I rarely get emotional, but church yesterday brought tears to my eyes. Our pastor, Joey Hatchell, really gets it just right for me. Sort of down home, common sense, no ranting or raving, just a good heart and welcome for everyone of every religion. Quite a difference from how I was brought up! But what brought tears to my eyes (I am a big softie for my country) was how patriotic the service was. We acknowledged the veterans in the congregation. Joey did not say, but was, a Medic in Vietnam and received the Purple Heart. A deacon was part of the Berlin Airlift. It's not often that an entire roomful of people take time to give thanks to the ones who gave their life and their health to our country.
And thanks to
Claire for the complete words, we also sang:
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassion'd stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness.
America! America!God mend thine ev'ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law.
O beautiful for heroes prov'd
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life.
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev'ry gain divine.
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