A TIMELY EMAIL

I receive a lot of email with a great many topics that I like to put into the newsletter. Unfortunately, the numbers have grown so, that I have started a blog to accommodate the many ideas that are offered.

Then he pointed to a man who looked to be my age or a little older, for the last question. The man identified himself as a veteran of the Marines. I pictured him as a Nam vet, and it was like seeing one of my old buddies for a brief moment.

The Marine referred to an earlier question on how to teach young people about being “One Nation under God”. He said they need to learn the last verse of the Star Spangled Banner. Then, in strong accapella voice, he belted it out.

At first, people weren’t so quick to realize he planned on singing it all the way through, but you could see everyone stand. When the Marine was done, there wasn’t a dry eye and the crowd gave a resounding cheer as he walked away.

The Star Spangled Banner was written in1814, by Francis Scott Key. He wrote it as a poem, Defense of Fort McHenry. The poem was later put to the tune of John Stafford Smith's song The Anacreontic Song, modified somewhat, and retitled it, The Star Spangled Banner. Congress proclaimed The Star Spangled Banner the U.S. National Anthem in 1931.

There are four verses but the first verse is the only one we sing. There are occasions when the whole song is sung. I’ve been at functions in D.C. and heard it sung by a military choir and it was quite stirring. I remember when I was in grade school in the 50’s, they taught us kids the whole thing and nobody thought to be offended or scarred by the words.

In case your memory is rusty or you were never taught any more than the first verse, here are the words the Marine sang so elegantly.

“O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
Between their lov'd homes and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd 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!”

Apparently, Schools aren’t allowed to say those words. They have to be looking over their shoulders to see who’s listening because there will always be some nitwit who is “offended” by the mention of God. Truthfully, the nitwits offend me with their attacks on the Judeo-Christian heritage of our country.

I remember the second and third verses referencing the scene Francis Scott Key saw, the morning after the attack on Fort McHenry. They are good to hear from time to time but the first and last verse should be sung each time the anthem is sung. I don’t care how tough you say you are, that last verse will put a tear in your eyes, especially by a Marine standing tall and proud.

People bow down to the rules of political correctness because they don’t want to make waves. However, each time this country has faced tough times, collectively we have turned to God. I don’t want to wait for another World War or epic disaster to hear people pray and turn back to God. We are a weak nation having turned away for so long.

It doesn’t have to be that way however. Teach yourself and your children that last verse in the Star Spangled Banner. If you have a chance, sing it in front of others. The fact that the words aren’t the ones they are used to will awaken their senses and they will take notice. Pass along those words to the next guy.

And this be our motto: In God is our trust.

That’s a beautiful line, no matter how it’s sung.

And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
Psalms 9:10

Blessed [is] the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and [that] spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
Jeremiah 17:7-8