valuable. Respect yourself, and each other, and enjoy life in each of its proper seasons.

In closing, I’ve covered a lot of ground today. Some folks are nodding their heads with approval and saying, “Thank God someone stood up and said these things.” Others, of course, may disagree with me completely. If you’re in that group, I certainly welcome your comments and input as well. And yes, I do reply to all my emails. As I sign off, I encourage each of us once again to guard our tokens of affection, as well as our words. Some day you might even thank me.

Tokens of Affection
We often give away too much, too soon
Committing by degrees
As new relationships progress
When better we should ease
More slowly into new romance
For prudence ever dictates care
Lest we find ourselves along the path
Farther than we were aware
A tender touch, a hand held
The odd or thoughtless kiss
These are tokens of commitment
And perhaps we are remise
If we squander them too lightly
When they should not come into play
So early in relationships
And savored on a later day
For the physical attachment
Which such gestures may imply
Cloud the rest of a relationship
So wise a person if they try
To let foundations of acquaintance
First be laid upon their hearts
For the kindling of friendship
Always makes a better start
There shall be time a plenty
Down the road, if things progress
But let the physical alone
Until you’re sure it’s best
For sometimes we give away too much
Too soon, and carelessly
Offer tokens of affection
When better we should wait and see
By Frank Carpenter ©

Veteran's Day

Fellow citizens, in case you may have forgotten today is Veterans Day. I believe this should be one of our most cherished national holidays because it honors those who have served our country. It was originally Armistice Day, set aside to honor those who served in WWI, since that was the first real global conflict and considered the "war to end all wars." Then WWII came along, which was even bigger and the holiday was expanded to cover it as well. We now recognize Veterans Day as being devoted to all service men and women who have served in conflicts abroad on our behalf. And we continue to be at war, even today. Without belaboring our current conflict or any political ramifications thereof, let me just encourage all my fellow Americans to pause for a moment to reflect upon the service and sacrifice of all those who have fought to defend not only our freedoms, but the freedom of countless others around the world. Let’s thank God for what they have done and let us also, as a nation, pray for the safety and courage of those who are currently serving on our behalf. Ironically, freedom isn’t free ... and this day is set aside for the purpose of honoring those who best understand what the true cost is. I actually began writing today’s poem on Memorial Day but never quite got closure. This week, however, when I began to think about Veterans Day, the words finally gelled. If you know someone in the military take the time to write, call or pray for them. If you know someone who served in the past, do the same and thank them. Veterans Day is a day of mourning and a day of gratitude. It is a day when we remember our obligations not only to our own great nation, but to others who count upon us the world over. Let us be a nation who remembers, and be sure to remind others what day it is and why we celebrate it. If you are interested, you will find below my poem a history of Veterans Day which makes very interesting reading. May God bless America, now and always.

The Cost of Freedom
As we consider Veterans Day
Let us remember what this day means
Let us remember the rows of head stones
Stretching across the fields of green
Each stands in tribute to those fallen
On behalf of this nation we share
Men and women who proudly served
Who paid with their last breath of air
For the lofty ideals of democracy
For the freedom of each of us
Often dying in far away lands
While never betraying our trust
Freedom isn’t free at all
It is costly beyond compare
Purchased by the precious blood
Of heros, and loved one’s despair
So as we celebrate Veterans Day
In this land of the brave and free
May we be ever mindful
Of the awesome responsibility
We owe to those who have fallen
Whom our nation was built upon
Let us fight to preserve that freedom
So our children may carry it on
By Frank Carpenter ©

HISTORY OF VETERANS DAY
Official recognition of the end of the first modern global conflict -- World War I - - was made in a concurrent resolution (44 Stat. 1982) enacted by Congress on June 4, 1926, with these words:
WHEREAS the 11th of November 1918, marked the cessation of the most destructive, sanguinary, and far reaching war in human annals and the resumption by the people of the United States of peaceful relations with other nations, which we hope may never again be severed, and
WHEREAS it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations; and
WHEREAS the legislatures of twenty-seven of our States have already declared November 11 to be a legal holiday: Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That the President of the United States is requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on November 11 and inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples.
An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, and the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday - - a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as " Day. " Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen in the Nation's history; after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting in lieu thereof the word "Veterans. " With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.Later that same year, on October 8th, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first "Veterans Day Proclamation " which stated:"In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose. Toward this end, I am designating the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs as Chairman of a Veterans Day National Committee, which shall include such other persons as the Chairman may select, and which will coordinate at the national level necessary planning for the observance. I am also requesting the heads of all departments and agencies of the Executive branch of the Government to assist the National Committee in every way possible."A letter from the President to the Honorable Harvey V. Higley, Administrator of Veterans' Affairs, was sent on the same date designating him to serve as Chairman. In 1958, the White House advised the VA's General Counsel that there was no need for another letter of appointment for each new Administrator, as the original proclamation in 1954 established the Committee with the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs as Chairman. The Uniforms Holiday Bill (Public Law 90-363 (82 Stat. 250)) was signed on June 28, 1968, and was intended to insure three-day weekends for Federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays- - Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. It was thought that these extended weekends would encourage travel, recreational and cultural activities and stimulate greater industrial and commercial production. Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holidays on their original dates. The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on October 25, 1971. It was quite apparent that the commemoration of this day was a matter of historic and patriotic significance to a great number of our citizens, and so on September 20th, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97 (89 Stat. 479), which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11, beginning in 1978. This action supported the express will of the overwhelming majority of the State legislatures, all major service organizations and the American people. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11 not only reserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: a celebration to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.This information came from the following web site at:http://www1.va.gov/vetsday/page.cfm?pg=3

