Working Faithfully for Freedom

Brenda Black

On Monday, many were free from work to celebrate America's birthday. But on Tuesday the price for such freedom meant rising early after going to bed late to toil once again and get the bills paid. There is always a price to pay.

For patriots who formed this nation, and those who have followed, the price for freedom mounted up to more than just sleepiness and drudgery. It cost life and limb.

“I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” With passion, Patrick Henry implored the citizens of Virginia to join the American Revolution. But his fighting words were premised by far stronger convictions that he was not left without help. This patriot and founding father of our nation believed in unseen forces and supreme influence. “Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us,” 2 Chronicles 32:8.

Henry would later say: “It cannot be emphasized too clearly and too often that this nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

There is unquestionable evidence that the founding fathers governed from a biblical perspective. They founded America on faith and set their hearts on freedom. The framers of our U.S. Constitution believed in The Founding Father who created heaven and earth and “governs in the affairs of men,” as Benjamin Franklin stated, based on Daniel 4:17.

Maybe that's why I still tear up when I hear or sing “God Bless America.” He has, He is, and He will again bless this nation...IF we welcome His divine influence and fight on the right side for the right causes.

The God who existed before the foundation of the world is the One who pierced the hearts of those men and emboldened them to declare freedom to follow Him. This same God is no less present or active today. He is the Founding Father in every way. Independence Day, then, is more than just patriotic picnicking and a day free from work. It is a reminder that what the Son sets free, is free indeed!

The Founding Father charges us to come unto Him when we are weak and heavy laden. He promised rest long before Miss Liberty extended the invitation to "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”

Some people explored here, some people were fortunate to be born here and some risked life and limb to just touch the shores of America. Why? Because in America we have the unique freedom to fully access God and experience both liberty in the land and liberty of the soul. It took the lives of brave, young patriots. It took the dedication of forward thinking visionaries who ratified our Constitution. It took desperate times and enormous sacrifices from men, women and children in every generation to sustain such liberating status.

This Independence Day, and every day that follows, remember the price that was paid. Remember the founding fathers who intelligently launched a free nation based on biblical truths. Remember The Founding Father that gave His Son on the cross. Remember, like Patrick Henry did, that liberty is worth the fight. God help us to not lose our Independence. Without such freedom, we are tired, poor, wretched and homeless once again.

©2016 The Word's Out-Brenda Black

An Open Letter to Missouri Farmers

By Brenda Black

To all my friends on both sides of the farming fence: to the conventional and the all-natural; to the multi-generational and the first-time farmer, we are in this together. I love the passion for getting back to the basics as much as the commitment to banish world hunger. I applaud the ingenuity, the tenacity and integrity of all of Missouri's Ag community. It takes dedication and sacrifice to be capable and humane stewards of land and livestock. Every one of you has my utmost respect.

Right now, we are living in exciting times in agriculture, where the challenges compel innovators to find answers. Those resolutions come in a host of forms from high-rise, glassed-in, urban gardens to rotational grazing. Some employ timed breeding and new seed technologies. Ideas come from fifth generation farmers, university think tanks and long-established allied industries. Health enthusiasts, city folks and country caretakers alike contribute to the success of agriculture.

While we each constantly and tirelessly work to do our best, there is a growing shadow of intimidation that seeks to undermine each and every one of us. Animal rights and environmental extremists want to mandate your every move. We have an enemy that wishes to see Missouri families ruined. That enemy would love to whisper in your ear that the Missouri Farming Rights Amendment is big ag vs. small farmers; conventional vs. organic. But in reality, the battle is ALL of US vs. the bullying tactics that include intimidation, big bucks, and deceitful, sensational propaganda. Outside entities steamroll states on the fuel of millions of dollars and the wheels of outrageous lies. And they put good people right out of business and steal their rights using the ballot initiative process to impose their radical views!

If you eat; if you wear clothing; if you drive a car; if you take a vitamin or take insulin to stay alive; if you read a book or feed a pet; if you have a heart valve replacement or play football, your life is dependent on agriculture. How much greater the reason to guard that which is fundamental to our well-being.

The fact remains that small farms, and organic agriculturalists are not exempt from outside influence and are at just as much risk as the conventional farmers if we don't collectively work together to eliminate such underhanded strategies to sway regulations. The Missouri Farming Rights Amendment is not about insulating bad players. It is about protecting ALL of Missouri's farmers from anti-ag organizations.

My encouragement is that you do not let the lies and scare tactics of outside influencers undermine Missouri's number one economic contributor, nor one of the fastest growing hobbies -- agriculture. Neither should we allow their underhanded, over-funded, misguided bullying to take away any of our freedom to operate with best practices and with good conscience.

If we succumb to their rich scare tactics, every one of us loses. We lose the right to raise our families as we see fit. We lose the right to grow food the way science and experience prove is beneficial. We lose the right to try new things OR go back to old ways. We lose the right to plant hundreds of acres or dabble with dirt on a small plot in our back yard.

