Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day 2009

Today is commemorated as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. It is the 68^th Anniversary of this event. Let us remember the sacrifice this generation made for us in order for us to have what we have today.

Visit these sites for historical information about the attack on Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941:
Department of Navy – Naval Historical Center – Pearl Harbor Raid
National Geographic – Remembering Pearl Harbor
The Pearl Harbor Day Page
Wikipedia – Attack on Pearl Harbor

University of Missouri-Kansas City website hosts the famous FDR’s Day of Infamy speech given on 8 December 1941. It has an image of the three page speech delivered to the Joint Session of Congress.

George Washington Thanksgiving Proclamation

Again, Rush provides us with another classic story about Thanksgiving.

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: George Washington’s Thanksgiving address. Yeah. I have it. Now, before I read this to you, I’ve read it just a very few times on this program. Before I do, I want you to try to understand. This is in 1789, and I want you to understand: They knew. They knew what they had done, these Founders. They knew that they had participated in a miracle, in creating and founding this country.

George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor — and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be — That we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks — for His kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation — for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of His Providence which we experienced in the tranquility [sic], union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed — for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One [capital O] now lately instituted — for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which He hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions — to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually — to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed — to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn [sic] kindness onto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord — To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease [sic] of science among them and us — and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York
the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789
George Washington

Thanks

Today’s devotional at the Lutheran Hour Ministries talks about Thanks.  Give it a listen and ask yourself whether you can say a similar pray today.

Another suggestion is to count our blessings.  I receive daily Insights e-mail from Chuck Swindoll at Insight for Living.  Here is excerpt on how one can do it.

Sometimes when you don’t feel like praying, or you’re consumed with needing to speak to the Lord but can’t gather the words, try that old standby—count your many blessings, count them one by one.

lt’s amazing how you can get carried away from worries and woes and self concern when you start naming out loud what you’re thankful for. Right away your focus shifts from your needs to the Father’s graciousness and love. Try this:

LOOK UP . . . thank You, Lord . . .

{ what are you thankful for that the Lord has done in the world }

LOOK AROUND . . . thank You, Lord . . .

{ what are you thankful for that the Lord has done around you }

LOOK WITHIN . . . thank You, Lord . . .

{ what are you thankful for that the Lord has done for you }

If you can’t pray, make a personalized list of blessings.

I like the closing statement, because you could count your blessings by first looking within, then looking around, and finally looking up.  Once you completed this exercise, you wonder why did not I start here first.

We Are Indy 56!

Indy 56 - Impacting Indianapolis

Thirty five  men and women in the Indianapolis area are transforming their community for the next 80 to 90 days.  You can impact your community as well.  If you see us around town, ask us how you be transformed.  We will be open and authentic in sharing how we have become dynamic individuals.

The Real Thanksgiving Story

Whether you agree with Rush or not, I always like hearing the real story of Thanksgiving.  It should be posted on his website for several weeks, so I have enclosed the transcript or Listen To It!

RUSH: It’s time for the traditional true story of Thanksgiving, as written by me in my second best-seller of 2.5 million copies in hardback: See, I Told You So. “Chapter 6, Dead White guys, or What the History Books Never Told You: The True Story of Thanksgiving — The story of the Pilgrims begins in the early part of the seventeenth century (that’s the 1600s for those of you in Rio Linda, California). The Church of England under King James I was persecuting anyone and everyone who did not recognize its absolute civil and spiritual authority. Those who challenged ecclesiastical authority and those who believed strongly in freedom of worship were hunted down, imprisoned, and sometimes executed for their beliefs. A group of separatists first fled to Holland and established a community.

501st

I recently obtained the latest Del Rely Ballantine book in the Star Wars universe, 501st by Karen Traviss.

Check my website to see what I am reading, have read, or will be reading in the Star Wars Universe at my website.

RIP: Rachel 1995-2009

With great difficulty, I had to let go of Rachel, my faithful canine companion for almost 15 years.

Rachel (1995-2009)

She was diagnosed with liver cancer last year and had responded well to my vet’s holistic treat for the past 15 months.  But, I found out two months ago that the cancer had grown in her liver and spread into one of her kidneys.  The past several months she seem to battled well with new holistic treatments.  However, the cancer slowly won this battle.

I will surely miss her unconditional love every day.