Path of Darkness

However wholesome or serene our lives look or feel, there is a monster lurking just outside our doors. In fact, it's lurking within many of our doors. I am aware of a darkness pressing in upon us from multiple fronts. That darkness is pornography. It begins with the soft porn of sensual advertising and the sexual innuendoes in even the "nicest" of television shows. Slowly but surely, however, the collective moral conscience of society is being worn down. The ratings on movies and television have eased up over the years. The lyrics of popular songs whisper their way into our unsuspecting hearts and minds. Like the hands of a clock or the rising of the tide, the darkness of pornography slowly slips into the undefended corners of our lives. We must be ever vigilant of this enemy because it is everywhere around us, offering the worst of counterfeits to entice us away from the good and beautiful things so lovingly crafted by our creator. We can never let our guard down, for even the softest of rains or the smallest of waves can erode a mountain over time. So it is with pornography. Gird your hearts and minds, watch over your children. That goes without saying. We must, as adults, also watch over each other and hold one another accountable. Pornography is a known carcinogen which leads, with the utmost certainty, to a cancer of the soul. We become what we look at and think. In the book of Philippians the Apostle Paul wrote, "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything is worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things." That is the secret of a life of righteousness, and pornography is the antithesis thereof. Let us choose carefully what we will allow in to our lives and hearts. Those are the things which will shape our character ... and our character shall shape our destiny.

Path of Darkness
There is a darkness descending about us
Encroaching a little more each day
Into our houses and hearts and offices
In a subtle, covert way
It begins with advertising
And songs we hear on the radio
It slithers into our children's minds
And our television shows
At first, it's just an odd comment or two
Perhaps and off-color joke
We giggle and smile knowingly
Unaware of the mirrors and smoke
Unaware of the darkness gathering
At the fringe of our conscious thought
The darkness of pornography
Slowly gaining ground, like it or not
Every time we switch on our computers
Or go to the movies it's there
A little soft porn, to wear down our resolve
It pursues us most everywhere
Slowly eroding our values
Until one click of remotes or a mouse
Unbars the gate of ethical thresholds
And ushers the worst kind of porn in our house
Sure, one peek won't do any damage
He's curious, what's the harm
So we tiptoe to the abyss and peer in
And no one sounds the alarm
No harm, no foul, nobody knows
Just one little innocent look
So said the trout, the tuna, the teenager
Unaware of the shiny barbed hook
And that is how it ever begins
But the path that it leads to is dark
It corrupts our values, degrades our women
It is a devouring shark
It kills and maims indiscriminately
It robs us of love and our youth
Teaching us to accept a counterfeit
Until we no longer long for the truth
Things haven't changed since long ago
When the serpent offered the apple to Eve
The fruit may have changed but stakes are the same
If we're willing to be deceived
Friends, I cannot warn us sternly enough
We are at war, I implore you to see
With a darkness which hungers for hearts, minds and souls
And the battle ground is pornography
By Frank Carpenter ©

Under Who?

In a recent federal court ruling in California it was determined that the words “under God” made the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional. Therefore, at least in the context of this case, children in the district in question would no longer be required to recite the Pledge in school. This is merely one small skirmish in a larger battle. Now I’m personally fond of the words “under God” and would like them to remain included because I feel that they accurately represent the feelings and intentions of our founding fathers. However, I also understand that those particular words were actually added in the 1950’s. It reflected the national sentiments at the time and probably was also intended to align us with God politically, in juxtaposition to the evil threat of a Godless and rapidly spreading communism. I appreciate that sentiment, but am also willing to concede that “under God” was an add-on phrase and did not exist in the original text. That certainly makes it harder to defend in this case.

The larger problem, however, is a determined offensive by the left to completely secularize our government, and even our nation as a whole. This is a battle we can scarcely afford to lose in the long run and is entirely incompatible with the spirit of our foundational documents, as well as those who drafted them. Many of those who first immigrated to North America did so, at least in part, in order to flee various forms of religious persecution. They had experienced the restrictions imposed by the Church of England and the Holy Roman Empire, wherein the official state religion held sway over citizens through the authority of the government. Against this backdrop, our founding fathers sought to ensure that no state religion could be declared and that American citizens would always have the right to free exercise of their faith. Our forefathers never denied the existence of God, rather quite to the contrary they wrote often of their faith and the part it played in formation of this new nation. Their intention was merely to protect us from power hungry men who might wield religion politically, as had been done in Europe and the middle east through all the centuries of recent history. They were clearly men of faith and acted to preserve the free and unrestricted practice thereof for all posterity. They were, therefore, not against God, but merely the abuse of state authority exercised in the name of God.

In this day and age, as the ACLU and other liberal groups work to eradicate any reference to God from our public domain, one must consider the larger picture or end game in the process. It would be difficult to deny that the entire basis for our traditional moral values comes from the Judeo Christian system, beginning with the Ten Commandments and other Hebrew laws. The left wants desperately to separate us, as a nation, from this moral foundation because it contains something they consider very unnerving and dangerous … absolute morality and responsibility to a Creator. They want to decide what is right and wrong and be sure that it conforms to their social agenda. The battle to secularize society is really a battle for moral relativity. Once you throw out God and that pesky bible, then people can run the world … essentially, people can be God. Then homosexuality can be acceptable. The lives of whales and cats can be as precious as those of unborn human babies. The preeminence of marriage can be dismantled. It will be ok to exterminate Jews or Kurds or Serbs or substitute chemistry teachers, so long as it fits someone’s social agenda. The list goes on and on. Indeed, I propose that if there is no absolute morality, no religiously based morality, then there is no morality whatsoever.

This all brings us back to the whole “under God” problem. If you extract God and the bible (or Torah) from society, we lose our compass and the moral heritage upon which our nation was founded. It doesn’t take an astrophysicist to figure out that the universe doesn’t revolve around man. We are a part of it, but there are certain natural laws which transcend our existence and, without which, we could not even exist. I believe there are also certain moral and spiritual laws which transcend our existence as well. In the end, you could no more remove God from morality than you could pass a referendum outlaw gravity. When one considers such things, one nation “under God” may not be such a bad idea. The wording of the Pledge, however, isn’t really my issue. Yet, if that’s the direction we’re headed and we’re not under God, then at some point responsible people must ask themselves one final question: “Under who?”

