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A Creed For Those Who Have Suffered

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve.
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey. . .I asked for health, that I might do great things.  I was given infirmity, that I might do better things. . .I asked for riches, that I might be happy. I was given poverty, that I might be wise. . .I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men.  I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God. . .I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life.  I was given life, that I might enjoy all things. . .I got nothing I asked for - but everything I had hoped for;
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered. I am, among men, most richly blessed!

TWO THOUSAND ONE, NINE ELEVEN (2001-911)

Two thousand one, nine eleven
Five thousand plus arrive in heaven
As they pass through the gate,
Thousands more appear in wait

A bearded man with stovepipe hat
Steps forward saying, "Lets sit, lets chat"

They settle down in seats of clouds
A man named Martin shouts out proud
"I have a dream!" and once he did
The Newcomer said, "Your dream still lives."

Groups of soldiers in blue and gray
Others in khaki, and green then say
"We're from Bull Run, Yorktown, the Maine"
The Newcomer said, "You died not in vain."

From a man on sticks one could hear
"The only thing we have to fear. . ."
The Newcomer said, "We know the rest,
trust us sir, we've passed that test."

"Courage doesn't hide in caves
You can't bury freedom, in a grave,"
The Newcomers had heard this voice before.

A silence fell within the mist
Somehow the Newcomer knew that this
Meant time had come for her to say
What was in the hearts of the five thousand plus that day

"Back on Earth, we wrote reports,
Watched our children play in sports
Worked our gardens, sang our songs
Went to church and clipped coupons
We smiled, we laughed, we cried, we fought
Unlike you, great we're not"

The tall man in the stovepipe hat
Stood and said, "Don't talk like that!
Look at your country, look and see
You died for freedom, just like me"

Then, before them all appeared a scene
Of rubbled streets and twisted beams
Death, destruction, smoke and dust
And people working just 'cause they must

Hauling ash, lifting stones,
Knee deep in hell, but not alone
"Look! Blackman, Whiteman, Brownman, Yellowman 
Side by side helping their fellow man!"

So said Martin, as he watched the scene
"Even from nightmares, can be born a dream."

Down below three firemen raised
The colors high into ashen haze
The soldiers above had seen it before
On Iwo Jima back in '44

The man on sticks studied everything closely
Then shared his perceptions on what he saw mostly
"I see pain, I see tears,
I see sorrow -- but I don't see fear."

"You left behind husbands and wives
Daughters and sons and so many lives
are suffering now because of this wrong

All of those people, even those who've never met you All of their lives, they'll never forget you Don't you see what has happened?
Don't you see what you've done?
You've brought them together, together as one.

With that the man in the stovepipe hat said,
"Take my hand," and from there he led
five thousand plus heroes, Newcomers to heaven On this day, two thousand one, nine eleven.  

(author unknown to me)

The late Red Skelton tells the story of his teacher, Mr. Laswell, who explained the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance, word by word.  Now, more than ever, listen to the meaning of these words.  

"I've been listening to you boys and girls recite the Pledge of Allegiance all semester and it seems as though it is becoming monotonous to you. If I may, may I recite it and try to explain to you the meaning of each word?"  

~I~
me, an individual, a committee of one.

~Pledge~
dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without self pity. 

~ Allegiance~
my love and my devotion.  

~To the flag~
our standard, Old Glory, a symbol of freedom. Wherever she waves, there's respect because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts freedom is everybody's job!  

~United ~
that means that we have all come together.

 ~States~
individual communities that have united into 48 great states. Forty-eight individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose; all divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common purpose, and that's love for country.

 ~And to the republic~
a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern. And government is the people and it's from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people.  

~For which it stands, one nation~
one nation, meaning "so blessed by God"  

~Indivisible~
incapable of being divided.  

~With liberty~
which is freedom; the right of power to live one's own life without threats, fear or some sort of retaliation.  

~And Justice~
the principle or quality of dealing fairly with others.  

~For all~
which means, boys and girls, it's as much your country as it is mine.  

Since I was a small boy, two states have been added to our country and two words have been added to the
Pledge of Allegiance. . .

 UNDER GOD  

Wouldn't it be a pity if someone said that is a prayer and that would be eliminated from schools too?  

God Bless America!