Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Isaac Watts / George Frederick Handel

¹At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. ²(This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³All returned to their own towns to register for this census. ⁴And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. ⁵He took with him Mary, his fiance, who was obviously pregnant by this time.
⁶And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. ⁷She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.


The Shepherds and Angels

⁸That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. ⁹Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, ¹⁰but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! ¹¹The Savior--yes, the Messiah, the Lord--has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! ¹²And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!"
¹³Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others--the armies of heaven--praising God:

¹⁴
    "Glory to God in the highest heaven,
        and peace on earth to all whom God favors. "

(NLT Luke 2 1-14)

It was with a mixed sense of sorrow and schaedenfreud that I read that the Tribune Company is broke and may be preparing for bankruptcy.  Source! and Source Deux

Awesome, no awestruck would probably be a better word.

Today I was fortunate enough to have breakfast with Captain Jeff Struecker, Army Chaplin,  and former member of  75^th Ranger Regiment.  Yes, the same Jeff Struecker prominently featured in both the book and major motion picture "Black Hawk Down". . . .

I and several hundred other fellas were spellbound by an account of Jeff's experiences in Mogadishu and blessed by a very powerful testimony of his faith.

Completely recharging to hear some "bullet-proof faith" dispensed by a man of consequence!

by Michael Marks

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight;
The sparkling lights in the tree, I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem.
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eye when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood; his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts,
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said, "It's really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night"

"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.

My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red white and blue... an American flag.

"I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home,
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat,
I can carry the weight of killing another
Or lay down my life with my sisters and brothers
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To insure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone;
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.

For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust.
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

©Copyright December 7, 2000 by Michael Marks

Author's Note: In loving appreciation of the countless Americans who have, and continue to serve in the Armed Forces and those who gave their life for their country. Your sacrifices will never be forgotten. We look forward to the day you come home. God bless and keep you always, and God Bless America.

-------------------------------------

A Soldier's Christmas was the first in this series of patriotic writings, drafted on Pearl Harbor Day 2000 when in the wake of the 2000 Presidential Election our nation saw the right of US Armed Forces personnel openly questioned and debated. I felt it unconscionable that at the onset of the Christmas season, those serving to defend our nation would hear anything but our love and support. It is our challenge to stand for their rights at home while they stand for our lives and safety overseas. This poem went out and quickly spread around the world in emails, letters, and magazines. I received letters from Marines in Bosnia, soldiers in Okinawa, from a submariner who xeroxed a copy for everyone on his sub. Moms wrote, dads, brothers and sisters. I have saved and cherish every letter and set out to continue writing throughout the year.

=================

(Hat tip Kevin Graves) I've received this story from several friends and family. Thought I would source it back to the original writer. More info can be found here: http://iwvpa.net/marksm/a_soldie.php

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

For we natural born or naturalized citizens of the United States of America have been bestowed many blessings unknown to much of the world for much of recorded history.

But what makes America great is neither her wealth, natural resources, her military might, her laws nor her elected leaders.

Instead, what makes American great is her PEOPLE. You, me, our neighbors, "Joe the Plumber", heck even "Rick the Guitar Player" (doesn't have the same ring) all contribute to the whole of America. And, it is that essence that combines the sum of our individuality to a greater whole.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Continuing on from  . . .

Recognizing the dangers of a standing army - even a well regulated militia - the government can NOT force you to quarter soldiers in your home without your consent. Hopefully this will also apply to the new Civilian National Security Force (CNSF). (and, and . )

Citizens are protected against unreasonable searches and seizures by the Government - hopefully this too will apply to the CNSF.

Citizens have the right to NOT witness against yourself or be tried twice for the same crime and the government can't take your stuff without due process or compensation.

Citizens have the right to a speedy, PUBLIC trial by an impartial jury of your peers, the right to confront your accuser and the right to Defense Counsel in Federal Courts.

Citizens have the right to jury even in Civil trials if the amount in question is over $20.00 [how much would that be today]

Citizens are protected against excessive bail, excessive fines and cruel and unusual punishment. [of course the devil is in the detail and depends on what your definition of "is" - is or in the case what your definition of unusual is . . .]

Now for some of the best (often most over looked) bits

 "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people".  Simply instructs that power not listed in the Constitution (thereby claimed by the Government) were powers belonging to the people. Thus, this was an attempted limiting factor on the Federal Government.

Our founders often thought of their own States as distinct and Sovereign - from each other and from a centralized government. To that end, they proviced that "powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people" 

As originally intended, the "Bill of Rights" was to protect the governed from those doing the governing or protect US from the government.

The Bill of Rights simply enumerates some of our many "Blessings of Liberty"- blessing that we take for granted and blessings that disallowed in many corners of the world. The Blessings of Liberty are among the things that makes us (or US) UNIQUE in the whole history of mankind.

These are blessing worth protecting and fighting for. Blessing that must vigilantly be guarded from usurpation by the natural tendencies of government and secured from external assault