You Alone

Sometimes life can feel overwhelming. Things might not be going well, relationships become strained, we fall short of expectations or fall prey to moral dilemmas. Whatever the cause, we seem to feel out of control and that can lead to depression … and loneliness. Our first conditioned response to pain of any kind is to draw back. That is how we keep from getting burned or experiencing more pain, either physically or emotionally. It’s probably a good initial response. However, we sometimes stay too long in our shell and isolation can tend to exacerbate the problem. Isolation leads to loneliness and loneliness can lead to hopelessness. When we begin to feel that no one cares or understands it warps our perspective and we often fail to even look for the help that may be available to us. What must be remembered, however, is that we are never truly alone. There is a God who loves us, who knows us by name and understands our deepest thoughts and fears. He proved His love by sacrificing His Son, Jesus, so that we might overcome all of our fears and failures. God’s love is unfailing and He is truly a friend to the broken hearted. So even when we feel completely alone, we can rest assured that God is still on our side and that He remains ever near at hand. He alone knows our heart of hearts and shall never forsake us, even our darkest hours. And what could be more comforting?

You Alone
You alone know my heart, oh Lord
You alone hear my cries
You alone see the tears I shed
And the emptiness in my eyes
You alone know the fear in me
Which consumes my waking hours
You alone feel my hopelessness
The way my joy withers and sours
You alone know my weariness
You alone know my pain
The defeats and the disappointments
That crush me time and again
You alone know the people, Lord
Whom I’ve failed and who failed me
You alone know the scars they’ve left
None but You alone see
You alone know the lonely days
And nights when my despair
Smothered the good things in my life
Until I was too weak to care
You alone know how lost I am
At work, and even at home
How even with friends and family
I feel as if I’m alone
You alone know my sorrow, Lord
And I know, at least, You alone care
Enough that no matter where I am
At least, You alone will be there
So I ask You, Lord, to shine Your light
Through the darkness my life has become
And melt the ice within my heart
Before it grows any more numb
You alone know each last detail
Of what I am going through
So I place my trust in You alone
For I am never alone with You
By Frank Carpenter ©

All is Well

At this moment I sit in a comfortable porch chair looking out across the very meadows described in the poem below. The late afternoon sun is drifting towards the nearby mountaintops, yet still offers plenty of light to paint the world a radiant autumn gold. This is perhaps my favorite time of the day, when all of nature seems most eager and alive. The wonder of an Indian summer clings doggedly to the hills and valleys, bracing against each evening’s frost and striving every afternoon to stand its ground. The bugs and the birds still sing their merry songs as the grasses dance in the last of the warm September sunlight. While they know that this time must end and give way to the cold of winter there is still a feeling of hope pulsing through all such valleys as this. I am reminded just now of our own spiritual condition. We live all our lives with the winter of death just around the corner. However, those who have a saving faith in Jesus Christ can live cheerfully in the hope of a springtime of resurrection. We have no fear of death because we understand the seasons of our lives and the promise of a better life yet to come. Thus, we can look out across our own meadows, wherever we may dwell, and say as I have this late afternoon, “All is well.”

All is Well
Almost dusk in Genesee Valley
With barely a whisper of breeze
The autumn sun is nearly gone
As it slants through the western trees
A trickle of water near at hand
Dances merrily on its way
Somewhere the cry of a blue jay
Squawks his farewell to the day
I can just make out the distant song
Which rises from Grizzly Creek
Unheeded by a pair of squirrels
Busy with games of hide and seek
Before me a meadow of harvest gold
Behind me a veil of cedar and pine
About me peacefulness is draped
Embracing me in the divine
I hardly dare to speak or breathe
For fear I’ll break the spell
Which quiets my heart and stirs my soul
It is evening, and all is well
By Frank Carpenter ©

Gems

We live in a world obsessed with movie stars and shiny cars and outward appearances. Let's face it, no matter what we say we are all too concerned with external beauty. To make matters worse, the ever ubiquitous media constantly bombards us with supposedly ideal images which encourage folks to accept clearly unrealistic expectations as the "norm" in many areas of our lives. We're told that real men and women should look like this and cars and houses and clothing should look like that. Then before we know it, we end up with a whole society suffering from an inferiority complex. In point of fact, however, external beauty does not make people happier. It doesn't make their marriages last longer. Nor does it prevent them from having eating disorders, overdosing on drugs or committing suicide. Indeed, if Hollywood or the world of overpaid professional athletes is any indicator, the effect of physical perfection and opulent living may be just the opposite. It sounds cliché, but real beauty is actually to be found on the inside. A beautiful heart and soul are what endear us to others in the long run. Those are the qualities that don't age or wear out. And in the end, those are the traits which endear us to God as well. Let us, therefore, be careful of our judgment based upon external beauty, which has a tendency to blind us to many of the more important traits in our fellow human beings. Worse yet, we are our own worst critics and often judge ourselves even more harshly than others. Yet, we shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves for the mirror is a cruel friend and knows nothing of one’s heart or character. Many an amazing person appears as a diamond in the rough and wise is the man or woman who looks to the true gems hidden within ... where real and lasting beauty may be discovered by those who seek it.