The outsiders who want to control the way you grow your food, feed your family and live your life, are bent on an old and deceptive strategy – divide and conquer. The Missouri Farming Rights Amendment is for everybody in this state that just wants the freedom to operate without undue and unfounded interference. It's about working together to protect our land, livestock and livelihood, as well as our families' healthy and happy futures.

If we don't stick together, we stand to lose the things we value most – our farms, our freedom and our rights as Missouri families. Think before you vote and say yes to Missouri Farming.

Sunshine and an Open Gate

By Brenda Black


They bolted like school children released for recess, with tails curled up and over their backs. Weaned calves in a lot out back of the house provided my afternoon entertainment.Through the newly opened gate they darted as if hearing the starting bell on a race track. I giggled at their athletic antics. One would tear across the pen like she was making a great escape, only to charge a matter of a few yards before meeting the metal rungs of the corral – face to fence. In one swift spin, she'd turn and run again, this time with the rest of the herd in hot pursuit.

For several minutes, their game of tag and turn and sprinting continued. When the running waned, they stood head to head and practiced butting. If calves could smile, I'm pretty sure they were grinning from fuzzy ear to fuzzy ear with great delight. The mild and sunny day in the middle of a cold January was most welcome to the weanlings and offered up a healthy dose of doldrum-ending exercise.

It didn't take much to alter their routine and find it delivered such great joy. Sometimes all one needs is a bit of sunshine and a little more room to roam. Take me for instance. I get a bit stir crazy post holidays. I begin to feel cramped for space and eager to purge. It's like spring cleaning in winter when the Christmas tree comes down.

I broke an all-time record this year of leaving the greenery up all too long. It was Jan. 13, by the time I got everything packed away! Never in my life have I gone past the single digit point of the first month on the calendar when it comes to dismantling the holiday cheer. But travels and work and plain weariness had me postponing the dreadful chore.

Now that the Christmas ambiance is headed to the attic, my house seems quite spacious. In fact, I have yet to return many of my non-seasonal knick knacks back to their standard locations. I'm just enjoying the sunshine and the open gate. I feel freer and lighter and less constrained by so much stuff. I'm thinking of spring garage sales and wondering if I should just leave a lot of my things boxed up ready to affix price tags.


Life gets cold and cluttered at times. Like calves stuck in a pen where it's been snowy and cramped, we can feel constrained by symbolic fences that seem to close in on us in our homes and in our hearts.

What I haven't told you is that as much as I would like to blame the Christmas clutter for my claustrophobic feelings, it has more to do with worries that I'm struggling to turn over to the Lord. Bare walls and shelves seems to help when I feel like I'm going to suffocate from fearful thoughts of things totally beyond my control. So, for a few more days, I'm planning on enjoying the space and I'm not going to rush to fill it back up again. And I also intend to soak up the Son a whole lot more in the days ahead. For at His feet and in His light, can be found my joy and the perfect gate to freedom.

From Slavery to Seniority

By Brenda Black


When Moses lifted his staff to split the Red Sea, a middle aged slave named Joshua would be among the masses that marched across on dry land. He witnessed the Egyptians swallowed alive by recoiling waves and rushing tides. He captained an army under Moses' command and routed the Amalekites with the help of the Almighty. Joshua ventured up the slopes of Mount Sinai and saw God's presence envelope the peak. All the while, the slave set free was learning to lead.

Having seen God's power, experienced His victory and sensed His reality, it is no wonder that Joshua would boldly stand in the minority. He with only one other, Caleb, would take God at His word and believe His promises trustworthy on the edge of the Promised Land. By then, Joshua was 80.

It occurs to me that faith is born in and grown incrementally. Even one with first-hand encounters with the living God needed time and opportunity to prevail in faith walking. One of the main themes of the book of Joshua is that success is possible through obedience. Another lesson it teaches is the unrelenting faithfulness of God. And what God wants for His children is to live in such obedience that they begin to exhibit His faith-filled qualities and look like their Abba Daddy.

Slavery is bound by inability. Freedom is stifled. Choice is absent. But once a soul is set free, abilities are expected to be stroked and honed and used for God's glory. Freedom provides opportunity to learn and grow. Choice becomes a responsibility. Joshua never forgot from where he had come. He relived that powerful sea-splitting moment over and over in his mind. He fought valiantly because He understood who equipped him and went before him in battle. He used his freedom to make the choice to be faithful to the One who had been faithful to Him and his people.

“Moses said to the Lord, 'May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord's people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.'

“So the Lord said to Moses, 'Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him...and commission him in their presence...Moses did as the Lord commanded him.” (Numbers 27:15-22a)

We're each called to remember the place where Jesus found us and never forget that from which He rescued us. We must remember the battles God has fought for us and count the victories frequently so we never forget who goes before us. We're challenged to go forth in faith because we have a history with One who is ever faithful!

