restoring honor 28 reflections for 828

8/9/2019 Restoring Honor 28 Reflections for 828

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Restoring Honor:

28 Reflections for 8.28

By ApplePieMom


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Dedication

For my loving, energetic family.

For Glenn Beck, who labors tirelessly in the pursuit of truth.

2010 ApplePieMom


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Contents

Introduction 4

Day 8.1: Honor 5Day 8.2: Restoration 6Day 8.3: Life 8Day 8.4: Liberty 9Day 8.5: Happiness 10Day 8.6: Freedom 11Day 8.7: Allegiance 12Day 8.8: Republic 14Day 8.9: Indivisible 15

Day 8.10: Justice 16Day 8.11: Amendment I 17Day 8.12: Courage 18Day 8.13: Gratitude 19Day 8.14: Endurance 20Day 8.15: Forbearance 21Day 8.16: Harmony 22Day 8.17: Knowledge 23Day 8.18: Awakening 24Day 8.19: Truth 26

Day 8.20: Peace 28Day 8.21: Charity 29Day 8.22: Stars 30Day 8.23: Stripes 31Day 8.24: Gold 32Day 8.25: Lincoln Memorial 33Day 8.26: Washington Monument 34Day 8.27: In God We Trust 35Day 8.28: E Pluribus Unum 36

Permissions 37


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Introduction

As our nation prepares for the historic Restoring Honor Rallyon August 28,2010 at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, we are a nation at a crossroads. Thequestion is, will we choose liberty?

Here you will find contemplations on honor, restoration, life, liberty, andpursuit of happiness 28 key values of the American people. This is an offeringto help everyone prepare for an amazing day, whether you are rallying inWashington, D.C or offering support from home or overseas.

I hope this will help mothers and fathers, children and grandchildren, friendsand neighbors devoted to the cause of liberty to strengthen their spirits, renew

their peaceful intentions, and prepare themselves to (in the words of theRestoring Honor poster) come celebrate America by honoring our heroes, ourheritage and our future.

What more can you do? Fly the American flag at home. The flag is a unifyingsymbol of our nation, and displaying it will offer hope to passers by.

Lets turn now to celebrating this great nation that our founding fathers havegiven us; the gift of freedom that has been guarded by generations of Americans;and the legacy of liberty we desire to pass on to our children.

We will stand up, because we love our beautiful country.

America! America!God shed His grace on thee.

And crown thy good with brotherhoodFrom sea to shining sea!-- America the Beautiful,

(Words by Katharine Lee Bates, Melody by Samuel Ward)


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Day 8.1: Honor

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.He makes me to lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,he restores my soul.He guides me in paths of righteousnessfor his names sake.Even though I walkthrough the valley of the shadow of death,I will fear no evil, for you are with me;your rod and your staff, they comfort me.You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.Surely goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,and I will dwell in the house of the Lord.Psalm 23: 1-6 (NIV)

What is honor?Honor is integrity.It is an uprightness of character.It is built on personal dignity.It is built on pride of accomplishment.It is built on merit.It is built on duty and truth.

Honor earned by one man or woman enriches many.Honor earned by a team of Americans united in the pursuit of liberty enriches all.

Do you remember the American can-do spirit? It is the spirit that says we candream an American dream and make it come true. It is the spirit that teaches usto imagine new frontiers, to have the courage to explore them, and to pass ourdreams and discoveries on to our children.

Our can-do spirit is not grounded in utopianism, the desire of a populace toerase all social evils and achieve fulfillment through equality of outcome.

Utopian experiments ultimately fail.

It is grounded in unbridled optimism, a belief that tomorrow will be a betterday, that the fruits of ones labor belong to the individual, that hard work paysoff, that the golden rule matters, and that the bounty of Earth naturally renewsitself when we are conscientious stewards of our own property. We are believersin teamwork and giving ones best. We never give up.


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Day 8.2: Restoration

Then Solomon said, My father, David, wanted to build this Temple to honor the

name of the Lord, the God of Israel. But the Lord told him,You wanted to build the Temple to honor my name.

Your intention is good, but you are not the one to do it.

