Touch someone's heart whenever you can.
Taste all that life has to offer.
Smell the roses.
Hear the nice things that others have to say.
See the beauty inside everyone.
--Author Unknown
Monday, April 30, 2007
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Star-Spangled Banner
A recent poll found that two out of three American adults don't know all of the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner"--and many don't even know which song is our National Anthem or why it is written. Where did the people who do know the words say they learned "The Star-Spangled Banner" and other Patriotic music? At school!
Let me tell you a little bit in a short story about the history of our flag and the Star-Spangled Banner which was written by Francis Scott Key, after he witnessed a British attack during the war.
An eerie silence fell across the early morning darkness on the morning of Sept. 14, 1814, and it was the first time in more than 18 hours that things had been quiet. The previous day more than 1,800 bombs, cannonballs, and the new Congreve rockets had lit the sky. and shattered the peaceful harbor. From the deck of his sloop behind the enemy fleet a young man breathed a sigh of relief. "Did you see it still there?" he may have asked his friends.
His friends knew to what Francis Key was referring. The men had strained their eyes through the darkness of night for the last several hours to get a glimpse of the American flag that flew from Fort McHenry. The flag was 30 feet high and 40 feet wide. But as darkness had fallen, the only time the flag could be seen was during those seconds when it was momentarily lit by bombs the enemy hurled at the small fort. As long as the men and their companion Colonel John Skinner could see the flag flying, they knew there was still hope that their Nation had survived.
The invasion by the British soldiers continued, and it did not look promising for the 16 United States of America. The British ground troops afforded the opportunity to position themselves for one final, crushing assault. Now and then a brief flicker of light from an exploding rocket would reveal what Mr. Key thought might be that hugh flag still flying proudly over Fort McHenry. Maybe he even caught himself anticipating, even hoping for another billiant flash of light from the enemy rockets. He stopped himself, realizing that the same explosions that lit the skies to reveal the flag and allay his fears, rained death on the men who fought to keep that flag flying.
So intense was the final bombardment that the early morning dawn was filled with smoke, and the odor of burned gunpowder. So thick was the curtain of smoke, even the morning sunshine could not reveal whether or not the flag still waved. The quiet returned. The men watched as the British ships began to withdraw. Had the fort, badly weakened by the enemy bombardment finally fallen to the British ground troops?
The sloop(ship) alone in the bay, the men look fearfully towards the shoreline. A breeze began to move across the water's surface and the smoke of the battle began to shift ever so slightly to reveal patches of blue sky. In the distant blue there appeared new colors--red, white, and blue. What a welcome site, hearts swelled with hope, and pride in the men who so valiantly fought through the night to keep that flag flying.
Reaching into his pocket Francis Scott Key withdrew an envelope, and began to write:
"O, say! can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' 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 thro' 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?"
Mr. Key never knew that his poem would later be our National Anthem. It was not officially recognized as such until 1931.
Let me tell you a little bit in a short story about the history of our flag and the Star-Spangled Banner which was written by Francis Scott Key, after he witnessed a British attack during the war.
An eerie silence fell across the early morning darkness on the morning of Sept. 14, 1814, and it was the first time in more than 18 hours that things had been quiet. The previous day more than 1,800 bombs, cannonballs, and the new Congreve rockets had lit the sky. and shattered the peaceful harbor. From the deck of his sloop behind the enemy fleet a young man breathed a sigh of relief. "Did you see it still there?" he may have asked his friends.
His friends knew to what Francis Key was referring. The men had strained their eyes through the darkness of night for the last several hours to get a glimpse of the American flag that flew from Fort McHenry. The flag was 30 feet high and 40 feet wide. But as darkness had fallen, the only time the flag could be seen was during those seconds when it was momentarily lit by bombs the enemy hurled at the small fort. As long as the men and their companion Colonel John Skinner could see the flag flying, they knew there was still hope that their Nation had survived.
The invasion by the British soldiers continued, and it did not look promising for the 16 United States of America. The British ground troops afforded the opportunity to position themselves for one final, crushing assault. Now and then a brief flicker of light from an exploding rocket would reveal what Mr. Key thought might be that hugh flag still flying proudly over Fort McHenry. Maybe he even caught himself anticipating, even hoping for another billiant flash of light from the enemy rockets. He stopped himself, realizing that the same explosions that lit the skies to reveal the flag and allay his fears, rained death on the men who fought to keep that flag flying.