Nowhere do we read in Scripture that Joshua ever returned to a life of slavery. In fact, in his final years, he still bellowed allegiance to the God of Freedom. “'Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.'” (Joshua 24:14-15)

Joshua's path from slavery to seniority crossed a dry sea and a vast desert. His journey took him up a cloud covered mountain and across enemy borders. “After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten. And they buried him in the land of his inheritance...” (Josh. 24:29-30a)





Like Joshua, we should never forget what lies behind, but we should never turn back to it either. If we want to live free in Christ and we want to lead others into the promised land filled with His presence, we have to live faithful, not enchained. The only way to achieve such freedom is to be one in whom is the spirit. “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

Red Cannon Fire and a White Petticoat

By Brenda Black

Continental Army Private Joseph Martin recorded an interesting scene in his journal for June 28, 1778. Author Esther Pavao repeats his words in an article published by Revolutionary-War.net.

“A woman whose husband belonged to the artillery and who was then attached to a piece in the engagement, attended with her husband at the piece for the whole time. While in the act of reaching a cartridge and having one of her feet as far before the other as she could step, a cannon shot from the enemy passed directly between her legs without doing any other damage than carrying away all the lower part of her petticoat. Looking at it with apparent unconcern, she observed that it was lucky it did not pass a little higher, for in that case it might have carried away something else, and continued her occupation.”

Meet Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley, better known in history books as "Molly Pitcher." She gained the title that late June day at the Battle of Monmouth where Mary Hays carried water from a spring to the thirsty soldiers under heavy fire from the British. All through the day, amid choking smoke, groaning troops and frightening battle, the private's young wife carried water in a pitcher back and forth to her husband and his fellow artillery gunners. When her husband collapsed from either heat stroke or injury and was carried off the battlefield, Mary Hays took his place at his cannon.

It was not uncommon for women to be near the heat of battle. Many wives of enlisted men joined a group of camp followers led by Martha Washington. They took care of the troops, washed clothes, made food, and helped care for the sick or injured soldiers. But Mary's bravery and composure with fire-hot cannons blazing, earned her a special thanks from General George Washington. And a hundred years later, a marker graces her grave, commemorating her exemplary service.

Young Mrs. Hays knew in her early 20's what it takes a lifetime for most to comprehend. Love, loyalty and a level head can keep you going when war rages all around. Mary surely loved the man she married to take such risks and to have been so frequently near him in battle that she knew how to operate his weapon. Her devotion to her husband mirrored that of her unfettered care for all of her patriot brothers. What an amazing young woman! Add to her qualities wit and wisdom so ingrained that not even a cannon ball could knock her off her game.

Though Mary was motivated by love, mobilized by loyalty and empowered with level-headed thinking, there had to be another big “L” present in that trench 235 years ago. The credit for Mary's petticoat junction with a cannon ball has to go to the Lord Himself! Together, I'd say that cool blue water, red hot determination and pure white God protection kept the military bride and a host of young patriots alive for another day.

This holiday weekend, when you hear the tummy-rumbling bang of fireworks, think back to a day when a young woman faced the enemy fearlessly and helped make it possible for you to enjoy such entertainment in freedom. Never forget how great the bravery of those who fought for liberty. Always remember that certain battles are worth the risk and to take arms for the cause of others is a noble task. And one more thing: Thank God for all your “near misses.” For most certainly, the Lord has spared you time and again from the fire of the enemy.

http://monmouthchapternjssar.org/Main-Molly-Pitcher.html

 “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” (Proverbs 29:25)

The Fast Way to God's Heart

By Brenda Black

“'Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter – when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.'” (Isaiah 58:6—9a)

Welcome to this week in America: Injustice, oppression, hunger, loss of home and clothing and life! And out of the mouth of Isaiah, a prophet who preached in the 740's BCE, we hear God speak directly to us today. He tells us if we do what is right, the Lord Himself will have our back!

The word “prophet” literally means “to boil up like a fountain.” So here are a couple of fiercely frothy topics that need some God perspective to put us on the fast track to His blessings.

Boiling up first is the need to “Loose the chains of injustice.” I'm not one to go political in this column, but for crying out loud, there needs to be a house cleaning of magnanimous proportions in our government! So much corruption and injustice cannot continue if we want to draw near to God's heart. 

The truth is rapidly and finally becoming unveiled. Those whom we have entrusted, have lied, manipulated and murdered. Trust has been decimated along with privacy. Lives have been lost along with liberty.

May the chains of injustice be loosed and the cords of this deceitful yoke be broken so that freedom and security will once again be available to Americans. There's a reason God blessed this nation for generations. Generations before blessed God!

Boiling up next is the need to “Share your food with the hungry and provide the poor wanderer with shelter.” Oddly enough in a world where social media keeps us instantly and constantly connected, the human element is all to often absent. Instead of reaching out to meet the needs of someone else, we're standing in front of mirrors taking self portraits with cell phones and so absorbed with our own trivial day-to-day happenings, that we forget none of us is the center of the universe! Good grief – we need to use our fingers less for texting the latest gossip and more for holding the hand of someone in crisis! So often, God uses the people-to-people formula to convey His love and grace. With all the pain in our country this week, don't miss being the Lord's emissary of mercy.

May we feed the hungry, house the homeless, clothe the naked and love one another as Christ loved us. “'Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.'” (Matthew 5:7-8)

There's an overflow effect after boiling up like a fountain and taking God to the masses.“Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.”

