AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL
9-2-2004
The following is a poem written by Judge Roy Moore from Alabama. Judge Moore was recently sued by the ACLU for displaying the Ten Commandments in his courtroom foyer. He has been stripped of his judgeship and now they are trying to strip his right to practice law in Alabama.

AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL

America the Beautiful,
or so you used to be.
Land of the Pilgrims' pride;
I'm glad they'll never see.

Babies piled in dumpsters,
Abortion on demand,
Oh, sweet land of liberty,
your house is on the sand.

Our children wander aimlessly
poisoned by cocaine,
Choosing to indulge their lusts,
when God has said abstain.

From sea to shining sea,
our Nation turns away
From the teaching of God's love
and a need to always pray.

We've kept God in our temples,
how callous we have grown.
When earth is but His footstool,
and Heaven is His throne.

We've voted in a government
that's rotting at the core,
Appointing Godless Judges
who throw reason out the door,

Too soft to place a killer
in a well deserved tomb,
But brave enough to kill a baby
before he leaves the womb.

You think that God's not angry,
that our land's a moral slum?
How much longer will He wait
before His judgment comes?

How are we to face our God,
from Whom we cannot hide?
What then is left for us to do,
but stem this evil tide?

If we who are His children,
will humbly turn and pray;
Seek His holy face
and mend our evil way:

Then God will hear from Heaven
and forgive us of our sins,
He'll heal our sickly land
and those who live within.

But, America the Beautiful,
if you don't - then you will see,
A sad but Holy God
withdraw His hand from Thee.

~Judge Roy Moore

Watch Yourself - Don't Jump to Conclusions
5-19-2004

At an airport one night
With several long hours
Before her flight.
She hunted for a book
In an airport shop,
Bought a bag of cookies
And found a place to drop.

She was engrossed in her book
But happened to see,
That the man sitting beside her,
As bold as could be,
Grabbed a cookie or two
From the bag in between,
Which she tried to ignore
To avoid a scene.

So she munched the cookies
And watched the clock,
As the gutsy cookie thief
Diminished her stock.
She was getting more irritated
As the minutes ticked by,
Thinking, "If I wasn't so nice,
I would blacken his eye."

With each cookie she took,
He took one too,
When only one was left,
She wondered what he would do.
With a smile on his face,
And a nervous laugh,
He took the last cookie
And broke it in half.

He offered her half,
As he ate the other,
She snatched it from him
And thought....ooh, brother!
This guy had some nerve
And he's also rude,
Why he didn't even show
Any gratitude!

She had never known
When she been so galled,
And sighed with relief
When her flight was called.
She gathered her belongings
And headed to the gate,
Refusing to look back
At the thieving ingrate.

She boarded the plane,
And sank in her seat,
Then she sought her book,
Which was almost complete.
As she reached in her baggage,
She gasped with surprise,
There was her bag of cookies,
In front of her eyes.

If mine are here,
She moaned in despair,
The others were his,
And he tried to share.
Too late to apologize,
She realized with grief,
That she was the rude one,
- the ingrate, the thief!

How many times have we absolutely known that something was a certain way, only to discover later that what we believed to be true ..... was not? "Always Keep An Open Mind And An Open Heart, Because .......................... You Just Never Know .... "You might be eating someone else's cookies."

Two cars were waiting at a stoplight.   The light turned green, but the man didn't notice it.   A woman in the car behind him is watching traffic pass around them. The woman begins pounding on her steering wheel and yelling at the man to move.   The man doesn't move.

The woman is going ballistic inside her car, ranting and raving at the man, pounding on her steering wheel and dash.   The light turns yellow and the woman begins to blow the car horn, flips him off, and screams profanity and curses at the man.

The man, looks up, sees the yellow light and accelerates through the intersection just as the light turns red.

The woman is beside herself, screaming in frustration as she misses her chance to get through the intersection.   As she is still in mid-rant she hears a tap on her window and looks up into the barrel of a gun held by a very serious looking policeman.

The policeman tells her to shut off her car while keeping both hands in sight.   She complies, speechless at what is happening.   After she shuts off the engine, the policeman orders her to exit her car with her hands up.   She gets out of the car and he orders her to turn and place her hands on her car.   She turns, places her hands on the car roof and quickly is cuffed and hustled into the patrol car.   She is too bewildered by the chain of events to ask any questions and is driven to the police station where she is fingerprinted, photographed, searched, booked and placed in a cell.

