| Author | Message | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 167 Registered: 3-2004 |
July 4 is coming up very soon. I cannot help but think of what the fathers of our country went through to make us independent of England. This brings to my mind the military who have fought in all the wars since then. Because of them, we are free to practice the religion of our choice. So, Let us remember this 4th of July that it is more than firecrackers and sparklers. Oh, and be careful with all those fireworks. Do not want any one to have hands, fingers or eyes getting hurt. HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY. And again, I thank the military men and women for their role in keeping our country free. IN GOD WE TRUST. Diana | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 631 Registered: 11-2002 |
Of all the holidays Independence Day is my favorite. I hope that June 28 goes down in history as a day of soventry and independence for Iraq. The decent people over there have been throuh enough trama. I hope they can yet get a decent country. | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 645 Registered: 11-2002 |
It was nice having Independence Day on a Sunday this year. I remember as a child in the SDA church we would occassionally sing patrotic songs. Does the SDA church still show any signs of patrisiam? It seems to me since mainstream Christianity has gotten involved with showing itself to be loyal Americans (the Christian right, etc.) the SDA church has gone to great lengths to distance itself from any show of American patricism. It's like as if the SDA church has an us vs. them agenda. Like, whatever mainstream Chriasinity is for the SDA church will be against and whatever the mainstream Christians are against the SDA's will promote. My sons wedding was in the local SDA church. Him, his best man and all the attendents except for the maid-of-honor were in their military uniforms. My son wanted the Americn flag on the stage for his wedding. He finily found the flag thrown aside in the church attic. He put it on the stage and he's been married nearly two years now and several months ago I noticed the flag was no longer in sight anywhere on the church property. I can't recall ever hearing a patrotic sermon in the church. Do they do those? Today was such a delight for me because not only was it Communion Sunday but being Independence Day the songs sung at church this morning were all great American songs, including the forth stanza of the Star Spangled Banner. The sermon consisted of numerous quotes from Our Founding Fathers and the sermon was wonderful in proclaiming our interdependence as Christians on The Father, Son and Holy Spirit first and then as the best citizens we can be in this great land. And, you know how Lutherans are, always getting a big jolly by dressing in the color of the season? Like, at Christmas wearing red or green, silver or gold, during Lent wearing purple, on Good Friday dressing in black, on Easter they like wearing pastels, etc., well today most everyone in the congreation was decked out in red, white and blue with numerous men wearing Stars and Stripes neckties, etc. | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 187 Registered: 3-2004 |
I do not remember how the SDA church celebrated July 4 as a kid and as an adult, I cannot recall how the day was mentioned. But in my current church, Central Christian Church, it was very patriotic. Many people wore red, white and blue or wore flags on their lapels. A male vocalist sang the song "I Am Proud to be an American" and before it was over the whole congregation was standing and singing "And I am proud to be an American and....". It was very moving. The sermon was about living a Christian life. The pastor made three points. With the third one he told a "story". He said there were two ministers riding in a car, one Black and the white. The Black minister was saying "there are so many good Black people that God must be Black". The white minister was saying "there are so many good white people that God must be white". The discussion got heated and who ever was driving lost control of the car and it crashed, killing both men. When they got to heaven the first person they met was God. "Bienvenidos mis Amigos. Mi casa es su casa" is how he greeted them. Had to throw that in as it was part of the sermon. Diana | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 189 Registered: 3-2004 |
When my son was in training in San Antonio, TX I went to visit him. We went to church in the local SDA church. That day was a salute to the military and all military members had been asked to wear their uniforms. The pastor had been a Marine. This is not about the 4th of July, but I liked hearing the military being thanked by the SDAs. As I am writing I remember last year at the Celebration SDA church I was attending, they had a salute to the military day. One of the chaplains at Nellis AFB is SDA. He gave the sermon that day. They asked all current and former military members to stand and we gave them an ovation. Just wanted to share this. So thanks to our military men and women for your job. Diana | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 648 Registered: 11-2002 |
Nellis, I think that is the base just outside Las Vegas. Am I correct? If you ever get the opportunity go spend some time at the Hale-Koa Resort in Honolulu. It is on the army base in Honolulu and is only for military and their guests. It is a top rated resort, the only one in the world for just the U.S. military. Current and retired military can get awsome suites for a mere fraction of what it would cost at a comparable resort in the vacinity. You can look up the Hale-Koa on the Internet. The minister who preformed my sons wedding was a U.S. Navy chaplin. He is a SDA and is an assistant minister now in the town that he retired in. I never could understand the SDA or for that matter the JW position on concentious objector. In fact the JW's refuse to even be CO's opting prison instead of even being medics. We live in a country that places great value of the freedom of religion and without our military protecting that right we sure as heck woud not have it for very long. Are you aware that in Cuba the SDA's are putting up churchs by the dozens? Yes, it is true and the SDA's are very proud of the fact that Fidal Castro is very fond of the SDA religion. Seems as though Fidal's personal assistant/housekeeper/confidant for the past 40 years is SDA. He studied down in Nicaragura years ago with Che to become a SDA and possibility a SDA missionary. Him and Che chose he path of revolutanary instead. Because he is so fond of his SDA helper he actually gives the SDA church privadgles that other Christian denominations don't get. It is a very very interesting thing to learn about. | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 190 Registered: 3-2004 |
Susan_2, Yes, Nellis AFB is just outside Las Vegas. If I want to stay at that resort in Hawaii I would have to do it with my son and his wife. If and when he ever makes it over there again. That is very interesting about Fidel's personal assistant and Fidel's attitude toward the SDA church. I knew some Cuban SDAs when I lived in Miami. Diana | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 652 Registered: 11-2002 |
Yes, Diana, you would have to be with your son or at least have a valid military I.D. of your own to stay at that resort. As a civilin guest of your sons upon checking in at the Hale-Koa they will issue you a temporary pass to get on and off the premisis that is valid for the length of your stay. Your son will have to pay the bill. You can work out whatever finincial arrangements you have with him but as far as the resort is concerned he is the one in the service and he covers the bill. The respot is right smack on Waikiki Beach. Every base has a travel agency. At the travel agency he can go in and get the brouchures. It is easier though to just look it up on the Internet. They have their own website. The website has pictures of the rooms, detales of shows and events, what special things are for the children, shopping in the vacinity, everything. | ||
| Helovesme2 Registered user Username: Helovesme2 Post Number: 552 Registered: 8-2004  |
To all you Americans out there, Happy Fourth of July! I thank God for the blessing of freedom! | ||
| Dennis Registered user Username: Dennis Post Number: 778 Registered: 4-2000  |
The Fourth of July is a great patriotic celebration in the USA. It is a holiday that all Americans can enjoy and appreciate--regardless of their ethnicity or religion. LET FREEDOM RING! Dennis Fischer | ||
| Cw Registered user Username: Cw Post Number: 105 Registered: 4-2006  |
Happy 4th to all and may God continue to bless America. And Diana, I finally got the Friday prayer-time sunset I've been hoping for. If I do say so myself it's a great shot of the sun setting over the south tower of the Golden Gate bridge. It's now my computer desk top. If any are interested in having it as a Friday prayer-time desk top as well I will be happy to e-mail it. CW |