The rear guard is that part of a military force that protects it from attack from the rear, either during an advance or withdrawal. Be aware, that as you speak up for truth, as you demand justice, as you sacrifice to meet the needs of another, the enemy will be on your heels in hot pursuit. I pray that the church of God does not withdraw, but advances, declaring the love of Christ and standing up for His justice.

May the timeless words of Isaiah appropriately overflow at a time when we need to hear them and follow them closely. May our fasting be honorable in the sight of God so that when we call, the Lord answers. When we cry for help, we here Him say, “Here am I.”

Oh Say Can You See

By Brenda Black

How far we've wandered from “We the people of the United States” to “We the fragmented and foolish.” How ironic that in the midst of celebrating National Constitution Week, we find ourselves under siege around the world in opposition to free speech. And how appropriate that this week should conclude with another historical marker of American history, the composition of the Star Spangled Banner on Sept. 21, 1814, to remind our U.S. citizens once again that freedom is never a guarantee. It is won and preserved gallantly and staunchly by fierce determination.

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

This land of the free and home of the brave is governed by a great document as a complement to God's Holy Scriptures. The United States Constitution proclaims: “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Written more than 200 years ago and upheld by generation after generation, the ideals of forward thinking and freedom seeking individuals provided the foundation for this country. It breaks my heart to see such disregard for her monumental accomplishments and long-established nobility.

As much as I love this country, what disturbs me more is the parallel I see between the disrespect for the Land of Liberty and the deliberate disregard for the Lord of Eternity. Just as the masses have profaned and marred our flags abroad, they have simultaneously shouted hate toward Christians. Is anyone burning embassies or killing people to refute such hateful actions? I didn't think so.

All around the world, Christians die every day at the hand of violent radicals, just because they profess faith in God. Multitudes of citizens in the U.S. slay Christianity with disrespect. They live protected within America's borders, but shamefully spite the land that shelters them. They live under the blessings of God, but disregard His heavenly provision. They blaspheme both history and the God who wrote it while brow-beating His believers. What a double standard!

So from within and without our battles rage, pointing to God's coming judgment. How long will He tolerate such unholy conduct? I have no idea. But I do know this, I'd rather stand for this country and stand for my Lord than blindly follow the fools headed for captivity and/or hell!

Oh, say, can you see – where this country is headed? If we don't wake up and stop the insanity of socialistic programs and the dumbing down of America, our broad stripes and bright stars will cease to gallantly stream.

Oh, say, can you see – eternity is certain and the here-and-now is critically important. God is patient, but He's also just. It's time to open our eyes and turn from our wicked ways if we want true freedom to last!

President George Washington once said, "A primary object should be the education of our youth in the science of government. In a republic, what species of knowledge can be equally important? And what duty more pressing than communicating it to those who are to be the future guardians of the liberties of the country?"

Another president by the name of George – George W. Bush – said it this way when he proclaimed in 2002 this third week of September as Constitution Week, “As we face the challenges of a new era, we remain resolved and vigilant in the defense of life and liberty against tyranny and terror. Drawing strength and guidance from our Constitution, we will work to ensure that the blessings of American liberty endure and extend for generations to come.”

Do you see? It comes down to you and me living in such a way that we honor God who alone makes it possible to be truly free. The prayer from David to “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law,” found in Psalm 119:18, takes on a whole new meaning. When you look at God's law in His Word, all other laws have to align themselves under that Holy authority. If the law or the lawmaker fails, all is in jeopardy. We honor God and country when we open our eyes to see this great need for liberty.

Awakened by New Sounds

By Brenda Black

It's odd what I've gotten used to and take for granted. Say, the song of a familiar bird outside my window. At home it's the loud call of the Cardinal in a string of clear “purdy, purdy, purdy,” often speeding up and ending in a slow trill. The cattle low and the horse nickers when I step out the door, alerting me to morning chores. When I'm walking my Missouri gravel, the Western Meadowlark gurgles out flute-like notes to help quicken my steps. What's more odd is the absence of those familiar sights and sounds or the substitution with strange new ones in foreign surroundings.

I was distracted by the call of a bird I had never heard while standing near an open window in Wisconsin. Instead of singing a pretty tune, it sounded more like a squeaky porch swing whose chain was in need of a greasing. "Kar-r-r-r-o-o-o" "Kar-r-r-r-o-o-o" "Kar-r-r-r-o-o-o". So loud was the call, I was certain this curious avian was on the porch, in that swing! But like the coyotes deceptive cry at home, the Sandhill Crane was only as near as binoculars could ascertain. What struck me most was my immediate awareness of this new and strange noise.

New surroundings tend to sharpen alertness. New sounds prick curiosity. New subjects demand our focus. And I am no longer talking about birds. Just how cognizant are we of the world around us? How thankful and curious are we; how purposeful in discovering the source behind something new we've heard?

