Learning Pride in America

My Dad fought in the 103 Armored Division during WWII. He was a Staff Sargent at the time and was in Africa, Italy, France (I think) and Germany.

He had fully intended on staying in the army after the war, but told me they started sending new C.O's over with only a college education and no battle time what so ever. He couldn't see taking orders from some one who only had "book-learning" and no actual experience so he left the Army when his time was up when the war ended.

He always wanted to go back to the places he served in during the war. He especially loved Italy, perhaps it was the wine! But, as life would have it he never made it back.

I can remember going to all the parades in Canton, Ohio on Memorial Day, Veteran's Day, Independence Day. When I was little he would hoist me onto his shoulders so I could see. Him being 5'6" that put me about eye level with the crowd. But to me he was a very tall man.

As I watched him, my love for this Country developed. Nothing I learned in school taught me the value of our freedom or the ultimate price our Military Personnel are willing to pay.

It wasn't always his words, although he he had many and was willing to use them, it was his body language, his actions that showed me how much it means to be a Citizen of the Greatest Country God ever allowed be created. As the Flag would pass by, I could feel him stand at Attention out of love and respect. As I got older I could see him tear up, these were important lessons for me to learn at a young age.

When flag burning became the acceptable form of protest, I couldn't even imagine someone doing that to something that meant so much. Not that it was the cloth, but what that piece of cloth stood for.

After 9-11 he had our dear family friend and my Sister by choice, Darlene hang a full sized American Flag in his window at the nursing home. He wanted to make sure, if any of those B-----ds flew past his window they would know who was in that room!

He was, at the age of 90, totally ready to take up arms to defend this Country. I bet if someone had given him his gun he would have stood, or at that time in his life sat, guard and done it with as much passion as he fought the enemy during the war.

No book can teach that, no history lesson can instill that kind of passion for one's Country. Only by watching a little man by stature, yet a huge man by heart can you pick up on the value of being an American Citizen.

So on this Independence Day 2010, I would like to express my thanks to every man and woman who has served, who is serving and who is going to serve in the Military.

May God Bless you and God Bless America.

Who is your Daddy?

Come near to God and He will come near to you. James 4:8

Sounds simple enough. So why do we always think we have to have an action plan and a scheme or a list of things we have to do or become?

In March the unemployment office celebrated my one year of unemployment by stopping my benefits!

Previously I had received a letter stating I was approved for a 13 week extension. Now, me being me, I assumed that meant my benefits would be automatically extended 13 weeks since the letter didn't have any fine print telling me otherwise.

On the day my check is normally in my bank account I checked my account and discovered a negative $400 balance. I quickly realized something was wrong, duh!! I must have misunderstood what was going on. After a very quick call to unemployment I was told my benefits had come to an end regardless of what the letter had said and I needed to reapply.

The nice lady on the phone took my info. and submitted my claim again assuring me I was all ready approved for more weeks, but since everything was first come first serve my application was at the bottom of a very large pile to be reviewed, and she had no idea how long it would take to get my checks started again. Reassuring me I would get all the back weeks I missed didn't make me feel better considering the current state of my checking account and the fact that in 2 weeks my rent was going to be due.

Unlike how I used to react to this type of situation, I just said," OK, God this isn't a surprise to you so what do you have planned?"

After calling the bank and a few other places I had done all I could do, the rest was up to God.

I was nudged by the Holy Spirit to Fast. I pulled out my book, "Fasting" by Jentezen Franklin, grabbed my Daniel Fast information from it's folder and started to prepare myself. I knew I was to fast from Monday-Sat before Easter.

On Monday I claimed my unemployment weeks as instructed by the nice lady on the phone, knowing it would probably be at least 6 weeks till I started getting my checks again, that's what I was told the wait was.

Knowing there was no other immediate source of income for me I reminded God He was my provider and rent was coming due, just in case He forgot.

I proceeded with my fast Monday and Tuesday knowing God had a plan, trusting Him to fulfill His plan. I was feeling very much like a little girl trusting her Daddy was going to provide somehow. I didn't know how and I really didn't care how I just knew He was up to something.

Wednesday came and I thought I'd take a peek at my negative balanced bank account just for kicks. I almost fell off my chair when rather than a negative balance I was back in the black!!

Not only did God move on the State of Florida to get me to the top of that long list, but the first week that's normally held back was in there too!!

What could I do but praise and thank Him! There was some serious happy dancing going on in my home that morning!!!

Along with all that, as if that wasn't enough, God, my Daddy, decided to bless me with some groceries just to put a little icing on the cake.

He is such a good Dad, if we would just let Him what He wants to be to us. He doesn't need our instructions, our lists, our plans. All He needs is for us, His beloved Children to draw close to Him.

If we take one tiny, feeble, infant step toward Him, the creator of the Universe runs to us to fill in the pot holes, level the mountains, fill up our bank accounts and throw in a few groceries for good measure!

How can we not love and praise Him? How can we not trust Him to take care of us? He has chosen to have a loving family relationship with us, He's not going to hurt us, He wants to be our Daddy.

Even if there was no loving family relationship in our life to draw on for an example, even if there wasn't a Daddy figure in our childhood, He wants to fill in that loss. He wants to be your Daddy. He will never leave us or forsake us and He's not a man that he would lie to us. You can trust Him when maybe your earthly father wasn't so trustworthy or loving.

Having what the world would call crazy faith in God is not politically correct or socially acceptable, but I'll continue strive to raise my level of crazy faith in my Father.

In the end, He's the only one who will take care of His own by lavishing us with all the blessings He has stored up for us.

He's waiting on us to take that step toward Him in love and obedience so He can start overwhelming us with His love, comfort, healing, and provision.

Let Him be your Daddy.

Blessings,

Princess, Daughter of the King of Kings

Mother of Princesses and Princes

Grandmother of Royalty