America from the Eyes of a Traveller

"In the United States the influence of religion is not confined to the manners, but it extends to the intelligence of the people...." - de Tocqueville (1805-1859) French Statesman Historian and Social Philosopher

Think on this

"I sought for the key to the greatness and genius of America in her harbors...; in her fertile fields and boundless forests; in her rich mines and vast world commerce; in her public school system and institutions of learning. I sought for it in her democratic Congress and in her matchless Constitution. "Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. "America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great." - Alexis de Tocqueville

Now Think on this

"Those who abandon God's teachings praise wicked people,

but those who follow God's teachings oppose wicked people.

Evil people do not understand justice,

but those who seek the Lord understand everything."

-- Proverb's Wisdom 28: 4-5

de Tocqueville also said:

"The safeguard of morality is religion, and morality is the best security of law as well as the surest pledge of freedom."

"The Americans combine the notions of Christianity and of liberty so intimately in their minds, that it is impossible to make them conceive the one without the other."

"Christianity is the companion of liberty in all its conflicts -- the cradle of its infancy, and the divine source of its claims."

"They (the early Americans) brought with them...a form of Christianity, which I cannot better describe, than by styling it a democratic and republican religion....From the earliest settlement of the emigrants, politics and religion contracted an alliance which has never been dissolved...."

We had an important visitor-traveller write two volumes about his touring of America beginning in 1831. His two-part work, published in 1835 and 1840, entitled: Democracy in America, including the extracted quotes above. I hope and pray de Tocqueville's words cause you to ponder over what is going on in our present world and moves you to actively try to recognize any opportu nity, however large or small, right where you are, where you can make a difference for good. Further, it is not a time in our history for people to sit on their hands and, as was once popular to say: "Let George do it." As we can all recognize from the constant in-fighting going on in our Nation's Capital, George has not been doing a very effective without you. Become an activist for the good of our country. I'm not advocating that you go out into the streets with placards. I'm suggesting you write, and write often, to your elected representatives, indicating to him or her that you know what is going on in Washington and you don't like what you're hearing. Take a stand on any one of many subjects that are being bandied around that effects you, your country, and/or people in general that you don't like. Stay on one subject and do write often. Emails are alright, but they seem to pay more attention to your letters. Explain your concern and you'll more likely receive a reply. Folks, America is in trouble and needs the attention of all who call themselves American. Don't let us go down without a murmur. Have you read the news lately? Too depressing? Are you in favor of what controlling liberals are doing and are planning to do? At last count not too long ago there were 300 million people in this country! (Not counting millions of illegals.) When you write or even phone your representative, don't fall for the idea that you're alone making contact with them. Get rid of the feeling that "you're just one, what can you do?" True, you can't do everything, but you can do something. Don't think about it, do it! That's how things get done. Then consider yourself a proud, American activist. Our visitor-traveller made such wondrous discoveries about America that his words have been recorded for posterity. We are part of that posterity, and need to wake up and heed his most valuable insight about our country. Recently, in another of my articles, I reminded readers: "When righteous people triumph, there is great glory; but when wicked people rise, people hide themselves." -- Prov. 28:12 I believe we have elected people to govern who are more interested in themselves than this country or its people. That is evil. The bond between elected officials and its citizens is in the Constitution: ..."A Government Of the People,By the People, For the People..." To ignore the basic core of our form of government is arrogance of the first order. I can't right now recall exactly who said it, but I agree with it: "All it takes for evil to flourish is for good people to do nothing." Our forefathers must be turning in their graves. We all need to be loyal to the many for hardships and sacrifices made for the good of this country by the patriots that have gone to their rest believing they left this American experiment in good hands. In case you haven't yet guessed, let me tell you, I am an American citizen with strong belief in past American history. I must express myself to you before it's too late for me to be able to do so. Seeing what's going on at present by people who dare call themselves American, and having a care less attitude about virtually anything and everything, is, I also believe, the cause of our troubles, especially in Washington. (I just thought of something you also need to know right here: At this article writing, I have no counter to account for the number of people who, as they say, "hit" on this blog. So, with security in mind, people who believe as I do are invited to just comment that you also understand what's going on in America. And, whether you agree or disagree with my assessment. You can even include your thoughts in this matter. If you do this let me thank you now.) You can bet your bottom dollar that those who are intent on doing this country harm also know about your attitude and are counting on you to do nothing more than what you're doing. They know they needn't worry about you because they know you're immersed in the things of the world and nothing more. In my estimation this is sad, so very sad, after all this country has gone through to be where we're now at, evil has been very, very busy. Those involved in evil design must be delighted and encouraged by their progress. I'm sure they're delighted by the aid Liberals have given them and, according to today's news, are planning to give even more--despite the majority's thinking otherwise. We need to take back our Washington House. Do this by intelligent voting and actively letting your representative know how you feel. Bob You can view other articles by Bob at: http://fourwinds.blogster.com *****You are encouraged to thoroughly investigate any offers advertised beyond my commentary. I do not acknowledge, nor necessarily endorse, nor have any control over any advertiser found on my site.*****