After a couple of hours, a policeman approaches the cell and opens the door for her.   She is escorted back to the booking desk where the original officer is waiting with her personal effects.   He hands her the bag containing her things, and says, "I'm really sorry for this mistake. But you see, I pulled up behind your car while youwere blowing your horn, flipping the guy off in front of you, andcussing a blue streak at him.   Then I noticed the:   "Choose Life" license plate holder, the "What Would Jesus Do" bumper sticker, the "Follow Me to Sunday School" bumper sticker, and the chrome plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk.

So, naturally . . . . . . . I assumed you had stolen the car."

An elderly Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life.....

He said to them, "A fight is going on inside me, it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One wolf is evil --- he is fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, competition, superiority, and ego.

The other is good --- he is joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.

This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too".

They thought about it for a minute and then one child asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

A young man is telling his Grandma how everything is going wrong -- school problems, friend problems, family problems, financial problems, severe health problems, etc. Meanwhile, Grandma is baking a cake. She asks her grandson if he would like a snack, which, of course, he does. "Here, have some cooking oil". "Yuck" says the young man. "How about a couple raw eggs?" "Gross, Grandma!" "Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?" "Grandma, those are all yucky!" To which Grandma replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake! God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good. We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!" God is Crazy About You. He sends you flowers every Spring, a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and he chose your heart.

A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks right to the top, rocks about 2" in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full? They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them in to the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks. The students laughed. He asked his students again if the jar was full? They agreed that yes, it was. The professor then picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up every-thing else.

"Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this is like your life. The rocks are the bigger important things - your family, your partner, your health, your children, your religion - anything that is so important to you that if it were lost, would be extremely damaging to you. The pebbles are the other important things in life that matter, but on a smaller scale like your job, house, or car. The sand is everything else, the small stuff (including all entertainment)."

"If you put the sand or the pebbles into the jar first, there is no room for the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your energy and time on the small stuff, material things, you will never have room for the things that are truly most important."

There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, finish the addition, give a dinner party, fix the disposal, or wax the car.

Many people drive themselves nuts and stress themselves out working on and dealing mostly with the pebbles and sand.

Set your priorities. Pay attention to the things that are critical in your life. Play with your children. Take time to exercise and get medical checkups. Take your partner out dancing.

Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter.

I had a drug problem when I was a child and teenager.

I was "drug" to church on Sunday morning.
I was "drug" to church on Sunday night.
I was "drug" to church on Wednesday night.
I was "drug" to Sunday School every week, and
I was "drug" to Vacation Bible School.

I learned something from these drugs.   These "drugs" are still in my veins, and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, and think.   They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin.   If more children had this "drug" problem, America would certainly be a better place.    - - Unknown.

A number of frogs were traveling together through the woods. Two of them fell into a pit and all the other frogs gathered around. When it looked like the two could not jump out, the frogs on top told them that they were as good as dead.

Traveling together the frogs on top needed to wait until the two in the pit either got out or died before they could continue their journey. Quickly becoming impatient they yelled at the two below to give up, quit trying and wasting time; to quit suffering and die.

The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all of their might. The frogs on top kept telling them to give up and stop, that there was no way they could make it and they were as good as dead.

Eventually the situation overcame one of the frogs who took heed to what the others were saying and gave up. He fell down and died. The other frog continued to jump and try to get out. Again the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and eventually, finding better footing and getting hold of some roots near the top, finally clawed his way out.

The other frogs were stunned. They congratulated him and explained how amazed they were that he could get out of there. They admitted they were wrong and apologized for discouraging him and then realized that they had to use sign language to communicate - learning that he was deaf.

He expressed his deep gratitude for their sustaining support and encouragement. - - - HE THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE ALL CHEERING HIM ON THE WHOLE TIME.

The lesson:

THERE IS THE POWER OF LIFE AND DEATH IN THE TONGUE.
- - An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day. A destructive word to someone who is down can be the push over the edge. Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path. Anyone can speak words that can rob another of the spirit to push forward in difficult times. Special is the individual who will take the time to encourage another, or hold his tongue when irritated.

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Corvette. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Vet's side door! He slammed on the brakes and drove the Vette back to the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing! That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?" The young boy was apologetic. "Please, mister . . .please, I'm sorry . . .I didn't know what else to do," he pleaded. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop. . ." With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. "It's my brother," he said, "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up." Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's to heavy for me." Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out his fancy handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. "Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful child told the stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy push his weelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long, slow walk back to the Corvette. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the screwed up door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention! God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice: Listen to the whisper . . .or wait for the brick!

