{ One Hundred Sixty-Seven }

"The state exists to punish evil-doers (Romans 13). Not to protect investments, build infrastructure, redistribute wealth, educate citizens, police the world."

~R.C. Sproul, Jr

{ Twenty-Five }

"Every color means liberty; every thread means liberty; every form of star and beam or stripe of light means liberty.  It is not a painted rag."

~Unknown

{ Twenty-Four }

Betsy's Battle Flag

From dusk till dawn the livelong night she kept the tallow dips alight,

And fast her nimble fingers flew to sew the stars upon the blue.

With weary eyes and aching head she stiched the stripes of white a red,

And when the day came up the stair complete across a carven chair hung Betsy's battle-flag.

Like shadows in the evening gray the continentals filed away,

With broken boots and ragged coats, But hoarse defiance in their throats;

They bore the marks of want and cold, and some were lame and some were old,

And some with wounds intended bled, but floating bravely overhead was Betsy's battle-flag.

When fell the battle's leaden rain, the soldier hushed his moans of pain,

And raised his dying head to see King George's troopers turn and flee.

Their charging column reeled and broke, and vanished in the rolling smoke,

Before the glory of the stars, the snowy stripes, and scarlet bars of Betsy's battle flag.

The simple stone of Betsy Ross is covered now with mold and moss,

But still her deathless banner flies, and keeps the color of the skies.

A nation thrills, a nation bleeds, A nation follows where it leads,

And every man is proud to yield his life upon a crimson field for Betsy's battle flag.

~Minna Irving

              

{ Thirteen }

The Greatest Love

The greatest love I was ever shown, 

Was given me by those unknown.

Whose love for all of those like me, 

Was given without vanity,

Was given freely without remorse,

Free-flying into the battle course.

With courage fighting our enemy,

So our home land would always Home the Free.

So my own children can live and grow, 

My children that they did not know.

Those brave warriors,

Whose lives were lost,

All paying the terrible, ultimate cost.

The greatest heroes, woman and man,

Who gave their lives in a foreign land,

Whose last sight was the desert sand, 

All led to glory by God's tender hand.

Never again to see this sweet land,

That they so loved, that they made their stand.

Never again to take a breath free, 

Or to feel the touch of family,

 They gave up their lives so that it remained free,

For they so loved this great country.

With pride we stand and voice what we want, 

While overlooking soldier souls haunt,

Smiling while children laugh and play,

In freedom growing day by day.

All because of those unknown,  

Who's greatest wish was just to come home.

I pray that maybe, 

when they took their last breath,

That they closed their eyes,

And just before death,

Took the vision to glory,

Of American green,

And smiled when thinking of those unseen.

The greatest love I was ever shown,

Was given me by those unknown.

Thank you!

~Kim Grant