Speaking of Communication

Recently at my other blog: http://fourwinds.blogster.com/ I entered the Public Speaking arena. I propose to share aspects of this all-important subject between both blog addresses. The reason? Because I believe I have different readers tuning in to your choice of my blog articles. I assure you that Public Speaking has been an integral part of my life since 1962. One of the best moves I have ever made in my lifetime, one that altered the course of my life for the better ever since. What is more, I have seen the same happen to many others who applied themselves to all that it takes to enter the Speaker's World and become a public speaker. Possessing the ability to effectively speak and influence others to think about or do something is unquestionably, personally gratifying. Who, you can ask, needs effective communication? Quite simply...each and every one of us. We all need to communicate ideas, concepts, sport stories, e.g., golf scores, fish stories, sports action, etc., etc. And, you will notice that I have not yet even mentioned the many areas of business; i.e. businesses of all kinds. And, you know what, I am not going to discuss that today. Later in the future I may get into effective talking about various businesses from a salesperson's (speaker's) world. They all have to be effectively communicated. How effective it is done depends largely on you, the sender of the message. Do not assume that everything you say is clearly and immediately understood. The opposite is often the case. Also, hearing is not the same as understanding. Without understanding there is no effective communication. When you speak you must be certain your message is not only spoken but also received and understood. Acquiring Public Speaking skills is a grand, personal pursuit. As mentioned, it can transform your life for the better, and a full life indeed. There is an abundance of books on the subject, to be sure. Yet, I know you ought to explore a bit about what the Speaker's World requires before you can make an intelligent decision to invest in books and/or seek out a speakers activity. To help you, I have prepared a quick read, specialized report, entitled: An Introduction to Public Speaking. It is seven full-size 8.5 x 11" pages in length. Only $4. US Funds. For quick First-Class or International Air Mail response order From: Four Winds-AIPS, 3266 Woodbury Drive, Redding, CA 96002-9518 USA Your satisfaction is guaranteed, or return in original condition for refund. Thanks for visiting. Bob *****You are encouraged to thoroughly investigate any offers advertised beyond my commentary. I do not acknowledge, nor necessarily endorse, nor have any control over any advertiser found on my site.*****

Love

What Love Is

With Valentine's Day, chocolates and flowers about ready to hit it big in the name of love, I believe a word about true love is in order.

There are at least two words that I hold dear and that I see misused and abused by people mentioning them without taking a moment to consider their true meaning. These two words are:

Love and Friend. For this article I will write Love, saving the word Friend (in the real sense of the word, a treasure) for another time.

Love is carelessly uttered referring to a number of things, having a number of superficial, empty meanings, most of which have nothing to do with honest-to-goodness love. Said real fast, it becomes a mere word, nothing more, nothing less. And, for clarification, true love has absolutely nothing to do with the pagan Roman festival celebrated as Valentine's Day, mostly in the United States.

There nturally are attempts to describe love, usually by psychologists, since they tend to try to explain why people act certain ways. But the Bible gives the best guide as to what love ought to be. The very best description of what love is can be found written by Saint Paul, and inspired by God, in his First Letter to the Corinthians (1:13).