This world is changing, and not necessarily for the good. A glance through the headlines on any given day this past week made me think I was waking up in a strange America – a foreign and frightening new world. Because the stories told harrowing tales of government overreach and the ill-gotten power grab of elected officials, my senses were heightened, my curiosity maximized, my focus targeted. How can people be so blind and deaf? Are we not a searching people any longer, demanding truth, justice and God's holy way? Like the song of a familiar bird, the luxuries of beloved familiarity like prayer and God's Word may one day be plucked away if we don't take a long, hard look at what's lurking in the near distance.

The first step is to know the Truth. “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11) You won't recognize the deceitful tactics of the enemy if you aren't certain of the promises from the Heavenly Father. You can't hone in on danger or discern need for caution if you have no standard.

Next, cling to the cross. This is the true redemptive act of Christ because we all need the Savior and there is no other way. Don't listen to the lie that there are many ways to righteousness. The Gospel does not change. “Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'” (John 14:6) “As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!” (Galatians 1:9) A Christian song once played frequently says it this way: “Keep me near the cross, Near the cross, May I never stray so far, That I cannot see, What flowed down for me, At the foot of the cross.”

Be steadfast and devoted no matter the call outside your window. “So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left.” (Deuteronomy 5:32) “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Ps. 51:10) “Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:38)

Sometimes we need a wake up call, the song of a different bird that heightens our awareness and causes us to stop and listen intently to what's truly being said. Don't take the familiar for granted or one day you may wake up without its pleasure and instead be listening to the screeching sounds of freedom silenced in a foreign land. That's an odd place in which I'd rather not find myself.

His Name Shall Be Prince of Peace

(Final in series)

By Brenda Black

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

The Wonderful Counselor points the way to a Mighty God that will never fail and into the arms of our Everlasting Father who watches over us forever. But wait! There's more – so much more! The Babe in the manger came to a world at war to reign as the Prince of Peace!

To better grasp peace, we must consider the anguish it replaces. Go back in chapter 9 of Isaiah and see the contrasts. Darkness versus light (vs. 2); gladness versus burden (vs. 3-4); a yoke verses a staff (s. 4).

Christmas time and light go hand in hand. Strings of glowing bulbs line house gutters as well as businesses, trees, bushes, wood or iron lawn ornaments, porch spindles and even poodles with reindeer antlers and blinking noses. We illuminate stars, attempting to imitate the heavens. Twinkling spectacles transform into laser light shows complete with orchestrated, techno tunes. We light candles and line our sidewalks with luminaries to brighten dark winter nights and present a warm welcome to evening carolers. Light makes plain objects magical and long nights tolerable. The Prince of Peace came as the Light of the World to lead us out of spiritual darkness.

“'The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.' From that time on Jesus began to preach, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.'” (Matthew 4:16-17)

Gladness and burden are equal companions at Christmas. We are happy to give and long to express our love for family and friends through thoughtful trinkets and treasures. Parties sound delightful, but crowd an already over-extended schedule. The burden to bear the expense and find the time to shop among the masses and attend every celebration can become overwhelming. Keep in mind, burdens don't sneak up on you and knock you flat! Burdens accumulate. At first they seem bearable. Then the longer we carry them, the more we add to them, the more cumbersome they become until we can tolerate it no more. Good things, and bad things, like worries, sorrow, fear, financial hardship, and a hundred more weights from the world pile up in our minds and on our shoulders. If we don't lay them down daily, they will waylay us ultimately! The Prince of Peace came to bear our load and show us a simple path to glory.

“But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful...Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” (Psalm 68:4,19)

In the final weeks of the calendar year, it begins. The tidal wave of choking pressure to have the latest, greatest gadget or give the best deal! It's easy to feel swept up by the commercialism of Christmas, hammered by loud, annoying advertisements harping at us to buy, buy, buy or nag, nag, nag until you get, get get! It's really quite disgusting if you think about it. And it is suffocating. This urge to splurge on things unnecessary is like a heavy yoke clamped over your shoulders, forcing you to surrender and follow the herd mentality. The alternative is the calm, quiet nudge of a loving Savior who reaches out with his long, smooth, curved staff and pulls you closer. The same Good Shepherd will also get in the yoke with you and help bear the load. With Him it is safe and meaningful; there in the manger and in the arms of the Messiah. The Prince of Peace came to set us free.

“'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.'” (Mt. 11:28-30)

“And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

May God bless you this Christmas with His presence in all of its magnificent forms.

2011 copyright by The Word's Out - Brenda Black

Thank God for America the Beautiful

Thank God for America the Beautiful
By Brenda Black

By the time this column is published, we will be enjoying a few dozen less robo-calls per day. We'll be free of the onslaught of blaring political TV and radio ads. The campaign trail once dotted with red, white and blue yard signs will give way to beige patches of dying turf. And the lonely, quiet and bland milieu will be welcome...just in time for the hectic holiday commercials to replace political barking with screams to “Buy, Buy, Buy!”