Gems
In each of us there is a light
A spark divine and true
Trapped within our selfish lives
Just waiting to shine through
Like the priceless diamond hidden in
The stone beneath the earth
Which needs the miner and the cutter
To orchestrate it's birth
So it is with inner beauty
It lies waiting deep within
Like the diamond it stays trapped
Beneath our selfishness and sin
And no amount of exercise
Or cash or seminars
Can pierce the veil or change
The person who we really are
Real beauty can't be painted on
Or purchased or injected
And all our vain attempts, alas
Are lost and misdirected
For only God, who made us
Holds the power to unearth
The priceless gem within each soul
Waiting patiently for rebirth
But like a master diamond cutter
God takes each heart in the rough
Transforming it into a flawless gem
For He alone cares enough
To see the potential of our lives
In the light of eternity
God sees the masterpiece in each heart
And knows how to set it free
And once God uncovers the gems in us
We humbly realize
That the inner beauty was always there
God's love simply opened our eyes
By Frank Carpenter ©

The Star Spangled Banner

Today, a little glimpse back at an important moment in American history. The day was September 13, 1814 … 191 years ago today. Great Britain wasn’t always our staunchest ally and, at the time, America was locked in the war of 1812 with our now beloved parent country. During that long night, as the British fleet bombarded Fort McHenry during the battle of Baltimore, 35 year old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key observed from a small ship offshore. He had sailed out to the British fleet to negotiate the release of American prisoners and, from his vantage point, the disposition of the American fort and the outcome of the battle seemed unclear until morning light showed that the Stars and Stripes were still flying. The events of that night inspired him to pen the now famous words of the Star Spangled Banner. His thoughts were, “Then, in that hour of deliverance, my heart spoke. Does not such a country, and such defenders of their country, deserve a song?” In fact, he wrote the lyrics in meter to match, “To Anacreon in Heaven,” a popular song of English origin.

The song gained popularity throughout the 19th century. On July 26, 1889, Secretary of the Navy B F Tracy signed General Order No 374 making "The Star-Spangled Banner" the official tune to be played at the raising of the flag. In 1916, Woodrow Wilson ordered that "The Star-Spangled Banner" be played at military and other appropriate occasions. Two years later, in 1918, the song was first played at a baseball game; in the World Series, the band started an impromptu performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" during the seventh-inning stretch. The players and spectators stood at attention, took off their hats, and sang, giving rise to a tradition that is repeated at almost every professional baseball game in United States today, though it is now performed prior to the first pitch. Eventually, a concerted public relations effort was made to make the song the country's national anthem (there had until that time been no official anthem). In 1931, John Philip Sousa published his opinion in favor, stating that "it is the spirit of the music that inspires" as much as it is Key's "soul-stirring" words. By Congressional resolution signed by President Herbert Hoover, "The Star-Spangled Banner" was adopted as the national anthem of the United States on March 3, 1931.

Well, that’s the story of the Star Spangled Banner and how it came into being, 191 years ago today. I encourage you to read over all four verses, which I have pasted below, and share them with others. In this world of complicated international relations, partisan politics and natural disasters, sometimes we simply need to pause and read some inspiring words from our rich patriotic heritage. In closing, all I can say is, “long may it wave!”

The Star Spangled Banner
Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines on the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! O long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wiped out their foul footstep's pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
By Francis Scott Key (1779-1843)

September 11 Again

Well, here we are at September 11 again. It has now been four years since that fateful morning when the terrorist attacks on America changed the course of modern world history. I actually wrote about this subject recently, but after viewing some of those frightening images on television again this afternoon I felt compelled to comment once again. We, as a nation, had become complacent during the previous decade, but September 11 awoke something within our national spirit which put us clearly on the offensive in the war against international terrorism. Although the path ahead remains unclear, we remain on the offensive … as I believe we must. Terrorism has been on the rise in recent decades, primarily from violent Islamic fundamentalist groups. When they brought it home to us in New York, Washington and Virginia, they made it a real and more tangible war. Now we mustn’t give in, we must not back down. A sleeping giant truly has been awakened, such as the world had not known since WWII, and we can only hope that our leaders will have the wisdom and fortitude to continue the battle until we achieve a clear victory. May God bless America and watch over our men and women in uniform.

The Heart of Freedom
Beware, you foes of freedom
Who dare to maim and kill
Who, by force, would stand against us
You have galvanized our will
You have struck the heart of freedom
Spilled sacred blood upon our soil
Stung the bastions of democracy
Yet, though we may recoil
Be it known, we shall not falter
In the midst of travesty
A sleeping giant has awakened
Which will rise from the debris
With a resolve and with a fury
Such as you have rarely known
Freedom’s mettle has been tested
And now its true strength shall be shown
By Frank Carpenter ©

Let it Begin

Some folks spend much of their lives just waiting for God to do something in their lives. Even professed believers seem to simply tread water, spiritually, without getting around to actually living the life God has for them, even when they seem sure it’s out there. We basically understand who God is. We seem to know what to do. Yet we do nothing, or at least very little. Therefore, our spiritual lives always seem to feel “almost” or “not quite” and we settle for that compromise. But we know He’s out there and that He has something better for us if we were just willing to take that extra step of faith. This is my reminder to all of us that we need to take that fateful step. If you’re one of those people who have been nodding your head as you read these words, right now might just be the time to get started. I wrote this little prayer of revelation and submission recently and you are welcome to claim it as your own. Don’t hold back. That better life with God is just around the corner and it begins with a few simple words: “Lord, let my life begin in earnest today.” Let it begin!

Let it Begin
There was a moment late this morning
It came upon me without warning
When I heard God’s voice and felt His mighty hand
In that moment, in that hour
As He revealed His love and power
I knew we had to draw a line there in the sand
And these are the words that I prayed:
“Lord, let my life begin in earnest today”
There wasn’t smoke, there wasn’t mirrors
There were no witnesses or hearers
But when I opened up my eyes just then I knew
That it was time I started living
The life that God was freely giving
The one I’d waited long enough to get ‘round to
And these are the words that I prayed:
“Lord, let my life begin in earnest today”
I had all the information
And it was just procrastination
Which had kept me from the life I’d been called to
So I pledge my heart and soul now
To follow Jesus daily somehow
To live each moment just as He would have me do
And these are the words that I prayed:
“Lord, let my life begin in earnest today”
By Frank Carpenter ©

