Verse Two

We sing this song quite often in our family, partly because we attend sporting events every time we turn around. But rarely do we see (or sing) the second verse. 

O thus be it ever 
   when free men shall stand
Between their loved homes 
   and the war’s desolation;
Blest with victory and peace, 
   may the heav’n-rescued land
Praise the Pow’r that hath made
   and preserved 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.

Our nation has never been perfect (because it is made up of imperfect people). But it was founded on the One whose perfection surrounds us every day. He loves all of us  throughout the world in spite of our flaws. And He wants more than anything to have a personal relationship with us. He, alone, brings true peace. He, alone, brings true freedom. He, alone, is the true source of love for our neighbors. We owe our lives to Him, alone. 

God, bless America, land that I love. Stand beside her and guide her through the night with the light from above! 

John Bukaty

My America (I Still Believe)

This week we celebrate America. She is a wonderful country — the best. Danny Gokey has a great song I’d like to share. Here are the lyrics and the link to play it. 

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D0ei6R3ryIYQ%26pp%3DygUII2FtcmlrYWE%253D&sa=U&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwiU7YrH05uOAxWX38kDHSOUGs8QwqsBegQIExAE&usg=AOvVaw320PUG1osn2JVCzZJ-6kqM

I hear them say, "Our country's far too gone"
Even claim, "Our fathers got it wrong"
But I won't give up on us, and I'll take a stand
'Cause we can overcome, this is not the end

I still believe in us, oh, America
You're still the land I love, though a little bruised up
Stars and Stripes still cry liberty
Over evil over tyranny
Blood poured out for our freedom
They sacrificed it all for this nation
I still believe in us, my America

Our history is full of bravery
Heroes fought for our equality
Now is the time to make peace and forgive our faults
Because united we stand or divided we will fall

I still believe in us, my America
You're still the land I love, though a little bruised up
Stars and Stripes still cry liberty
Over evil, over tyranny
Blood poured out for our freedom
Sacrificed it all for this nation
I still believe in us

America, America
God shed His grace on thee
And crowned thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea

I'll always believe in us, my America
This is the land I love, but we gotta heal up
Lady Liberty will always be a sign of hope unto the refugee
The immigrant can find escape from oppression to a better place

I still believe in us
I still believe in us
I still believe in us
My America
Our America

LORD, Bless our country. Bless our people. Heal us. May we be your beacon of light to the world. 

Image Credit: TZIDO SUN/Shutterstock.com

Lightning in a Bottle

When you were a kid, did you catch lightning bugs and put them in a jar?

rjostudio.Etsy.com

Did you call them lightning bugs or fireflies?

I can remember the lightning bugs at my grandfather’s house in the summer. They were everywhere. We used to love to catch them. Sometimes we would let them crawl up a finger to the tip, spread their wings and fly. 

It was a part of what we did in the summer outside after dark — play kick the can, play hide and seek and catch lightning bugs. 

Did you know that they are actually a type of beetle? I think that’s creepy. I would have never allowed them to crawl on me had I known!

And did you know why they light up? It’s the girls’ way of finding a boy — turning their abdomens fluorescent yellow!

I hadn’t seen any around here for quite some time but I hadn’t really thought about it until last weekend when we were out in the country after dark. There they were. They say that all the lights in the city keep lightning bugs away because they can’t communicate well with each other unless it’s dark. Sorry little bugs!

LORD, you sure had a vivid imagination when you created lightning bugs because they are funny looking little things. Regardless, they have brought joy to many a child over the years. And for that I thank you. 

We Praise You God, Our Creator

What is the purpose of creation?

According to Genesis, while God was creating the heavens and the earth and the waters and the dry land and the daylight and the darkness, he also created Adam. But he thought Adam looked lonely. So he made critters for him. Then He realized the animals didn’t really fill the void in Adam’s life, so He created Eve. 

I think God gave us all of creation for our enjoyment, satisfaction and fulfillment. But I don’t think He intended for us to idolize any of it. He wanted us to look at all this cool stuff around us and to be reminded of Him, the Creator. 

Take The Mona Lisa, for instance. It’s an interesting work of art, to be sure. Great hosts of people visit the Louvre in Paris every year in order to see it in person. But they know the Mona Lisa didn’t paint herself. Leonardo da Vinci did. She is his handiwork. He gets all the glory for how wonderful she is. 

Henry Van Dyke penned the words to “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” in 1907. His second verse hits the nail on the head:

All Thy works with joy surround Thee,
Earth and Heaven reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee,
Center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
Flowery meadow, flashing sea,
Singing bird and flowing fountain
Call us to rejoice in Thee. 

We see this concept in the New Testament as well. 

And some of the Pharisees in the multitude said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭19‬:‭39‬-‭40‬ ‭RSV

Make no mistake about it. God thought we would enjoy all the things He created. But he wants us to worship Him as a result. 