My, my, my! Why? Why? Why? I'm ready for some silence and some sanity and some sensitivity. How about you? A little Thanksgiving before the hyper-holiday lime green and glaring red banners go up would be a nice change of pace. A wiener roast over a warm, glowing fire near the pond bank on a cool November evening sounds like paradise. A stroll through the changing timber or a roll in a pile of raked leaves seems like a great escape from the pushy commercials and shallow slogans that pitch piles of stuff we don't even need.

November should be a time to treasure the beauty of the greatest country on earth and remember how blessed we are to call this nation home. A majority of Americans will know the first verse of the 1913 patriotic classic, America the Beautiful, by Katherine Lee Bates. It highlights spacious skies, amber waves of grain and majestic, purple mountains. Many will recall words about pilgrim's feet and liberty in the second stanza. My guess is the familiarity weakens by verse three when Bates proclaims heroic acts of men “who more than self their country loved” and challenges all patriots to see the only success worth having be filled with nobleness divinity! God's grace and man's brotherhood bears witness in repeated refrains to the unity it took to form one nation under God. And verse four promises heaven past the high price of sacrifice ventured for freedom here on earth.

But do you know verse seven? “O beautiful for glory-tale, Of liberating strife, When once and twice, for man's avail, Men lavished precious life! America! America! God shed his grace on thee,Till selfish gain no longer stain, The banner of the free!”

Selfish gain has left it's stain on freedom. People rant ugly, hateful things at a young soldier's funeral for their own moment of shameful fame. Elected officials have lost face and sacrificed trust to pursue their own selfish gain rather than be a true civil servant. Credit card companies selfishly offer plastic money to people who can't afford to pay the bill, all the while heaping unending, outrageous interest rates. Crime and cruelty are culprits of selfishness. And the list goes on of ways one person's freedom infringes on the rights of another, as long as that person practices no moral conscience.

Paul said it well in 1 Corinthians 6:12 - “'Everything is permissible for me' - but not everything is beneficial.” In a country built on sacrifice and nobility, we malign the very freedoms fought for when we forget that our freedom is not license for indecency.

The elections are over. The outcome history. It's time to get our American act together and cease disgracing the blood it took to give us such opportunity to speak our minds, whether in ignorance or knowledge; to cast our vote the same. November is a time to remember – veterans and pilgrims and
God's role in our nation's history and in the blessings we know as families.

Before you go mad over the election outcome or get busy hitting the stores and get swept up in the Christmas chaos, I challenge you to stop as often as you can in this eleventh hour of the year and give thanks. Quite possibly, if we were truly thankful, we wouldn't be so miserable, hateful, divided, incited or narrow minded in this amazing country. We'd be grateful to be American. And we'd stop and count our blessings this November instead of disregard them.

Whether you acknowledge it or not, does not change the historical relevance of God's divine intervention for this nation. In case you wonder what it will take to insure a similar future glory, let me leave you with the closing lines of verse eight of America the Beautiful: “America! America! God shed his grace on thee, Till nobler men keep once again, Thy whiter jubilee!” Remember in November that it's God's grace which washes our sins so we're whiter than snow and His grace alone sets us free.

Leopard Frog Vs. Lawnmower

Leopard Frog Vs. Lawnmower
By Brenda Black

It takes guts to be a leopard frog, often more guts than sense. The aptly named amphibians depart their aquatic habitat during warm, summer months and venture into fields, pastures and backyards to forage. How silly to leave cool, clear waters in the middle of August scorchers and head to hot turf. Still there's another reason they'd be better off in the pond than in the pasture. In their quest for spiders and other insects, they forget to factor one giant enemy – the lawnmower.

What should seem to be horrifying to them, marginally stirs the brown-spotted species. They barely escape with zigzag hops away from the frog-squishing rubber tires on cast-iron front axles. They, narrowly dodge whirring, razor-sharp steel blades that just demolished their green grass cafe. One would think it would freak out a frog! But they seem no more shaken than if they had just jumped in front of a lily pad.

I wonder if that isn't part of the problem with people these days. They think they're invincible and do not fear true threats. Is it self absorption that blinds humans to danger? Or are people so arrogant to think that they can save themselves at the last minute.

Wake up America! There's a big freedom-chopping movement taking place in our nation. And if we don't take the danger seriously, we're hopping right into a death trap. Piece by piece, law by law, one mowed down path at a time, we are flippantly acting like leopard frogs, out of water and oblivious to horrible threats.

In about an hour of yard wacking, I spied at least a half dozen of the froggy rebels. And every one of them behaved predictably. They escaped by a frog's hair on their wee chins. I pray that's not your attitude in matters of freedom in our country or matters of eternity. There is an urgency to safeguard our nation and to ensure our eternal destiny.

“As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left. Even as he walks along the road, the fool lacks sense and shows everyone how stupid he is.

“There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that arises from a ruler: Fools are put in many high positions, while the rich occupy the low ones.” (Ecclesiastes10:1-3, 5-6)

Solomon's words from the Bible basically say frog foolishness reveals stupidity. Quite frankly, I think we are being weed-whipped with some “folly that outweighs wisdom and honor” when it comes to the leadership of our nation. With all due respect to the office and utter disappointment with the one who holds it, a fool is wining and dining and smoking in the White House, while those rich in common sense are working desperately trying to stay afloat. As we veer ever farther from the safe and sensible statutes of a Christian nation and the attitudes and wisdom that evoke God's blessings, we run the risk of being totally mowed down!

