A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....10-28-03...God Bless the USA ~ Lift Every Voice

Billie | various

[Billie]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Mama_Bear, dansangel, dutchess, Aquamarine ~

Lee Greenwood wrote those words in a song in 1983 to bring people together. In the introduction of his booklet entitled "God Bless the USA", which includes a CD of that song, he also wrote:

"I'm sometimes overwhelmed by this vast nation and wish I could see how America will change in the next one hundred years. As long as we continue to dream, create inventions, and solve the challenges of an ever-expanding population, we will have the power to create a better society. But it is inevitable that the freedom, liberty, and can-do attitude that characterize us will be challenged, sometimes in ways that leave us no choice but to defend ourselves and the land we love. It happened in 1941 at Pearl Harbor and again in 2001 at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon."

Through the years countless songs have been written and words spoken that celebrate the breadth of the American experience. Recalling a few, who can dispute the simplicity and beauty of such words as these:

~ from "America", by Samuel Francis Smith ~

"My country, 'tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing:
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims' pride,
From every mountainside
Let freedom ring."





~ from "America the Beautiful"
words by Katherine Lee Bates Martin
music by Samuel Ward ~

America! America!
God mend thine ev'ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control
Thy liberty in law."




~ Martin Luther King's American Dream ~

"I have a dream that one day...the sons of
former slaves and the sons of former slave
owners will be able to sit down together
at the table of brotherhood...I have a dream
that my four little children will one day
live in a nation where they will not be
judged by the color of their skin but by
the content of their character."




~ from Alistair Cooke ~

"It has always been cited as an irrepressible
symptom of America's vitality that her people,
in fair times and foul, believe in themselves
and their institutions."





~ from "The People, Yes", by Carl Sandburg ~

"The free man is willing to pay and struggle and die
for the freedom for himself and others
Knowing how far to subject himself to discipline
and obedience for the sake of an ordered society....
This free man is a rare bird and when you meet
him take a good look at him and try to figure him
out because some day when the United States of
this earth gets going and runs smooth and pretty
there will be more of him than we have now."

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 10-27-03 Military Monday

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

Click on the photo to view the album. To
submit your photo, please contact dansangel or .45Man
at
danbh59@yahoo.com
and include Freeper Photo Album in subject line.

[ladtx]

Good mornin' Pippin. How's things up your way?

[SerpentDove]

MeeknMing and deadhead's dads are on my site! (Just up yesterday.)

CLICK HERE

Anyone else interested, please FReepmail me or visit the site!

THX

SD

[Pippin]

Good Morning Free!

[Pippin]

Great! :O)

[Pippin]

Neat!

[LadyX]

A special Good Morning to you, Donaeus, and we will be lifting up your Marine friend, Jim, this day.
We ask God to guide the surgeons to a successful outcome for this fourth stomach surgery, and for God to hold Jim in His loving hands.

This need I added as well to the beautiful thread for Little Logan, entitled Prayer Request for a Tiny Baby - a preemie weighing under two pounds when born in August, who through God's mercy is now home and thriving!
The thread now has 5, 210 replies...

Last night I mentioned on it to Humidston Logan needs one of those Glow Worms we had for our children, and another poster picked up on that - extended it to the fact now Logan is our Glow Worm for Jesus!!
The story of this litle one has touched the lives of hundreds in a significant and positive way.

The thread addresses many other medical needs, and Jim will be lifted up all over our America The Beautiful, thanks to you, Donaeus.

[Donaeus]

Good morning Pippin :) Thanks, it's great to be here.

[LadyX]

Thank you for the wonderful graphic, Rus . . hope your friend is holding his own, and improving.

[SerpentDove]

Thanks

:-)))

[Aquamarine]

Great layout Billie!
May God bless the brave soldiers who are working so hard all over the world to preserve the freedom we enjoy so much here in this great country.

God Bless The USA

[The Mayor]

My wife is meeting with his wife today so I should have an update later. Last I knew he was holding his own.
Still in a coma but the doctors were cutting back on the meds to try and bring him around.

[DollyCali]

I KNOW YOU KNOW I am interested.. when I find the PIX..

grrrr...

such disorganization, you CANNOT imagine..

[Billie]

Greetings all.

I promised to keep you updated on my daughter, Holly. She has just graduated Air Force Basic Military Training, So here goes.

My son and I spent 4 days in TX for her BMT graduation. A curious series of events made the whole trip possible.

We made it to the Parade Ground early and without incident. The ceremony was really something to see and hear. I had seen Holly's HS marching band and was very impressed, but Holy Cow! The Air Force band was jaw-dropping good. Holly's flight(the "Wolf Pack" how appropriate for a MN kid!) had the honor of carrying the Flags of the US. All the States, Territories, etc.. She ended up carrying the Wisconsin flag. I have a great photo of her carrying it. Believe me, she was raised a Vikings fan and the photo of her carrying the state flag of the hated Packers will earn her lifelong ribbing.

My first question to her was "Any regrets?". "None. I love it.". That was pretty much the answer I got from every airman I asked.

We toured the barracks and that is when I first started to hear from families and TIs what a great airman my kid was. I must admit the one thing I was dying to hear was if she got her Marksmanship ribbon. 40 rounds. Need to get 35 on target. She was 32 out of 35 when her M-16 jammed. She was pretty peaved, and still is, about that.

Her orders, as of today, are to report to the DLI and begin her language training. She was lamenting how she was just beginning to feel at home and comfortable now has to ship-out. I reminded her that she will be living in Monterey CA for quite some time. She's psyched!

I have to say, my whole experience left me with a huge smile! I have no doubt the best US ambassadors to the world are our military.

I could go on for ever, but I hate typing.

Thank you, God! I am truly a blessed man.

p.s. photos as soon as I get them scanned.

114 posted on 10/27/2003 6:39 PM CST by Spruce

Spruce, I wanted to bring your post from last night over to today's thread, because this also seems a most appropriate post for today. Thank you for the update on your daughter, and 'thank your daughter FOR us' for what she's giving to her country.

I have no doubt the best US ambassadors to the world are our military.

Agree! I love this quote.

[Billie]

Good morning, Rus, and thank you for another inspirational message *hidden* in your coffee cup. :)

[Billie]

Hi, there - nice to see you here early today. Keep us posted on Jim's surgery.

[SerpentDove]

Hee hee

[Billie]

Still love that slideshow. Beautiful!

[DollyCali]

BTW SDove.. I do love your website. I went there last night when you emailed me the link...

I better hurry and find those pictures or you will be overwhelmed with requests & wont have time for me !

[Billie]

Good morning, ladtx. I also thought today's post was appropriate for another of your Vietnam tributes to your fallen comrades. God Bless these five brave men's families. Thank you for doing this bonus tribute today.

[Billie]

I also had a couple of 'server errors' earlier - guess FR had the hiccups for a while. ;)