We Shall Never Forget

Last Friday New York City officials, in response to a lawsuit brought by survivors, released 12,000 pages of transcripts related to the morning of September 11th. Those transcripts included text from police and fire department radio calls from that morning, as well as interviews of firefighters in the days immediately following the events of that fateful day. As I read some of the quotes I simply began to cry, remembering how I felt as I drove to work and heard the story unfolding on the news. When we watched the towers crumble, live, for the first time I was overcome with grief and rage. Worse yet for me, I was on the brink of a serious and as yet undiagnosed coronary blockage which caused my anguish to make me physically ill due to a lack of oxygen. What amazed me most these last days, as I have relived some of those moments, is how quickly we have forgotten the emotions of September 11. For days and weeks and months afterwards our national mantra became, “we shall never forget.” We did. We have forgotten our grief, our anger, our anguish, our patriotism … and our resolve. We have forgotten the images of the planes crashing into the towers, of desperate citizens jumping to their deaths rather than being burned alive, of the two towers toppling down. On that day we all swore that the world would never be the same, that we would never be the same. Are we? To refresh our memories I wanted to share a few things. First, here are two comments made by firefighters over their radios which I believe are especially poignant:

“Send every available ambulance, everything you got to the World Trade Center,” a firefighter calls from engine 1. “Now!”

“Just at that point, my radio came clear as day, ‘Imminent collapse. This was a terrorist attack. Evacuate.’”

Also, let’s review the casualty statistics once again. Here are how many people we lost at each attack venue:
In the Twin Towers 2595
Flight 11 92
Flight 175 65
In the Pentagon 125
Flight 77 64
Shanksville
Flight 93 45

A total of 2, 986 people lost their lives that day. Yet, that is only part of the story. Based upon that unthinkable number, consider how many widows, orphans and widowers were left, along with how many people must have lost sons, daughers, mothers, fathers, grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and so forth. The impact to families, congregations, corporate staffs, neighborhoods and the like makes for a staggering set of permutations, not to mention the emotional effect on the rest of us all these thousands of miles away. As we digest those numbers, let us remember that more Americans were killed on September 11th than we have lost in three years of armed conflict in Afghanistan and Iraq combined. As an additional point of reference, only 2, 403 Americans were killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. However, in stark contrast, the victims of the attacks on September 11th were all civilians, which makes their mass murder all the more heinous. No, we really should never forget.

I point all the above facts out not only in memory of those lost, but also that we, as a people, may keep our eyes on the ball as we continue to combat this elusive enemy across the globe. For the self same Islamic fanatics, related to the Al-Qaeda network, were not only responsible for September 11, they are behind many of the American casualties we are currently experiencing in Iraq. They were behind the Madrid bombing and the most recent bombings in England. These people aren’t satisfied with military targets. They are after you and me and our children and our very way of life. We really cannot afford to forget.

Four years down the road, we’ve made a great deal of progress, but the London bombings should serve as a reminder that what began on September 11th is still far from over. Our enemy is still at the gates, more likely right amongst us. I encourage you to go back and review some of the quotes and images from that dreadful morning so that the nature of our enemy may remain in the forefront of your thought as you discuss war and civil liberties and prisoner treatment and troop reductions and all those other related issues which flood our current events.
… and never forget.

A Monkey's Uncle

Back in the news once more is the old creation versus evolution conflict. Last week President Bush stepped feet first into the debate between Darwinian evolution and “intelligent design,” saying both should be given equal standing in the nation’s science classrooms. Intelligent design is the theory that the development of the natural world has been influenced by a higher being of some sort. This same week, the History Channel began airing “Ape to Man,” a documentary which explores the history of evolutionary theory and those who have sought to prove it. Finally, this morning USA Today ran an article entitled “Intelligent Design Smacks of Creationism by Another Name,” which basically says, like so many other media sources, that evolution is scientific fact and creation is merely religious fiction. In short, neither is a theory. I am certainly no expert in this area, but I would like to make a few comments thereto.

In all fairness I shall begin with full disclosure, admitting up front that I am a supposedly narrow-minded fundamentalist Christian who believes that there is a God. And if there is a God, then He may very likely be able to do all manner of miraculous things … up to and possibly including creation. That being said, lets take a quick look at evolution and a few of it’s unanswered questions. First of all, there are two types of evolution. The first is microevolution, the theory that species make modest adaptations over time in response to environment. The great example, of course, would be someplace like the Galapagos Islands, where isolated animal populations have changed slightly over time. An animal with a sharper beak or the ability to run faster may have a greater survival rate and, therefore, live to pass those traits on. Thusly, desert animals, mountain animals and island animals, etc. may vary somewhat due to their varied environments. That seems to make perfect sense. The problem arises when we begin to consider macroevolution, in which species change entirely over time and new species come into being. Sure, there may be enough fossil evidence to argue that perspective convincingly. What is even more difficult to swallow, however, is how something can come from nothing. In other words, how did we make the jump from no life at all to the complex biological systems we call life? This is where evolution begins to fall apart. Even the dinosaurs had hearts and lungs and brains and stomachs and legs and eyes and ears and the whole host of standard equipment issued to carbon based life forms as we know them. All those systems could not develop by natural selection. A heart without a lung or a lung without a heart, and either without blood or a brain fails instantly. Evolution doesn’t answer that question, dealing only with the chicken and assuming somehow the egg just magically appeared. Come to think of it, there would have to be two chickens ... preceded by at least two eggs, in order for life to be sustained. No offense, but that takes more faith than my creation theory. So modern scientific theory goes something like this:
1. First, there was nothing
2. Then, it exploded
3. Somehow, we got the earth … with water and an atmosphere
4. Then rocks came to life, presumably as a single cell
5. That single cell found a way to eat, breathe and reproduce (on the 1st try)
6. Then there were giant lizards
7. They grew hair and opposable thumbs
8. And became us
Now I’ve left out some details, but either way there are a lot of unexplainable gaps in this evolutionary time line. The universe had to start or become somehow. Life had to originate, in some form, from inanimate matter. That life had to develop into complicated biological systems in order to survive, many of which are interdependent and essential for survival in the first place. Then, even assuming that all of the above could miraculously happen, (and it sure sounds miraculous to me) there are still several gigantic leaps towards life becoming us. The whole situation screams intelligent design to me and I think it takes more faith to trust entirely in evolutionary science for answers to the gaps in scientific theory. Complicated systems tend to atrophy rather than specialize unless energy or guidance is applied from outside those systems. That’s what the 2nd law of thermodynamics is all about. How, then, have things become less random and more ordered over time? Food for thought.