God won't tolerate this sort of nonsense. He cannot bless where there is blatant and foolish, self-imposed moral ignorance and other gods are worshipped. God doesn't change. Go read his resume. But since I'm not a doomsday sort of gal, I do want to offer a sliver of a silver lining. So, here's the upside of all this stupid, legalized immorality and insensitive face-slapping: Judgment is coming! Stand for God through it all and we shall see glory!

“'So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me,' says the Lord Almighty.

“'I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,' says the Lord Almighty.” (Malachi 3:5-7)

Look before you leap, my fellow citizens. And if you are still enamored with change for change's sake, then I hope you know how to hop really fast.

Flashback on Freedom

Flashback on Freedom
By Brenda Black

“In free governments, public celebrations serve to excite a spirit of emulation. By extolling the deeds of valor and virtue, we direct that ambition into a beneficial channel, which, left to itself, would seek advancement by intrigue. They afford the fittest occasion to pay the tribute of gratitude to national benefactors; to inculcate those maxims by which freedom is supported, and to point out the dangers which menace its destruction. The mind of man, soaring on the pinions of curiosity through the regions of hope, in pursuit of higher attainments and more exalted pleasures, loses sight of present enjoyments. National blessings, grown familiar, are forgotten, and their existence endangered. From this disposition to neglect whatever has not the stamp of novelty, arises the necessity that peculiar privileges should be frequently brought to view, and the dangers which threaten their destruction often pointed out.

“Such, fellow citizens, are the principles which should induce us to commemorate, with at least one annual celebration, the great, the peculiar, and preeminent liberties and blessings we enjoy. Let us then, my friends, on this hallowed anniversary of that Day which proclaimed us a Free, Sovereign, and Independent People, prostrate ourselves before Him in whose hands are the destinies of Nations; and adore that Providence, which in a dark and eventful hour, led us safely through a perilous revolution, and enabled us in infancy to triumph over an ancient and powerful nation. May we, on every return of this auspicious day, swear at the Altar of Liberty, that we will live true to those principles which gave birth to our Independence...”

Who delivered such stirring words of patriotism? One of the famous George presidents from the beginning or more recent? A freeman or slave? An activist or preacher? None of the above. His name was Joseph E. Sprague and his words are more famous than his own name. Sprague challenged his audience on July 4, 1810, in Salem, MA. His oration was met with high regards and elicited a note of appreciation:

“Sir, The Committee of Arrangements present their unfeigned thanks to you for your elegant and spirited Oration, delivered before the Republicans on the fourth day of July instant, and respectfully ask a copy for the press.”

The manuscript is now part of a compilation of pamphlets of addresses made on Independence Day from 1791-1925. How do such words outlast time and ignore party differences? Why have they withstood wars and been preserved through countless social upheavals? Because they are just as relevant 199 years after they are spoken. They are passionate and honest and down deep that is what every generation longs to hear – and needs to hear.

“That we will remember with gratitude, and bless with our latest breath, the Sages, the Patriots, and the Warriors, who conceived and effected that glorious Revolution which gave us a name and a standing among the nations of the Earth, and which freed us from a Tyrant who sought 'to bind us in all cases whatsoever.'

“That all men are born free and equal; that they have the right to worship their Creator according to the dictates of their own consciences, and that governments were instituted for the benefit of the the governed, are axioms which are not called in question in this country, although practically contradicted by all other nations. A firm conviction of the truth of these maxims, and a fixed determination not to submit the modes of their belief to the regulations of the government... Rather than sacrifice their integrity and bend to the mandates of arbitrary power, they tore asunder the ties of society, friendship and country; they abandoned their comfortable homes, in the dead of winter, and after traversing the tempestuous ocean, settled on the barren coast of Cape Cod...The same spirited opposition to oppression which induced our ancestors to quit their pleasant homes and settle in a savage wilderness, descended uncontaminated and undiminished to their children...That spirit of liberty which had descended undiminished from sire to son, revolted...

“After the cup of reconciliation was exhausted, after humble petition on petition, and remonstrance after remonstrance was treated with contumely and contempt, the sages of the revolution, on the 4th of July, 1776, published to the world the Manifesto of Independence. This monument of human virtue, wisdom of valor...will be regarded with veneration by the remotest ages. This Declaration, like a decree of Omnipotence, fired every bosom and nerved every arm. America rose in the majesty of her strength – she endured fatigue, want, and misery – she fought, she bled, and she conquered.

“Our first duty, fellow citizens, on the return of this eventful day is to pay the tribute of our gratitude to the God of Battles, and the instruments of his providence in accomplishing the revolution. Let it not be said that the subject is trite and uninteresting. To those who venerate liberty, who prize the boon bought with the best blood of the country, the subject can never cease to be interesting, the repetition of the deeds of valor of that time can never prove tedious. The bosom that beats with a single pulse of affection for the rights of man will always throb with renewed pleasure at the recital of the valor that won our liberties – and the eye of every patriot will yield the ready tear of commiseration at the tale of persevering toil and suffering virtue by which our revolution was accomplished.”