One of your own sons will build the Temple to honor me.

And now the Lord has fulfilled the promise he made,

for I have become king in my fathers place, and now I sit

on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord promised. I have

built this Temple to honor the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.

And I have prepared a place there for the Ark, which contains

the covenant that the Lord made with our ancestors

when he brought them out of Egypt.

--1 Kings 8:7 (NIV)

What is restoration?Restoration is a return to our constitutional foundation.Restoration is restoring the truth in our history.It is reading the original sources of American history to our children.It is rediscovering faith, hope, and charity.It is rediscovering the signers of the Constitution.It is rediscovering the wives of the signers of the Constitution.It is learning the names of the people who rode in the boat with GeorgeWashington when he crossed the Delaware.

It is remembering the Civil War and the Americans who died to end slavery.It is remembering Native Americans and their many trails of tears.It is remembering that we are a new people in the New World.It is remembering that the Declaration of Independence and the United StatesConstitution are the bedrock of our republic.It is honoring those who have fallen in battle to defend our republic.It is defending the truth of who we are as a people.It is defending our right to dream of greatness and achieve it.It is our flag flown proudly.It is the pledge of allegiance recited in our schools.It is the taste of freedom that our children will breathe from the very air of

America, because we are a free people who will pass it on.

Why do we have reverence for the Declaration of Independence? As a freepeople, we embrace The Declaration of Independence as a cornerstone of ourrepublic. We recognize and rely on it as an enduring testament to our values andprinciples. With its signing, our nation was born on July 4, 1776. Because ofvictory in the American Revolution, we shed the tyranny of the British monarchand began to forge our own destiny.


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The Declaration of Independence, a document of remarkable importance tothe United States of America, begins like this:

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have

connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the

Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should

declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created

equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the

pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers

from the consent of the governed

Although standing up for Americas founding principles takes great couragetoday, we must take heart from the words of Thomas Jefferson:

In matters of style, swim with the current.

In matters of principle, stand like a rock.

Thomas Jefferson


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Day 8.3: Life

My son, do not forget my teaching,

but keep my commands in your heart,for they will prolong your life many years

and bring you prosperity.

Let love and faithfulness never leave you;

bind them around your neck,

write them on the tablet of your heart.

Then you will win favor and good name

in the sight of God and man.

--Proverbs 3: 1-4 (NIV)

What is life?

Life is a gift.We enjoy it.We cherish it.We save it.We endeavor to prolong it.We count it as individually significant.We defend life.We honor the fallen.We remember those who have gone before us.At the appointed hour, each of us hopes to say, I lived it well.

Why do we care about the life of every single American life? Americans,culturally, have a powerful regard for life. The life of every newborn baby is acause for celebration. The passing of every person is a cause for mourning. Thelife of a warrior spurs us to marshal our resources for his protection. The life ofevery man, woman, and child is significant, regardless of circumstances. That isour American tradition.

We will rescue a single captive and rejoice, as one nation, when he or she isfreed. We will praise a world-class surgeon who beats the odds to save a life. Wewill spotlight an elder who is celebrating her 100th birthday. We give thanks for

the life of a premature infant who miraculously survives and thrives.

We see every American as created equal and as being afforded equalopportunity to achieve greatness. This means we have the freedom to try, to fail,to dust ourselves off, get up, and try again.


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Day 8.4: Liberty

Joyful is the person who finds wisdom,

the one who gains understanding.

For wisdom is more profitable than silver,and her wages are better than gold.

Wisdom is more precious than rubies;

nothing you desire can compare with her.

She offers you long life in her right hand,

and riches and honor in her left.

She will guide you down delightful paths;

all her ways are satisfying.

Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her;

happy are those who hold her tightly.

-- Proverbs 3:13-18 (NIV)

What is liberty?Liberty is the freedom we have as individual members of society to act of our ownfree will, to gain wisdom from our lifes travails, while being mindful never toinfringe on the rights of other individuals.Liberty is economic freedom, civil liberty, and the right to privacy.Liberty is freedom from oppressionLiberty is freedom from authoritarian rule.Liberty is freedom from excessive restrictions on our behavior.Liberty is living without any possibility of ever being enslaved.Liberty is the right to buy, own, tend, and sell property.

