Category: Uncategorized

Happy Fathers’ Day to all the fathers out there! I thought I take a minute today to share with y’all about my father.

My Dad is a child of the Great Depression. He served his country in the Army in WWII, after which he married his childhood sweetheart and raised three boys. He and Mom have been married for 67 years this past May.

Dad is in his late eighties now. He doesn’t hear so well anymore. He’s all but lost the use of one arm, and one leg seems to be deserting him too, but if you met him, you’d never know it. As far as he’s concerned, he has a great life. He is happy and uncomplaining, content with whatever God has left for him.

I have many fond memories of my Dad, but one sticks out today: whenever we would take a family trip—he always drove, no matter how far our destination—before we made it to the end of our street, he had his rosary in his hand to pray. Isn’t it funny how we never got lost, had an accident, or a bad trip? He always trusts in the God that made him for everything in his life, but also for that of his wife, his boys, and his grandchildren. He may doze off while saying his rosary these days (he prays it every day), but I have no doubt that after a long life of following the Lord, he probably prays in his sleep.

My Dad taught us boys about stability, honesty, hard work, and cutting the other person some slack. But mostly, he taught us about God. He presented to us an icon of our Father in Heaven so that we would never fear to go to Him with our cares.

Thanks Dad, and Happy Fathers’ Day!

In case you forgot, today is Flag Day. The history of this holiday goes back to June 14, 1777 when Congress authorized the Stars and Stripes as the official symbol of the United States.

In 1885, a schoolteacher in Wisconsin placed a flag in his one-room schoolhouse to teach the children about their country and its flag. This teacher called June 14 the Flag’s Birthday. President Woodrow Wilson officially proclaimed the anniversary of the “flag resolution” of 1777 in 1916. It was President Harry Truman who signed the resolution formally declaring June 14 as Flag Day.

Isn’t Independence Day the birthday of America? Why all the fuss about the flag today? Well, because the 4^th of July and Flag Day celebrate two different things: Independence Day celebrates the birth of our nation and the brave men and women who founded it. Flag Day celebrates our national symbol, the symbol of what’s best in our nation and what it can become.

Today our flag wears a constellation of fifty stars: separate and unique, but united, they float in a sky of blue signifying justice and freedom. There are thirteen stripes, one for each of the founding colonies. Seven in red for courage, born and defended by blood. Six in white for purity and hope.

It is fashionable today to disparage America and patriotic feelings. I think that stems from a deficient education in history and civics, something that used to be part of every child’s youth. However, I also think it stems from a sense of entitlement arising in recent generations who do not know what their liberty and freedom have cost in blood and treasure, and who do not realize that there are those who would sacrifice everything to preserve it. They lack a fundamental understanding that since its founding, the United States of America has been, and continues to be, the land of freedom and opportunity for masses of the world’s population. You need only look around your neighborhood to see faces of different colors, religions, and nationalities that chose to live here for the freedom and opportunity they are afforded. Even if they are not yet citizens nor have any intention of becoming citizens, they still recognize the hope they have here.

So today, get your flag out of the closet and hang it outside for everyone to see. May it remind you that you live in the very best place on earth. And if you’re inclined to focus on the many problems we face in our country today, just look at the flag and remember the improbable nature of our nation’s birth. Surely, a country so blessed by God can overcome anything with His help.

Happy Flag Day!

Chewing Glass will participate in a Day of Silence, in solidarity with bloggers across the country, in order to protest the recent Maryland court ruling in the Aaron Walker case. Hot Air has a good summary with links at their site.

The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees the freedom of speech. When anyone is allowed to intimidate another to abate their exercise of this right, especially when governmental bodies collaborate in that intimidation, it is the duty of us all to protest.