LORD, thank you for creating the earth and the sky and the sun and the moon and the stars and the mountains and the waters and the plants and the animals and the people. It is all so fascinating. Help us to be mindful of your creation this week and to quickly give you all the praise and glory for its perfection. 

Rain, Rain, Go Away

What do you do when it rains on your wedding ceremony?

Stock Photo by Emma Naylor Photography

Some say that rain on your wedding day brings good luck and can actually be very romantic. 

When we married in July 1982, it was very hot. Our ceremony was in the nicely air-conditioned First Baptist Church in Bowling Green. We had our own little wedding shower that day. I don’t believe in “luck” and everything about our wedding was already romantic. But I can definitively say that our lives together started out really “steamy!”

This is wedding season. And rain moved across the bluegrass this evening. So for those who tied the knot in this mess, I have this to say. “Look for the rainbow!”

God created the rainbow as a sign of promise. He made a covenant with Noah that never again would He destroy the earth by flood. He has kept that promise for a very long time. 

Rainbows show us vivid, almost electric colors. They show us God’s majesty. They remind us of His love. Even after a wedding shower rainbows declare that there is hope in the Lord. 

LORD, thank you for giving us your covenant of marriage. Thank you for your well-kept promises for our provision. And when we experience a storm, thank you for your rainbow!

Where is Everybody Going?

My father-in-law used to say this sometimes when we were on the road, referring to all the other vehicles. “Don’t you wonder where all these people are going?”

I had occasion to sit on a bench tonight beside a silo out in the middle of nowhere. I heard several different sounds, none of them made by a human. 

• squawking, cooing and melodious birds
• the occasional honk of a goose 
• buzzing little stinging things, fluttering pesky things (at least there were no cicadas)
• an occasional barking dog way in the distance 
• Jet planes way overhead 
• about 20 cars on the little country road 

As I sat there taking in all the sounds around me, I was jolted back to reality by several cars coming down the lane together. Where could so many cars possibly be going on this remote little road?

It turns out that they were all coming to the barn where I was sitting. Once they all arrived, no more cars came along. And then I started hearing laughter and squeals as those who had arrived greeted each other. 

All these people knew exactly where they were going — to a very specific celebration in honor of a very special friend. 

Will heaven be like that? I know that I’m going there. When I arrive, I will celebrate my very special friend and Savior, Jesus Christ. And I will never stop. 

If you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus and are interested in learning more about it, let me know. I’ll be glad to explain the simplicity of it. 

Pray for James

I have a friend who told me recently about her brother, James. You should see her eyes when she talks about him. They dance. She clearly loves and respects this man as well she should. 

Growing up he was the man of the house, taking upon himself to care for his mother and his sister. 

Later he joined the military and did multiple tours of duty, just recently coming home to his wife and two young boys. Like many veterans, he shied away from the spotlight when his hometown celebrated his homecoming. Humility runs through his veins. 

He recently started a massive project, building a house out in the country for his family. That undertaking has now been put on hold. 

A couple of weeks ago, James went on a trail ride with a group of friends. I’m not sure exactly what happened but something spooked his mount and he took him for a horrifying run which culminated in James being thrown to the grown. 

His pre-teen son was one of the first to reach his side. And there he stayed until his dad regained consciousness and they loaded him up for transport to a hospital. The accident was in such a remote area that it took medical personnel hours to extract him by placing his stretcher on a side-by-side and walking him to the main highway. His son ran ahead to flag down the ambulance with a flashlight, for by this time it had grown quite dark. 

I can’t imagine getting the phone call my friend received. James had been rushed to the operating room for emergency surgery to remove his obliterated spleen. He had, of course, suffered a concussion and had also broken most of his ribs. 

I also can’t imagine being so far away from my sibling or my son in a situation like this. 

Both my friend and her mother do not live close to him or to his hospital. And what about his wife and children?! She has been beside him the whole time. And the boys? Goodness!

James was initially only in the hospital for a few days and then he was discharged to his home. His discomfort did not subside, however, and eventually his abdominal pain became unbearable. Now after a second surgery he is resting in the hospital until he can get more stable. 

With the approval of my friend, I’m relating James’ story so that I can request your prayers. We are too far away from him to do anything “tangible” to help him or his family. But we can lift this brave young man and his family up to the Lord. Here are some things for which to pray:

• for James’ favorable response to antibiotics
• for his vital signs to stabilize 
• for his strength to return
• for his medical team
• for his wife and his mother as they juggle their time between him and his boys 
• for my friend as she keeps working and waiting for news about her brother
• for James’ two sons

I don’t know James but in my mind I can visualize his helpless 6’6” frame lying in the hospital bed. I can imagine his saying, “I survived 5 tours of duty to be nearly killed by a horse.”

LORD, Bless James and his family. Bless the medical team caring for him. Bless the men who have committed to finishing his house for him. Help us to remember to pray for him. We thank you for his life. We thank you for his future. Grant him health.