So intense was the final bombardment that the early morning dawn was filled with smoke, and the odor of burned gunpowder. So thick was the curtain of smoke, even the morning sunshine could not reveal whether or not the flag still waved. The quiet returned. The men watched as the British ships began to withdraw. Had the fort, badly weakened by the enemy bombardment finally fallen to the British ground troops?
The sloop(ship) alone in the bay, the men look fearfully towards the shoreline. A breeze began to move across the water's surface and the smoke of the battle began to shift ever so slightly to reveal patches of blue sky. In the distant blue there appeared new colors--red, white, and blue. What a welcome site, hearts swelled with hope, and pride in the men who so valiantly fought through the night to keep that flag flying.
Reaching into his pocket Francis Scott Key withdrew an envelope, and began to write:
"O, say! can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' 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 thro' 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?"
Mr. Key never knew that his poem would later be our National Anthem. It was not officially recognized as such until 1931.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Friends/Friendship
What is friendship? Friendship is the evidence you portray in what kind of friend you really are. Friendship is a term used to denote co-operative and supportive behavior between two or more humans. Friends will welcome each other's company and exhibit loyalty towards each other, often to the point of altruism. (Altruism is selfless concern for the welfare of others.) Their tastes will usually be similar and may converge, they will share enjoyable activities. Friends will engage in mutually helping behavior, such as exchange of advice and the sharing of hardship. A friend is someone who may often demonstrate reciprocating and reflective behaviors. Friendship is nothing more than the trust that someone or something will not harm them. Value that is found in friendships is often the result a friend demonstrating the desire what is best for the other, sympathy and empathy, honesty, in situations where it may be difficult for others to speak the truth, and mutual understanding.
Friendship is considered to be closer than acquaintanceship, although there is a range of degrees in both friendship and acquaintances.
David and Jonathan were heroic figures of the Kingdom of Israel, whose friendship was recorded favorably in the Old Testament in the books of Samuel.
Friendship can be mistaken for comradeship. Comradeship is the feeling of affinity that draws people together in time of war. In wartime comradeship, is confused with friendship. Wartime always brings with it this comradeship, which is the opposite of friendship. As a war ends, enemy recedes, comrades return to being strangers, who lack friendship and have little in common.
"Fair weather friend" is a friend who supports others only when it is easy and convenient to do so.
"True friend" supports their own friends through emotional difficulties. The true friend often sacrifices something of his or her own (usually their time and resources) in order to help the friend in need. True friends are known to be very rare. A true friend may not be your best friend but someone who you know will be there for you.
"Best friends" is a friend to whom one feels closest. Best friend relationship can often be complex.
--Patti Hallford
There are 49 verses found in the Bible.
A friend loveth at all times... Prov. 17:17
A man that hath friends must show himself friendly; and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Prov. 18:24
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.John 15:13
Friendship is considered to be closer than acquaintanceship, although there is a range of degrees in both friendship and acquaintances.
David and Jonathan were heroic figures of the Kingdom of Israel, whose friendship was recorded favorably in the Old Testament in the books of Samuel.
Friendship can be mistaken for comradeship. Comradeship is the feeling of affinity that draws people together in time of war. In wartime comradeship, is confused with friendship. Wartime always brings with it this comradeship, which is the opposite of friendship. As a war ends, enemy recedes, comrades return to being strangers, who lack friendship and have little in common.
"Fair weather friend" is a friend who supports others only when it is easy and convenient to do so.
"True friend" supports their own friends through emotional difficulties. The true friend often sacrifices something of his or her own (usually their time and resources) in order to help the friend in need. True friends are known to be very rare. A true friend may not be your best friend but someone who you know will be there for you.
"Best friends" is a friend to whom one feels closest. Best friend relationship can often be complex.
--Patti Hallford
There are 49 verses found in the Bible.
A friend loveth at all times... Prov. 17:17
A man that hath friends must show himself friendly; and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Prov. 18:24
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.John 15:13
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