My alarm went off -- it was Sunday again;
I was tired -- it was my one day to sleep in.
But the guilt I'd have felt the rest of the day
Would have been too much, so I'd go; I'd pray.

I showered and shaved, adjusted suit and tie,
Got there and swung into a pew just in time.
Bowing my head in humble prayer
Before I closed my eyes,
I saw that the shoe of the man next to me
Was touching my own and I sighed.

With plenty of room on either side, I thought,
"Why do our soles have to touch?"
It bothered me so; he was glued to my shoe,
But it didn't seem to bother him much.

Then the prayer began: "Heavenly Father, "someone said - -
But I thought, "Does this man with the shoes have no pride?"
They were dusty, worn, scratched end to end.
What's worse, there were holes on the side!

"Thank you for blessings," the prayer went on.
The shoe man said a quiet "Amen."
I tried to focus on the prayer,
But my thoughts were on his shoes again.

Aren't we supposed to look our best when walking through that door?
"Well, this certainly isn't it," I thought, glancing toward the floor.

Then the prayer ended and songs of praise began.
The shoe man was loud, sounding proud as he sang.
He lifted the rafters; his hands raided high;
The Lord surely heard his voice from the sky.

Then the offering was passed; what I threw in was steep.
The shoe man reached into his pockets, so deep,
And I tried to see what he pulled out to put in,
Then I heard a soft "clink," as when silver hits tin.

The sermon bored me to tears - - and no lie - -
It was the same for the shoe man,
For tears fell from his eyes.

At the end of the service, as is custom here,
We must greet the visitors and show them good cheer.
But I was moved inside to want to meet this man,
So after the closing, I shook his hand.

He was old, his skin dark, his hair a mess.
I thanked him for coming, for being our guest,
He said, "My name's Charlie, glad to meet you, my friend,"
And there were tears in his eyes - - but he had a wide grin.

"Let me explain," he said, wiping his eyes. "I've been
coming for months, and you're the first to say, "Hi."
I know I don't look like all the rest,
But I always try to look my best."
"I polish my shoes before my long walk,
But by the time I get here they're as dirty as chalk."

My heart fell to my knees, but I held back my tears,
He continued, "And I must apologize for sitting so near."
"But I know when I get here, I must look a sight.
And I thought - - if I touched you, our souls might unite."

I was silent for a moment knowing anything I said
Would be pale in comparison,
So I spoke from my heart not my head.

"Oh, you've touched me," I said. "And taught me, in part,
That the best of a man is what's in his heart."
The rest, I thought, this man will never know . . .
How thankful I am that he touched my soul!

"Tomorrow morning," the surgeon began, "I'll open up your heart..." "You'll find Jesus there," the boy interrupted. The surgeon looked up, paused, "I'll cut your heart open," he continued, "to see how much damage has been done..." "when you open up my heart, you'll find Jesus in there." The surgeon looked to the parents, who sat quietly. "When I see how much damage has been done, I'll sew your heart and chest backup and I'll plan what to do next." "But you'll find Jesus in my heart. The Bible says He lives there. The hymns all say He lives there…… …… you'll find Him in my heart." The surgeon a little perturbed continued. "I'll tell you what I'll find in your heart. I'll find damaged muscle, low blood supply,and weakened vessels. And I'll find out if I can make you well." "You'll also find Jesus there. He lives there." The surgeon left. Afterwards the surgeon sat in his office recording his notes from the surgery - on tape, saying: "...damaged aorta, damaged pulmonary vein, widespread muscle degeneration. No hope for transplant, no hope for cure. Therapy: painkillers and bed rest. Prognosis," here he paused, "death, within one year." He stopped the recorder, but, was puzzled and disturbed like never before. "Why?" he asked aloud. "Why did You do this? You've put him here; You put him here, and cursed him to an early death. Why?" The surgeon felt an answer, "The boy, My lamb, was not meant for your flock for long, for he is a part of My flock,and will forever be. Here, in My flock, he will feel no pain, and will be comforted as you cannot imagine. His parents will one day join him here, and they will know peace, and My flock will continue to grow." The surgeon's eyes swelled, his heart was expanding, but still puzzled and even angry, questioned: "You created that boy, and You created that heart. He'll be dead in months. Why?!" Another answer came: "The boy, My lamb, shall return to My flock, for he has done his duty; I did not put My lamb with your flock to lose him, but to retrieve another lost lamb." The surgeon wept more than ever. During the next visit with the boy, the surgeon sat on the side of the boy's bed; the boy's parents sat across from him. The boy awoke and whispered, "Did you cut open my heart?" Yes," said the surgeon. "What did you find?" asked the boy. Said the surgeon: "I found Jesus there."