I need to make one final comment. Why is it that the narrow-minded people just want creation or intelligent design taught as an opposing theory along with evolution, while the supposedly open-minded people reject all other theories and want it to be illegal and unconstitutional to teach anything but evolution theory? I find that to be highly hypocritical. Perhaps the underlying issue is that if creation is an option then God is an option … and some folks just don’t want a God meddling in their intellectual universe. For if there is a God, especially a creating and influencing God, then man cannot be God. In the end, perhaps it is merely a matter of pride.
If you have wrestled with someone on this issue, perhaps the following poem would serve as a light hearted ice breaker to reopen the subject. It's also great for sharing with high school biology teachers. Anyway, I respectfully submit the following, which I hope may entertain as well as educate.

A Monkey's Uncle
When it comes to evolution
I'm never sure what I should think
Am I made in the image of the Lord
Or am I a missing link
Is my form, somehow, transitional
From chimps to something grand
Am I a monkey's uncle or
The work of my Creator's hand
Am I here at the top of the food chain
Because a God has willed it so
Or just by natural selection
How's a primate supposed to know
If his species is an accident
That cell mutation caused
Is there meaning, is there purpose
Or are there only Darwin's laws
Am I superior to all the other
Beasts, both deaf and dumb
Or just a talking ape who lucked out
When he grew opposing thumbs
Hey, since I'm the only animal
Who can think the thoughts I do
I'd like to think that there's a God
Who designed both me and you
That we're not just descended
From some egg or worm or spore
That crawled out of a murky ocean
On some ancient, slimy shore
I really hate to be the one
Who chops down the family tree
But someone's always trying
To make a monkey out of me
By Frank Carpenter ©

True North

We live in a complicated world, a world with so many options and even more ways to reach them. However, in such a world, one can easily lose his or her way. Oh, folks are quick to offer directions. The shelves of local bookstores swell with “self help” books. Countless pundits spout their various opinions from every known media, but even those of us who think they know where they are, and where they are heading, often feel like we’re aiming at moving targets. Let us take a lesson from fundamental navigation. In modern times, we use a compass to find our way upon the sea or in the wilderness. A compass simply works by pointing north, thereby offering us a consistent reference point from which to choose our course. The ancients used the stars, which could be counted upon to occupy certain quadrants of the sky during various times of the night or year. While those heavenly bodies all appear to move across the sky, one star, Polaris, appears to remain stationary. We know it as the North Star, and if we are in the northern hemisphere it will always be found in the same place because it is located over the earth’s axis and, therefore, does not “spin” like the rest of its celestial counterparts. Polaris is a consistent beacon, resolutely anchored, as it were, in the northern sky.

I find my analogy today in the way of faith in Jesus Christ. There are countless “stars” on the horizon of human existence and, for various reasons, folks seem to pick them at random to chase after. Consequently, many people seem to have lost their way in life because they have discovered nothing reliable to steer by. They need a true north. I have found that Jesus, like Polaris, is just such a beacon. With the bible as a chart and Jesus as our true north we can find our way across the tempestuous oceans of life without running aground. When you look into the night time sky you can always find Polaris right up there between the Big Dipper and Cassiopeia. All the other constellations are restless wanderers, but the North Star remains true. If you have grown weary of wandering or have otherwise lost your way, search for Jesus in the darkness of your life and He can help to guide you. He is the only true north.

Polaris
All the constellations have
Their seasons and their places
Each dances through the heavens
In the gentle arc it traces
Restless nomads are the stars
Which never tarry long
As they spiral ever onward
Amidst the great celestial throng
They might visit for an evening
Or a month upon their way
Yet, in time, they always move along
Without the will to stay
But there is one which never waivers
One star, never out of place
A faint, but steady beacon
In the vast array of space
I am speaking of Polaris
The star which rules the northern skies
The rest meander on their journey
Yet, Polaris never lies
We know it as the North Star
Sometimes, no other star will do
When we need a light to guide us
Polaris shines forever true
By Frank Carpenter

One Giant Leap

For most Americans of the time, it probably all began in 1957 when the first artificial satellite, Russia’s Sputnik I, soared through the nighttime skies and initiated the “space race” in earnest. It was the technological embodiment of the cold war: who could get to space first and who could go the farthest. Perhaps, for the first time, space caught the imagination of the American public and our dreams turned skywards. In 1962 John Stewart, of the Kingston Trio, penned and sang the following lyrics which were representative of that new American dream:
“Some to the rivers and some to the sea
Some to the soil that our fathers made free
Then on to the stars in the heavens for to see
This is the new frontier, this is the new frontier.”
Then on July 20, 1969, thirty-six years ago this week, Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon and uttered those now famous words, “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Indeed, it was a giant leap. Several other missions followed and then we simply stopped going to the moon. It was too far, too dangerous, and the technology didn’t yet exist to remain there for extended time periods. We moved into the “shuttle” phase of space history, manning Skylab for a time and now the International Space Station. However, the NASA space shuttle program has suffered two huge setbacks, most recently in the loss the shuttle Columbia. The launch of the new shuttle, Discovery, has been plagued by numerous delays, but hopefully it will finally depart next week on July 26th. We haven’t been to the moon since the 1970’s, nor has there been much talk of visiting Mars anymore. So the “new frontier,” which seemed utterly within our grasp such a short time ago, looks as if it will remain an unexplored frontier, at least from the standpoint of human visitation. For the time being, we simply lack the political will and funding to pursue those dreams of space beyond the orbit of the International Space Station. Yet, I believe our younger generation needs to see men walking on the moon again. That amazing moment in 1969 represents, in my opinion, one of the greatest human achievements. Young people deserve that kind of emotional and technological victory because, three decades later, moon travel just seems like another scene from a movie, and an old movie at that. True, the cold war and space race are over, but I say we must go back … because mankind could use another giant leap just now.