Liberty is living with an ability to freely express our political views.It is freedom of movement, of association, of thought.It is freedom of expression, of speech, of the press.Liberty is the Bill of Rights.It is freedom to be ourselves, without being attacked or destroyed.It is freedom to lend a helping hand.

Since 9.11.2001 we, as a people, have been struggling with the question:What is essential liberty? To put it another way, how much liberty are we willingto give up for safety and security? We must continue to question, to pass on our

hard-won wisdom to our children, and shape America to reflect our deepestvalues. How much surveillance, satellite imaging, Internet logging, GPS tracking,street camera recording, financial transaction reporting is enough? You have todecide, based on values and principles, where the limits lie.

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little

temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

Benjamin Franklin


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Day 8.5: Happiness

Glory, glory Hallelujah!

Glory, glory Hallelujah!

Glory, glory Hallelujah!His truth is marching on.

--Battle Hymn of the Republic

What is happiness?Happiness is the Hallelujah.Happiness is joy, bliss, and enlightenment.Happiness is life and liberty.Pursuit of happiness is an individual, natural right.It is mine to find.It is freedom of thought, of speech, of movement.

It is freedom to dream and to achieve a dream.It is freedom to breathe and to exhale.It is freedom to bring life into the world.It is freedom to love and be loved.It is the act of giving and of receiving.Happiness is fleeting and eternal.It is a smile, a laugh, a kiss.It is a dance, our youth, our aging.It is communion and solitude.It is a quest for knowledge.It is discovering our place in the universe.

It is the root of peace and prosperity.It is the now and the forever.

One of our most cherished values as Americans is that we have a natural rightto pursue happiness. It is a founding principle of our nation, declared anunalienable right in the Declaration of Independence, and defended andpreserved as an American ideal since 1776.

Will we be the generation of Americans who allows this natural right to bealienated from us at long last and to such an extent that in a generation or twoour children will no longer consider pursuit of happiness a birthright? Of

course not!

We wish to protect and defend this uniquely American birthright for ourfamilies, our country, and ourselves. Give us the tempestuous sea of liberty!

Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty!

-- Thomas Jefferson


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Day 8.6: Freedom

The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,

shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

-- Proverbs 4:18 (NIV)

What is freedom?Freedom is independence.It is liberty.It is the Bill of Rights.It is the Constitution.It is the Declaration of Independence.It is the natural rights of mankind.It is national sovereignty and security.It is an essential part of American tradition.

It is the melting pot and immigration.It is the sun rising every day on a free nation.It is peace, loyalty, duty, and patriotism.

We have a tradition of self-reliance, pulling ourselves up by the bootstraps,taking on the tough jobs and getting the tough jobs done. The history of the 20thcentury speaks volumes about the lengths to which Americans will go to preservefreedom. Look at WW I, WW II, and the fall of the Berlin Wall.

We have a generation of young Americans who have no direct understanding

of Soviet-style communism, of the Cuban revolution, of the Holocaust. We evenhave a generation halfway to adulthood that was too young to remember9.11.2001. Our challenge is to pass along the lessons of recent history, so thatthe lessons we have learned are not lost or reformulated.

After 9.11, someone once said that you can measure Americas love forfreedom by how frequently Americans burst into song. Thats true.

My country, tis of thee,Sweet land of liberty,

Of thee I sing;

Land where my fathers died,Land of the pilgrims pride,From every mountain-side

Let freedom ring!-- America (Rev. Samuel Francis Smith)


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Day 8.7: Allegiance

I pledge allegiance to the flagof the United States of America

and to the republic for which it standsone nation, under God, indivisiblewith liberty and justice for all.-- The Pledge of Allegiance

What is allegiance?Allegiance is a citizens loyalty to our nation.It is obligation.It is fidelity.It is a promise to uphold the values of our nation.

It is not blind, but informed.It is not extreme, but true.It is renewed in the hearts of each new generation.

