Dear Friends, the boy in the image above was reading the Declaration of Independence emblazoned on the wall of the Jefferson Memorial when I visited there in October 2007. He represents our future.
Keith Carradine wrote and published this song below eight years ago.
I still identify with every one of his sentiments today.
I suggest that you read these lyrics carefully then listen to this powerful song sung by people all over the United States. They would identify with his sentiments as well.
Then spend some time to reflect this weekend on the future of our children and our country and let us ask ourselves what we doing to help re-birth America.
BORN AGAIN AMERICAN By Keith Carradine
Just a workin’ man without a job It got shipped off to China via Washington, D.C. And I know I’m nothin’ special, there are plenty more like me Just the same I thought I knew the rules of the game
I stood up for this country that I love I came back from the desert to a wife and kids to feed I’m not sayin’ Uncle Sam should give me what I need My offer stands I’ll pull my weight you give me half a chance
I went up to a congressman and said to him “you know Our government is letting people down” He said he’d need a lot of help to buck the status-quo I said there was a bunch of us around
I’m a Born Again American, conceived in Liberty My Bible and the Bill of Rights, my creed’s equality I’m a Born Again American, my country ‘tis of me And everyone who shares the dream from sea to shining sea
My brother’s welding chassis at the plant He’s earning what our granddad did in 1948 While CEOs count bonuses behind the castle gates How can they see When all they care about’s the do re mi
It’s getting where there’s nowhere left to turn Not since the crash of twenty-nine have things been so unfair So many of our citizens are living in despair The time has come To reaffirm that hope’s not just for some
The promise of America’s surrendering to greed The rule is just look out for number one But brace yourself ‘cause some of us have sown a different seed A harvest of the spirit has begun
I’m a Born Again American conceived in liberty My Bible and The Bill Of Rights My creed’s equality A Born Again American, my country ‘tis of me And everyone who shares the dream from sea to shining sea
It’s clear my country’s soul is on the line She’s hungering for something that she lost along the way The principle the framers called upon us to obey That in this land The people’s will must have the upper hand
I felt the calling once before and took a sacred vow And faithful to that vow I have remained I hear the calling once again, my country needs me now And to her cause I have been re-ordained
I’m a Born Again American conceived in liberty My Bible and the Bill Of Rights, all people living free A Born Again American, my country ‘tis of me And everyone who shares the dream From sea to shining sea And everyone who shares the dream From sea to shining sea A M E R I C A
Dear Friends, the boy in the image above was reading the Declaration of Independence emblazoned on the wall of the Jefferson Memorial when I visited there in October 2007. He represents our future.
The folks in the following video taken at Colonial Williamsburg represent our past as they reenact how our country was born. Our fore fathers and mothers pledged their “lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor” in order to birth America.
Tomorrow we’ll consider how severely that cost was for many of them and their families.
Now consider what you and I can and must do in order to ensure the re-birthing of America in its third century.
Be sure to turn up your speakers and enter full screen. Click here.
Dear Friends, the boy in the image above was reading the Declaration of Independence emblazoned on the wall of the Jefferson Memorial when I visited there in October 2007. He represents our future.
The folks in the following video taken at Colonial Williamsburg represent our past as they reenact how our country was born. Our fore fathers and mothers pledged their “lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor” in order to birth America. Tomorrow we’ll consider how severely that cost was for many of them and their families.
Now consider what you and I can and must do in order to ensure the re-birthing of America in its third century.
Be sure to turn up your speakers and enter full screen. Click here.
Dear Friends, the boy in the image above was reading the Declaration of Independence emblazoned on the wall of the Jefferson Memorial when I visited there in October 2007. He represents our future.
The folks in the following video taken at Colonial Williamsburg represent our past as they reenact how our country was born. Our fore fathers and mothers pledged their “lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor” in order to birth America. Tomorrow we’ll consider how severely that cost was for many of them and their families.
Now consider what you and I can and must do in order to ensure the re-birthing of America in its third century.
Be sure to turn up your speakers and enter full screen. Click here.
We’re coming up in a few days on the second inauguration of Barack Obama. In this series of blogs, we wish to pray for him, for our congressional leaders and for our country. In 2009, I asked my readers to realize that personal transformation is connected to the need for transformation of our country. Four years later, I see that call as urgent as ever. Let’s take some time over the next few days and over the long weekend to reflect upon and to pray for the inner growth and change we need.
On July 4, 1776, the men in this image, with their families supporting them published the sacred document, the Declaration of Independence, that created this country. At its conclusion, they said:
FOR THE SUPPORT OF THIS DECLARATION WITH A FIRM RELIANCE ON THE PROTECTION OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE WE MUTUALLY PLEDGEOUR LIVES, OUR FORTUNES AND OUR SACRED HONOR.
Imagine the risks they undertook and the courage that they needed
to bring the ideal of freedom and equality that existed in their minds and hearts into external reality.
They had to be willing to sacrifice everything dear to them — their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor. And many of them actually did lose either their lives, their fortunes or their property.
Their signatures, bound to their lives, created the United States of America.
We need to return again and again to that moment.
We need to re-birth America in our hearts in this time and place.
Many of our service men and women are compelled to serve tour after tour, sacrifice their physical and emotional lives and those of their families while the rest of us American people have been asked to sacrifice very little.
John Kennedy said:
“Ask not what your country can do for you.
Ask what you can do for your country.”
Are you willing to make your own contribution? Each of us must do our part, neighbor helping neighbor. We sink or swim together.
God of our understanding,
we thank You for the vision of our founding fathers and mothers and their courage to bring it into reality.
May each of us be willing to transform
our hate to respect for all people,
our reliance on material things to reliance on You,
our greed and selfishness to self-giving and compassion.
May we always be willing to respond to the grace You give us
to transform our lives and our country to serve the good of all.
Let the lessons of hardship that many of us now are experiencing
prompt us to turn to You, God of our understanding,
for You, are the Source of all that is good in our lives.
May all our actions show Your wisdom and love.
Amen.
And now, before you go, here’s a slide show to “My Country Tis of Thee sung by a children’s choir. Click here.
Father Bob's Reflections 