Wind,Rain,Winding Roads & Sunshine, The By-Ways of Life

A Tribute To Independence Day

 

 

December 16, 1773, three ships loaded with tea stood in the Boston Harbor.  They had been standing unloaded for days. The citizens of Boston were refusing to let the tea come upon Massachusetts's soil, thereby denying that the King of England had a right to tax the people of Massachusetts.

 September 5, 1773 – Events had reached a peak and communications between England and her colonies were at a stand still.  The king was not listening, and the colonies came together for their First Continental Congress, in Philadelphia.  The majority of the delegates had not given any thought to separating themselves from the mother country.  After all, they were British citizens, subjects of the crown, and many of them were proud of it. 

 April 18, 1775 – Tempers had risen. Warrants were out for the arrest of John Hancock and Samuel Adams.  The two battles, now known as the Battle of Lexington and Concord, had begun.  In the darkness of the night, one could hear the cry of one lone citizen as he rode through the night shouting out his warning.  Patrick Henry, whose most famous words, Give me liberty or give me death, spoken  at the Continental Congress, would go down into history.

 July 4, 1776 - The stage is set.  Philadelphia is the city, and twelve colonies declare their independence from their homeland, the country of their birth.  The thirteenth colony would follow two weeks later.  The Declaration of Independence, which was written by Thomas Jefferson, was influenced heavily by one of the greatest political philosophers of England, John Locke, who was a proponent of the natural or the inalienable rights of all men.   

Today is the fourth of July, and Americans of all nationalities and colors everywhere are celebrating, whether they are out of school, in retirement, off from work, or working. Everyone celebrates, even if only for a few hours.  However, let us not forget that the enactment of the Declaration of Independence has taken years to become a living instrument, which guarantees freedom for all people in our nation. 

A brutal and devastating Civil War, which ended in 1865, brought about the actuality that the American Negro was also endowed with the same inalienable rights, as the former colonists who came from all parts of Western Europe.

Fifty-nine years later, in 1924, The United States of America finally granted U.S. citizenship to all Native American Indians. However, the Bill of Rights, which is known as the Indian Civil Rights acts, was first passed in 1968––one year after the Civil Rights act of 1967 for the nationality now known as  Afro-American.

America celebrates and the people of America should, but let us not forget the past and the Native Indians who kept many of the colonists alive during the bitter five year war for independence, nor let us forget the Afro-Americans who laid down their lives for the independence of a country that was not their own.

The men and women, who died during these times, died in hope for a freedom they had not yet received, which is being enjoyed today by those they left behind.  

Happy Birthday United States of America, and may you continue to be the gateway for people who seek a home country to exercise their inalienable rights to be respected as men and women, who can attain whatever their talents allow them to be.

 Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free;

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,

Send these, the homeless,

Tempest-tossed to me

I lift my lamp beside the golden door![1]

By Emma Lazarus 

 

Ciao

Pat Garcia

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[1]  Lazarus, Emma, The New Colossus, 1883 Verse from the Inscription on The Statue of Liberty, http://www.libertystatepark.com/emma.htm

 

Been Going Through Some Changes Lately

 

 

 

 

There are times when the brightest smile dims, the driest eyes get teary, the strength wavers, and the resilience weakens. Not because of the lack of faith that a person has, but because of the seemingly impossible circumstance or circumstances, which make life hard to bear, just as you are approaching the goal line.  These are the poignant times in life you will never forget, because they signify breakthrough, and how near you are to your accomplishment––reaching the next stage on your journey.

 Changes take place on the journey. You say goodbye to people, places and things as you move forward. Old habits die, and new habits move in, shaping your life as they guide you forward in your direction.  There are lots of goodbyes on the journey, some to people you deeply care about and some to others who have meant you ill will. Leaving them all behind, the still small voice whispers in your ear, "Don't worry! There will be others"–––reaching the next stage on your journey.

I know of a lady who had no knowledge of her destiny.  The honor was not planned for her, but her willingness to accept change, and take advantage of an opportunity, brought her an honor that has come down through history. Before her step into eternal remembrance the ruling judge had prophesied to the warrior who refused to accept his destiny, who refused to turn his back on the old order of things, " If I go with you, then the honor will go to another––" He never reached the next stage on his journey.

• Who would have thought that this lady would go down in history?
• Who would have thought to hear her name sung in a song of praise?
• Who would have thought to pick her, the unclean woman, with no great heritage?

 Yet even today, wherever Biblical women are honored, she is honored: 

Most blessed of women be Jael,

The wife of Heber the Kenite,

Most blessed of tent-dwelling women.

He asked for water, and she gave him milk,

In a bowl fit for nobles, she brought him curdled milk.

Her hand reached for the tent peg,

Her right hand for the workman's hammer.

She struck Sisera, she crushed his head,

She shattered and pierced his temple.

At her feet he sank,

He fell; there, he lay.

At her feet he sank, he fell;

Where he sank, there he fell––dead¹. 

Jael, the tent-dweller, accepted the destiny that belonged to another and moved into a place of honor––reaching the next stage on her journey. 

So is it with me, so is it with you. The smile dims, the eyes get teary, the strength wavers, and the resilience weakens. The battle is hard fought, and the bruises are many. Yet the grace that is given us through our faith in the LORD Jesus Christ should spur us on just like Jael–––to reach the next stage of our journey. 

Be blessed everyone. 

