Cathedral of the Incarnation Bell Tower

4th of July

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.


John F. Kennedy, Inaugural address, January 20, 1961
35th president of US 1961-1963 (1917 - 1963)

Surrender at Saratoga

Surrender at Saratoga - Issued 1977

Jeremiah 17: 7-8

Blessed is the  man who trust in the Lord, whose hope is in the Lord. He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream:It fears not the heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; In the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit  

In the News Good or Bad

What to blog about?  I thought, so I checked Goggles news page. As I scrolled down through the different news stories and found nothing good or positive. So, I looked for something good to come out of something bad. 

I found the news story about Karen Klein, the 68 year old grandmother. She has worked in the school system for more than 20 years as a bus driver and now a bus monitor in Rochester, NY.

The events of her bad day started to unfold as on the children on the bus verbally attack her while video recording to later post on YouTube. 

Now, what good can come from this? To start as of Saturday the fundraising site  http://www.indiegogo.com/loveforkarenhklein  has raised over $600,000. The initial goal was $5,000 to send her on a nice vacation. The money currently raised would have taken her 35 years to save. Karen said in an interview she has no plans to press charges against the kids involved. Hopefully, this will raise awareness about elderly abuse and send the signal to the kids that are good to unite against abusive kids to stop this abuse.

I hope now that one bad thing has now turned into something good and with the money raised she could retire.

God bless her.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/06/22/donations-for-bullied-new-york-bus-monitor-approach-450000/?test=latestnews?test=latestnews#ixzz1ydZDyTCD

Religious Freedom

This stamp was issued in 1957.  

Issued on the 300th anniversary of a demonstration and resulting pact, by settlers at Flushing (now in N.Y.C.)

I wonder is this same stamp were issued today if there would be any arguments or debates about it.

Test of Fire: Election 2012 (Official HD Version - Catholic)

Flag Day

On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress approved the design of a national flag.


Since 1916, when President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation establishing a national Flag Day on June 14, Americans have commemorated the adoption of the Stars and Stripes by celebrating June 14 as Flag Day. Prior to 1916, many localities and a few states had been celebrating the day for years. Congressional legislation designating that date as the national Flag Day was signed into law by President Harry Truman in 1949; the legislation also called upon the president to issue a flag day proclamation every year.

Source: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jun14.html

Vote

If you are conservative, live in the United States, and a state that is a primary/caucasus state get out and vote.

Nashville Main Office US Postal Service American Flag

Faith

Faith is the substance of what we hope for, the evidence of what we cannot see, says the letter to the Hebrews. Faith is a disposition we characterize by the activity of believing it disposes us to, and that activity we characterize by the object believed in. Now believing is an assent of mind commanded by the will, so faith's activity relates to its object both as to a good willingly pursued and as to a truth mentally assented to. Moreover, being a theological virtue in which goal and object are identical, the way the object is faith's goal will correspond to the way it is its object. Now faith's object is unseen Truth itself and whatever else we assent to because of that Truth. So faith's goal is also Truth itself as unseen, that is to say unachieved yet hoped for. So Hebrews expresses the way faith relates to Truth as goal, the object willed, by saying Faith is the substance, or seed, of what we hope for, since what we hope for is to see openly the Truth we already assent to by faith. 

From: Summa Theologiae
          A Concise Translation
          Timothy McDermott

Smartphones

Will the Smartphone make us unsociable?

I attended a business class several months ago to accomplish two things, to learn something and to network with business professionals. At our first break I was ready to network. I was ready to discuss the class or to connect with like-minded people, maybe even a job connection. But to my surprise every person in the class turned on their phone. I had a "regular" mobile phone. I wanted to network but it seemed as if I would disturb my classmates if I talked to them while they were using their Smartphone.

I experience often while on the elevator at work the unsociable side of Smartphone’s. People will automatically read their emails or surf the net. No greetings or conversations. Again, interrupting someone almost seems rude. I didn’t quite understand why everyone was so fascinated with their phones. I had a flip phone at the time and I thought I was somewhat current with the latest gadgets, until I decided to upgrade to a Smartphone.

I now have the latest in Smartphone technology. I understand now the fascination with this technology. I have the world at my fingertips. But one thing I will not do is be unsociable. I make conscience effort to not focus my attention on my phone when I'm interacting with people.

Smartphone’s can make us more sociable with Twitter and Facebook, but let’s not forget to turn off the phone and interact with the people around us.

Being sociable and interacting with one another is better when it is done face to face.

Washington Praying

Cathedral of the Incarnation American Flag

Results

In all human affairs there are efforts, and there are results, and the strength of effort is the measure of the result.

James Allen