"How fragile life, how certain death. We do not know when we will be required to leave this mortal existence. And so I ask, 'What are we doing with today?' If we live only for tomorrow, we'll have a lot of empty yesterdays today. Have we been guilty of declaring, 'I've been thinking about making some course corrections in my life. I plan to take the first step -- tomorrow'? With such thinking, tomorrow is forever. Such tomorrows rarely come unless we do something about them today.

"Because life is fragile and death inevitable, we must make the most of each day. . . . "My brothers and sisters, may we resolve from this day forward to fill our hearts with love. May we go the extra mile to include in our lives any who are lonely or downhearted or who are suffering in any way. May we 'cheer up the sad and make someone feel glad' (Hymns, no. 223).

May we live so that when that final summons is heard, we may have no serious regrets, no unfinished business, but will be able to say with the Apostle Paul, 'I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith' (2Tim. 4:7)."

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence? Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated. But, they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags. Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward. Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton. At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr, noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt. Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months. John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart. Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates. Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more. Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged: "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor." They gave you and me a free and independent America. The history books never told you a lot about what happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn't fight just the British. We were British subjects at that time and we fought our own government! Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn't. So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid. Remember freedom is never free! I hope you will show your support by sharing this with as many people as you can. It's time we get the word out that patriotism is NOT a sin, and the Fourth of July has more to it than beer, picnics, and baseball games.

I ASKED GOD
1. I asked God to send me his friends...He sent you.
2. I asked God to take away my pain. God said, No. It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.
3. I asked God to make my handicapped child whole. God said, No. His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary.
4. I asked God to grant me patience. God said, No. Patience is a by-product of tribulations; it isn't granted, it is earned.
5. I asked God to give me happiness. God said, No. I give you blessings, happiness is up to you.
6. I asked God to spare me pain. God said, No. Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me.
7. I asked God to make my spirit grow. God said, No. You must grow on your own, but I will prune you to make you fruitful.
8. I asked for all things that I might enjoy life. God said, No. I will give you life so that you may enjoy all things.
9. I asked God to help me LOVE others as much as He loves me. God said..............Ahhh, finally! you have the idea.

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four year old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, his steps faltered. The family ate together at the table. But, the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled onto the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. "We must do something about Grandfather," said the son. "I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating , and food on the floor." So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There the Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl. When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometime he had a tear in his eyes as he sat alone. Still the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four year old watched it all in silence. One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?" Just as sweetly the boy responded, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food when I grow up." The four year old smiled and went back to work. The words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled or the tablecloth spoiled.

On a positive note. I've learned that no matter what happens, how bad it seems today, life goes on, and it will be better tomorrow. I've learned you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree light. I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life. I've learned that making a "living" is no;t the same thing as making a "life." I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back. I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But, if you focus on your family, your friends, the need of others, your work and doing the best you can; happiness will find you. I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one! I've learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone. People love that human touch-holding hand, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the shoulder.

Sometimes they just need a little something to make them smile. People will forget what you said . . . people will forget what you did . . . BUT, people will never forget how you made them feel.

Mothers
Once upon a time there was a child ready to be born. The child asked God, "They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?" God replies, "Among the many angels, I chose one for you. Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you." The child further inquired, "But tell me, here in heaven I don't have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy." God said, "Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you everyday. And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy." Again the child asked, "And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don't know the language?" God said, "Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak." "And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?" God said, "Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray." "I've heard that on Earth there are bad men. Who will protect me?" God said, "Your angel will defend you even if it means risking it's life." "But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore." God said, "Your angel will always talk to you about me and will teach you the way to come back to me, even though I will always be next to you." At that moment there was much peace in heaven, but voices from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, "God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel's name." Her name is not important. You will simply call her Mom." How sacred the name of Mother is. This brought tears to my eyes. Brothers this would be a wonderful thing to send to your Mother's for that special day in May that is set aside to honor mothers.