In my over 50 year old Bible St. Paul's words have a special printing with flowery graphics fittingly encompassing his words. So that you may carry these words into Valentine's Day and beyond, I will share these words, in part, with you here.

First Corinthians 13

(Note: The word charity = Love)

"IF I should speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have charity, I have become as a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.

"And if I have prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith so as to remove mountains, yet do not have charity, I am nothing.

"And if I distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, yet do not have charity, it profits me nothing.

"Charity is patient, is kind; charity does not envy, is not pretentious, is not puffed up, is not ambitious, is not self-seeking, is not provoked; thinks no evil, does not rejoice over wickedness, but rejoices with the truth; bears with all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

"Charity never fails, whereas prophecies will disappear, and tongues will cease, and knowledge will be destroyed....

"So there abides faith, hope and charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity."

What St. Paul refers to as "charity" is the love of God above all things and love of neighbor for God; he describes the meaning of perfect love that everyone who professes to love another ought to mean, live and strive to attain. As you can now see, the word Love is a precious, controlled emotion, with no commercial association. It may take a lot of people today by surprise to learn what true love really is.

Thanks for visiting.

All the best -- all the time, Bob

P.S. I have quoted in part only. Refer to the Bible for St.Paul's complete inspired teaching (Cor 1:13).

For more articles by Bob, visit: http://fourwinds.blogster.com

American History -- "Honest Abe" Preserver of the Union

Abraham Lincoln, What A Man!

A hard worker, a self-taught man; could never be called a quitter.

Abraham Lincoln never lost touch with the common people. Within a month of becoming our 16th President, the Civil War began, lasting four years, and with over a half million men dying between North and South. Millions of slaves became free. What a price to pay for the unity of a nation. Yet, five days following war's end, and surviving the Civil War, America remained the "United States" and "Honest Abe" was assassinated.

Let's rewind to a bit of Lincoln's history. On reading about Abraham Lincoln in a story related to his Gettysburg Address "perhaps the best summation in our nation's history of the meaning and price of freedom," I found it interesting that the words of the main speaker, who was not Lincoln, are not remembered.

The setting is the planned ceremony of the new national cemetery on Cemetery Hill, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, November 19, 1863. About fifteen thousand people will be there to hear speakers honor the dead soldiers in their resting place. Edward Everett, teacher of Greek, president of Harvard and U.S. Secretary of State will speak for two hours, never using notes. Lincoln is asked to make a few remarks. Lincoln comes a day earlier to work on his speech.

On this memorable occasion, following Everett, the President stood for an instant, waiting for the cheers to cease, slowly adjusted his glasses and took from his pocket what seemed to be a piece of ordinary paper. He quietly unfolded it and began to speak.

Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to didicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate--we can not consecrate--we can not hallow--this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain--that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom--and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

The President does not mention North or South; he mentions no names at all. He means to transcent this time and place. His listeners are here to mourn their sons and their country. Lincoln takes them back to the founding moment of the Declaration of Independence, making that document the setting of the moral tone for the future (that this nation, under God,shall have a new birth of freedom). The Gettysburg Address will take its place with the founding documents as an expression of the nation's purpose.

American History has been corrupted by those in the teaching profession. Our History needs a new birth, being revived for all to know. For example, this lesson ought to show that before the Gettysburg Address by Lincoln, the United States was a plural noun; afterward, we became singular. The United States, one nation, under God, indivisible. If you know, remember. If you don't know, learn.

Today we seem to have forgotten those precious times in our history that

we are obliged to remember. By learning many will discover the meaning of Country and unity, and not be so eager or naive to surrender America to those who would undermine and think nothing about all those countless Americans who have fought and died for our continued freedom. Be not so ready to believe that newcomers to this country readily understand what price and by whom this country owes its hard-won, historical freedom. "Honest Abe" was an example for all subsequent presidents. Many followed his beliefs and dedication to his office, many didn't. Abraham Lincoln deserves never to be forgotten.

Read about Success and Loyalty on the Job: http://www.fourwinds.blogster.com