Shalom,

Pat Garcia

 

^{1  ZONDERVAN, New International Version, 1984, Judges 5:24-27}

 

 

A Look at a Day's Battle on the Journey

It is when you're in the heat of the battle that you must hold on to your own beliefs and not give up.  Most people know this, or they have heard someone else who has gone through the heat successfully speak of it, but remarkably few think about the meaning of the words, the heat of the battle, which I equate to going through the fire, on your journey until the fire stands before them.   

Fire burns–– It hurts and the pain increases.  The way unknown as it is becomes precarious.  You wonder if you have made a mistake listening to the inner voice within your spirit. You asked yourself how did you get yourself into such a mess by following your dream.  You thought you had everything under control until the unexpected happens.  And all the while you are questioning your decision, the fire keeps moving toward you––the battle rages. 

Fire burns – You let your mind wander as you are being encircled by the fire and the way things were, and you begin to think the past was not so dreadful after all; the boredom forgotten in the job you were doing, the past looks lucrative; the desire to turn around and go back tempt you.  Some people do turn back only to find the bridges no longer exist; others find the bridges have remained, but the people they once knew have become mockers. You see, they mock them, because they did not go through the fire. They turned around–– in the heat of the raging battle. 

Fire burns – You're standing in the middle of the circle of this terrible fire.  You are surrounded. There are mountains around you blocking your way, and the fire is moving towards you.  The circle gets smaller and smaller.  The fear of failure calls your name out, the fear of loss hunts you, and the fear of the loss of your own dignity stalks you, and you feel as if you are the only biggest fool in the world––the battle rages. 

Fire burns – You stand there. Soon you are overtaken, and you know this is it. There is no way to avoid the fire now. You have waited until it is too late. You can no longer escape. Surrounded by the fire, you gather up the last little bit of courage as the flames reach out for you. Driven by fear, you stretch out your hands and embrace the flames expecting this to be your last action––in the heat of the raging battle. 

Fire cleanses- Your shackles of doubt, fear of loss, fear of failure and loss of your own dignity burn. They dissipate into the flames of the fire, and within the fire, you begin to dance. The hindrances, which held you back, no longer bind you. Instead of going under, you find yourself being emancipated––the battle is won! 

The fire that burns has set you free! 

It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. (1 Corinthians 3:15b, NIV 1984) 

Shalom, 

Pat Garcia

 

Letting Go

Recently, while helping someone out that needed help urgently, I experienced the pain of letting go.  Letting go of someone by death is difficult, but I believe it is more difficult to let go of people with whom you have celebrated birthdays, weddings or with whom you have celebrated many meals together.  These are the people you have called friends, people who have played an integral part in your life. These people have not departed this world but have separated themselves from your life, by moving in a different direction on their life journey.  This kind of departure is not easy.

  Letting Go A  Running Theme In The Bible

 Yet the Bible is full of people who had to let go.  Abraham had to leave a family that he treasured.  Moses was put in a basket by his mother and floated on the Nile with his sister watching to see where he landed.  Brothers, who hated Joseph the dreamer, forcefully moved him away from his loving and doting father.  David had to leave his beloved home and go in the King's castle to play on his harp, and lift the depressions that King Saul had.  Samuel was given up as soon as his mother, Hannah, weaned him and given to Eli the wicked Priest who was more afraid to chastise his own sons than to make sure that everything ran properly in the LORD's Tabernacle. Mordecai gave up Esther to the harem of King Xerxes, the ungodly ruler of 127 provinces and at the appointed time, she was able to save a nation.  These are only a few of the biblical instances where people were put into situations where they had to let go.

 What does that say to you?  How many of you are willing to let go of the old?  To stretch yourselves into something new or to let someone new into your circle of friends; someone or something that will not only change your life and your way of thinking, but will affect the lives of those people you normally come in contact with.   Is it not often so, that you get so comfortable in your little niche, with your little group of friends that you feel immediately threaten by someone new or something new?

 Inviting Change Into Your Life

 At the beginning of the year, I began my rehearsals with my pianist in preparation for our first band practice at the end of February.  His son, barely four years old, came to the door as I rang the doorbell.  His father said to me, "Simon wants to be a part of your rehearsal. He wants to watch you sing."  This was something that I had not experienced for a long time, nor had I expected it.  Normally, I relate to his father and mother. We are adults and have things in common with one another. However, here was a four year old wanting to be a part of my circle.  I must admit that I thought he would not stay there the entire time. After all my voice has a natural and unusual loudness and in a small room, it is even louder. In addition to that, his father and I tend to repeat a song until we both have reached the level of professionalism, where the song is buried in my spirit.

 Needless to say, I was surprised when that little tiger stayed in the room, the entire time.  He did not even try to distract us and as I sang, every now and then to him, he would look directly into my eyes. It honoured me and made me realized that I had just won another friend.  It also made me think of letting go and being stretched.  Letting go of my perceived perception of who belongs in my world and allowing myself to be stretched so that a little tiger like Simon could enter in.   My circle became a little wider that afternoon because a new friend had entered into my life that I have  had to learn how to relate to.  

 The Invitation To Let Go And Stretch

 So, let go and let yourself be stretched. Don't limit yourself to your little world.  Sooner or later you will find yourself stagnating.  Doing the same old thing or hanging around the same old people all the time is not good for anyone. 

 No wonder Jesus replied to the crowd when his mother and brothers stood outside wanting to speak with him, " Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"

 Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers.  For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.[1]   

 Be blessed this week.

Shalom,

 Pat Garcia

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[1] Matthew 12:48-50, (New International Version, 1984 Edition)