Saturday, May 29, 2010

Freedom isn't free

Those words can become trite unless we ponder their meaning and the sacrifice that millions have given so that we, their posterity (descendants) might remain free.

From the Revolutionary War through today's War on Terror, those who have fought and died or been horribly and permanently injured on our behalf have been mostly young men (and now women).  Teenagers, early twenties at most, but all in the prime of their young lives.  They gave up their futures fighting for a cause greater than themselves.  It humbles me profoundly.

What are we doing to ensure that their sacrifice was not in vain?  We are the guardians of that precious gift of God--freedom.  Most of us are not called upon to defend it by giving up our lives, as our heroes have done.  But we have a duty to keep their memory before us always as a reminder to see our freedom as a blood-bought gift, very similar to our soul's salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Honor the dead.  Pray for the living who are in the midst of the fight.  And don't take for granted our legacy of freedom; defend it for generations to follow.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

My favorite patriots

Here's an updated photo of the Young Patriots Fife & Drum Corps plus our commander, General Washington, just before we marched to the Kerr County Courthouse in pouring rain for a T.E.A. party.  I just finished our newest recruit's official blue waistcoat, so at our next event at the local Veteran's Hospital next week, he will have the uniform, just not the period drum.

Doing our part to educate Texans about the Revolutionary War era....

Saturday, May 8, 2010

How big should government be?

After reading an article in this weekend's Parade magazine, I had to comment on their website in answer to their question, "How big should government be?"

The best government is that which governs least; government should stay out of the citizens' way and provide only those things that individuals cannot do alone, namely national security. When government does what individuals should do, it robs us of our creativity to solve problems and our compassion to help our neighbors. Our allegiance should be to the rule of law, not to power-hungry individuals, for even the best-intentioned public servant will become corrupted over time when tempted by unlimited power over the national treasury.

“A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have." President Gerald R. Ford (a paraphrase of an original quote by Thomas Jefferson)