Crossing Over

Why is it that so many people, even professing believers of various faiths, always feel as if they can’t quite make it to the life God desires for them? When Israel was wandering in the wilderness after the exodus God led them to the Jordan River, and there bid them to enter the promised land. What went wrong? After all they had been through, they lacked the faith to take that final step. These were the people who had experienced the miracle of the exodus, crossed the Red Sea, followed a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, and eaten manna every day. What more did they need to believe that their God would see them through? After witnessing so much of God’s power and protection they were still unwilling to trust Him. It’s a familiar story because we are much the same as them today. We have not only their example, bolstered by the priceless wisdom of hindsight and historical knowledge, but also the testament of our own life experiences. Yet, we shy away from the final step. Like stubborn mules or frightened children, we remain unwilling to put a single toe into the Jordan Rivers of our own lives. God offers us peace and rest and relationship and protection … and we turn our backs on Him. Over and over, we choose the wilderness instead of the lives we were actually created for. But why? Yes, there’s fear and faithlessness and a host of other issues, but in the end it really only boils down to one thing: pride. We are simply unwilling to relinquish control of our lives to God. Worst of all, by doing so we technically make ourselves out to be God, at least functionally, by choosing our will over His. And let’s face it, we know that life could be way better if we lived it on His plan. A little scary perhaps, but deeper and better. I’m guessing that, just like me, you will reach the edge of the Jordan again sometime today or this week. The water may look too cold or too rough or too deep, or whatever, but we’ve simply got to take a step out into the stream and see what happens. That better life awaits us right there on the farther shore, but we must trust Him enough to cross over. Take a good hard look at life, especially in the eternal perspective, and consider if another forty years in the wilderness is really what you want. Then let’s take the plunge together.

Crossing Over
Over and over, we come to the Jordan
To the brink of comfort and rest
We pause to gaze into the promised land
Then turn back to the wilderness
Unwilling to claim the promise
We thought we were living for
We turn, as to an empty ocean
From the long awaited shore
Why won’t we cross over and go in?
Why won’t we accept the life?
That God intends for us each to live
We turn from His peace to strife
What is it that keeps us from crossing?
At last, to the promised land
To the place we know is better
For which we prayed and planned
One thing bars our way across
Not wood nor steel nor stone
A barrier more impenetrable
Stands between us and God’s throne
Each of us understands the way
To cross to the other side
Yet the monster blocking our path to peace
Is our own unquenchable pride
What is it about the wilderness
That we should turn from the promised land
To this world of pain and worry
And away from God’s outstretched hand
Crossing over to God is but to yield
And place our trust in His worthiness
God waits for us with open arms
But we must accept His rest
By Frank Carpenter ©

An Epilogue

I have not posted an entry these past five days because I have been off on a fishing trip. In my previous offering, just prior to my departure, I wrote of going off to fish with my father’s equipment for the first time since his passing. In addition to the great satisfaction of being immersed in the beauty of creation with several fine friends, I also had that long-anticipated opportunity to simply wander the shores of several trout streams and cast my father’s fly rod. (Yes, I actually caught many fish as well.) By passing the time with his own favorite pastime I discovered some more of him in myself. And what could honor or esteem his memory more than such an activity? It is now late, and my day of travel long, but I offer the following poem as an epilogue to my previous entry. I hope you may find such peace in the quiet waters of your own memory.

Casting for Memories
Standing here, in mid stream
With Dad’s fly rod in my hand
I feel a kinship with him
And I better understand
Why he loved so being out here
Away from all the noise
Just standing in a river
In the mountains with the boys
This takes me back to other rivers
Other days from long gone years
Though I fished with him so rarely
What I’d give to have him here
Yet, all I have is memories
So I must cherish those
As they drift through my mind
Much the way this river flows
So cool and refreshing
While marching ever on
Reminding me that every day
Must be cherished ‘ere it’s gone
For now, there’s ample satisfaction
In this river where I stand
Casting … and reminiscing
With Dad’s old fly rod in my hand
By Frank Carpenter ©

Casting for Memories

I am about to depart upon a fly fishing trip in the mountains. Lacking appropriate fishing gear of my own for such an activity, last week I began sorting through my recently departed father’s equipment in order to come up with what I needed. He loved fly fishing and it has been nostalgic sorting through his rods, reels, flies, line and other such trappings, of which there is a great quantity. When you tinker with the remnants of another man’s passion, it reaches across the years and you sometimes begin to feel as if he’s right there with you. All the more so in the case of my father, who was always eager to share his skill and knowledge in this area. I was generally an eager pupil, but rarely could translate his tutelage into the catching of many fish. The fact is that I really haven’t the temperament or the passion for fishing. Consequently, I tend to cast for a while and then, like Ferdinand the Bull, wander off to the welcoming shade of a nearby tree to write poetry or otherwise daydream. Such activity is extremely satisfying for me, yet of but little use to one who is eager to advance the numbers of his catch or fill the evening’s frying pan. My father and I well understood one another’s priorities and struck upon a mutually agreeable compromise in our fishing ventures. He caught the fish and I told the story. Now, having not fished since his passing, and armed with his old equipment, once again I venture out into the wilderness with the hope of catching a few wild trout … and perhaps more than a few poignant memories as well. An important step in the process of dealing with loss is when move from actively mourning someone to honoring and cherishing their memory. Nothing could honor dad more than my standing in a mountain stream, casting with his rod, and thinking fondly of him. And that I shall.