Celebrate your freedom like never before. Need I say more.

Counting the Cost

Counting the Cost
By Brenda Black

Memorial Day originally honored the Civil War dead that numbered more than 620,000 men. Each May since 1868, America's freedom-grateful acknowledge their fallen protectors with quiet prayer, vivid floral wreaths and ceremonious events. Try as we may to humble ourselves as a nation and observe the solemn and selfless acts of brave soldiers, the gestures pale in comparison to their greatness. And sadly, there will remain an ignorant disregard among the masses for such noble sacrifice.

Though teenage men faced bloody battles more than a hundred years ago, and writhed with guilt and weariness and hunger, little thought will be given them at 21st Century beach-side BBQs where youth feast and party. The latest generations vaguely recall their ancestors' names who fought for what they believed or those who languished to liberate others. They'll not be able to account for a great grandparent who died among the 33,741 fallen in North and South Korea or the 47,424 who lost life and limb in Vietnam unless they've been told of such feats.

You see, the indifference didn't begin with the youngest, it began when former generations stopped talking about real heroes and decided current cultural icons deserved more respect than officers and gentlemen who gave their lives in battle. We run the risk of blinding our selves to valuable lessons and worthy examples when all we do is talk about the future and brag about the present. Our station in life is blessed because of those who faced persecution in the past. Our freedoms are enjoyed thanks to those who relinquished their own. This nation is strong as a result of the strength of character and fortitude of the fearless who stood for liberty and truth.

Though Patrick Henry did not die in battle, I believe his powerful words spoken Mar. 23, 1775 at St John's Henrico Parish Church in Richmond, VA, express the reason for such heroics.

“...The questing before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.

“Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.

“I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past...

“...Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! ...

“...Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

Henry embodied the passion that pushes soldiers to prevail in dire circumstances. He represented the heart of freedom-loving Americans like the hundreds of thousands who faced danger bravely and succumbed to honorable deaths. There is never a generation that should ever forget! Our privileges come at a cost!

In addition to the 701,165 soldiers already mentioned who died in combat, let's remember the 5,067 modern-day casualties of war from the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq; the 8,428 who gave their lives in battle in the American Revolution, the War of 1812 and the Mexican war; and the 344,959 in WW I and WW II. They fought for liberty and accepted death as the exchange for such a luxury. These valiant patriots deserve our grateful acknowledgment this Memorial holiday. Stop and count your blessings – 1,059,619 of them.

Reagan Reflections

Reagan Reflections
By Brenda Black

Nearly a century ago, on Feb. 6, 1911, Ronald Wilson Reagan entered the world. He won the admiration of movie-goers and two leading ladies, then the favor of the nation when he became the 40th President of the United States. Reagan died on June 5, 2004, at the age of 93, but is still remembered for his landslide victory, more extreme than the most recent with a 489 electoral win over Jimmy Carter's 49. He was loved for his vast appeal and his indelible charismatic and colorful quotes still echo through history and bear the weight of wisdom that we might do well to heed in this generation.

“Facts are stubborn things,” Reagan said.

I would add that ignorance is not necessarily bliss. In order to realize success in any area of life, it is truth that is our greatest ally. The psalmist David put it this way: “Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws. I hold fast to your statutes, O Lord; do not let me be put to shame. I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.” (Ps. 119:29-32)

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction,” Reagan said. “We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”

The fact is, the truth which is found in Christ is our greatest freedom. The challenge is to instill that truth into the hearts of the next generation so that our freedom will not be lost. Reagan said, “Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged.” It's time to wake up and shake up the world with the Word of God!

It begins at home. As Reagan said, “All great change in America begins at the dinner table.” Our children must see faith in action as we offer thanks to God, not the government for our provisions. Our families must be taught the importance of honesty, hard work and purity and the advantages for living a life of integrity. It is up to parents to impart truth, not teach tactics for getting something for nothing or lying to get ahead or taking without giving. It begins by demonstrating personal faith and devotion to the One True God of all creation.

“If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God,” the 40th President said, “then we will be a nation gone under.”

This surge forward in American history will be only as progressive as it is purposeful. And our purpose is to live for truth, not self-serving or worldly ambitions. Our eyes are supposed to be fixed on things eternal. Reagan said, “There are no easy answers, but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.”

When times are tough, when temptations are tantalizing, when solutions to problems come from temporary fixes instead of time-honored truths, choose the better. Opt for truth.

“'I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.

“'Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.'” (John 3:24-30)

God is truth. “We are never defeated unless we give up on God,” Reagan charged.

On Feb. 6, 1911, Reagan was born. He left his mark on history by encouraging a nation and inciting Americans to seek God's wisdom and truth. Our purpose is no less historically critical. We are called by the Lord himself to walk in truth and lead others to do the same. A landslide victory for faithful living looks like heaven.

“Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellow man, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.” (Psalm 15)