Today’s poem comes from a trip to the same area in 2001 and is based upon the experience of the Patton brothers, who have fished that same little corner of the Sierras since the days of youth with their own departed father. I offer it in their honor and take the liberty of now claiming a portion of their emotions for myself. If you’ve still got your dad, give him a call today. Better yet, take him fishing.

These Mountains We Shared
When I look back across the years
at the good times that I’ve had
I think the ones I cherish most
were up here, with my dad
Those were the best vacations
we were always eager to go
Camping and fishing and hiking
in the mountains he loved so
And I’m still coming up here
after thirty years and more
Still fishing in the same old creek
still camping like before
Still doing all the things he loved
and taught me to enjoy
In the happy summers of my youth
when I was just a boy
So many things remind me of him
when I’m up here, even now
It’s almost like he’s here with me
at least it feels that way somehow
In the dusty talk along the trail
and the whisper of the breeze
In the laughter at the campfire
and such simple things as these
Sleeping underneath the stars
and camping ‘neath the trees
Remind me of the part of him
that’s such a part of me
It makes me proud to be his son
and sad that he is gone
But in these mountains that we shared
... his memory lives on
By Frank Carpenter ©

Another Attack on Freedom

This very morning, only one day after London was chosen as the site for 2012 Summer Olympics, a terror attack occurred in that fair city. Four explosions went off within an hour, all striking transit targets during their busy morning rush hour. At the present time, at least 50 people are known to be dead and some seven hundred more injured, making this essentially the worst attack on London since WWII. Already a branch of al-Qaida has claimed responsibility, the same branch of the terror network responsible for the bombings in Spain. There are those who would say that the England and the U.S. have brought this problem upon themselves by invading Iraq. However, the attacks on September 11th 2001 were the result of al-Qaida already having declared war on us prior to campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq. There are those who claim that our invasion of Iraq had no link to al-Qaida and was, therefore, unjustified. The very fact that al-Qaida is now active in the violent Iraqi insurgency, while continuing to attack nations like Great Britain in response to their involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq, is evidence that we are probably taking the war on terror to exactly the right place. If Iraq has become a haven for terrorists, then I say at least it’s better to fight an “away game” for this particular battle in the war on terror. We clearly are at war, not with a particular nation or religion, but against an ideology of violence and fanaticism worldwide. Great Britain and the United States do more to help people worldwide than anyone else. We provide more aid, we import more goods and we are the first to fight for the rights and freedoms of other nations and people … and yet they hate us. Yes, we are at war and that war has been brought to our own doorsteps, to our very backyards, by these crazy, suicidal fanatics. If that’s what they want, then I say “bring it!” We cannot back down because they are bent upon our destruction, which means we have no choice but to destroy them. There are those in our country who would protest against our military actions abroad. However, I have yet to see any of those people protest against al-Qaida, Hamas or the previous government of Iraq for their reigns of terror in this modern world. To those people, I implore them to take a second look at the forty families who lost their innocent loved ones in London this morning. When a murder occurs, the guilty party is the one who pulls the trigger.

My heart goes out this morning to those whose lives have been lost and torn apart in London and I offer the following poem, which I wrote on the morning of September 11th, while sitting in my office watching reruns of the Twin Towers collapsing. We must stand together against this injustice.

The Heart of Freedom
Beware, you foes of freedom
Who dare to maim and kill
Who, by force, would stand against us
You have galvanized our will
You have struck the heart of freedom
Spilled sacred blood upon our soil
Stung the bastions of democracy
Yet, though we may recoil
Be it known, we shall not falter
In the midst of travesty
A sleeping giant has awakened
Which will rise from the debris
With a resolve and with a fury
Such as you have rarely known
Freedom’s mettle has been tested
And now its true strength shall be shown
By Frank Carpenter ©

Independence Day

Well, here we are at another 4th of July. Mostly we shall celebrate this holiday with fireworks and the consumption of great quantities of hot dogs and potato salad. Indeed, with all of the activity, it would be easy to forget exactly what this day is really about. However, on that fateful day 229 years ago when members of the continental congress signed the original Declaration of Independence something amazing began. Those delegates of the original thirteen colonies who signed that document might well have been signing their own death warrants for treason against the British crown. Fortunately, they were victorious in their war for independence and their little experiment in democracy is still going strong today. Furthermore, it has become the example of freedom worldwide over these past two centuries. So let us not take too lightly the gift of our own freedom or the price that has been paid to purchase it for us. Enjoy your fireworks and family fun, but pause for a moment sometime during the holiday to remind your friends and loved ones why we are celebrating. There are still many regimes, even in this modern world, which deny basic freedoms to their people. We owe ours to a small group of courageous men who dreamed of a better life and began the revolution that won it for us. We should all thank God for their foresight and wisdom, as well as the precious and sacred blood which was spilled to purchase their vision for all us. Along with my own poem on the subject, I have also included below the text of the Declaration of Independence and I encourage you to read it over and share it with others. We need to remember what we have and what they fought so valiantly for. We are the heirs of liberty and we have an obligation to preserve and protect it. Enjoy your 4th of July and may it also be a day of thanksgiving as well. God bless America … and let freedom ever ring in the hearts of men.

Song of Freedom
Still ringing are the battle cries
Of freedom from the past
Sung out by brave young men who spilled
Their blood and breathed their last
Still waving is the flag
They proudly served and held aloft
Yet, we must be ever wary
Lest our resolve grows dim and soft
Our children need to know the legacy
Of freedom which is theirs
As the gauntlet passes on to them
For they are freedom's heirs
Sons and daughters of a liberty
Which was born of trial and strife
Paid for dearly by the countless men
Who gave both limb and life
We must keep the fire burning
May we never let it die
So our children's children's children
Know the sound of freedom's cry
It's not enough to just be born here
We have to guard our liberty
And pass it on so generations
In the future will be free
By Frank Carpenter ©

And here is the text of the Declaration of Independence:

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

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, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refuted his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavored to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighboring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred. to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. --And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

… and that’s how it all began, 229 years ago. May we ever let freedom ring.