Where do we see allegiance in action today? When a soldier packs up andships out for another tour of duty overseas, there is allegiance in action. Whenpeople stand up for constitutional values, there is allegiance in action. We canmake a difference on 8.28, because we will express our earnest desire to renewour commitment to the America of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, JamesMadison, Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and all of our Founding Fathers.

Allegiance is closely related to citizenship. We seem to be uncertain aboutcitizenship in modern America. Perhaps these questions can move us forwardjust a little bit:

Do we still value citizenship as a social contract?

How does society shape todays citizen to recognize and fulfill his or hercivic duties? Are we satisfied with citizenship education in the schools? Ifnot, how would we change it?

If we had to preserve one essential thing about America would it be ourland, our language, or the Constitutional rights or our people? How wouldyou reshape this question?

It is not always the same thing to be a good man and a good citizen.-- Aristotle


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Day 8.8: Republic

Man puts his hand to the flinty rock

and overturns mountains by the roots.

He cuts out channels in the rocks,and his eye sees every precious thing.

He dams up the streams so that they do not trickle,

and the thing that is hidden he brings out to light.

But where shall wisdom be found

And where is the place of understanding?

--Job 28:19 (NIV)

What is a republic?Our American republic is a representative democracydefined by the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution,

and secured by the American Revolution.Our republic is a federalist form of government composed of states,each of which is constitutionally required to havea republican form of government as well.Legislative powers granted by the Constitutionare vested in the Congress of the United States.Executive powers granted by the Constitutionare vested in the President.Judicial powers granted by the Constitutionare vested in the Supreme Court.The Declaration of Independence

established as a cornerstone of our republic ourGod-given natural rights and a government whichderives its just power from the consent of the governed.It is left to the electorate to choose wiselyand our representatives to govern well.

Our republic rests on citizenship, free will, and individual liberty. It also restson individual spiritual redemption granted by the grace of God.

Fundamental to our republic are the principles of limited government andnatural rights.

Amendment IXThe enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to

deny or disparage others retained by the people.--The Constitution of the United States


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We, as a people, must recognize the blessings of liberty inherent in thefounding principles: that we have certain God-given inalienable, natural rights;that it is the role of a limited federal government to protect these rights which allits citizens enjoy; that the federal government derives its power from the consentof its citizenry; and that it is not the role of the federal government, our elected

representatives to give rights.

Our republic is not a pure democracy. Our founding fathers studied directdemocracy and knew that in history, democracies always failed. Democraciesalso crush a minority opinion under the tyranny of the majority.

A republic thrives without czars, mandarins, or social myths and socialsecrets spun like tall tales daily. A republic must rely on virtuous civil servants,moral leaders, and the truth.

It is important to revisit the words of President Abraham Lincoln in the

Gettysburg Address. He gave this speech in November 19, 1863, four monthsafter the Battle of Gettysburg in the American Civil War, which left 51,000 dead,wounded, or missing. The Union dead were laid to rest in the newly dedicatedcemetery. Lincolns speech, which lasted only two minutes, gave meaning to thesacrifices made in battle and gave hope for the reunification of the United Statesof America.

Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation:

conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we areengaged in a great civil wartesting whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so

dedicatedcan long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate

a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nationmight live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we

cannot dedicatewe cannot consecratewe cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and

dead, who struggled here have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world

will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It

is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here

have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining

before usthat from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they

gave the last full measure of devotionthat we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have

died in vainthat this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedomand that government

of the peopleby the peoplefor the peopleshall not perish from the earth. President Abraham Lincoln

The phrase of the people, by the people, for the people is in the context of arepublican form of government, not a pure democracy. Be aware of how thisphrase is co-opted today to alter its meaning and sway public opinion to adifferent cause entirely.


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Day 8.9: Indivisible

My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment,

do not let them out of your sight;they will be life for you,

an ornament to grace your neck.

Then you will go on your way in safety,

and your foot will not stumble;

when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

Have no fear of sudden disaster

or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,

for the Lord will be your confidence

and will keep your foot from being snared.

--Proverbs 3:21-26 (NIV)

What is indivisible?It is one nation, under God.It is the sea to shining sea.It is our sweet land of liberty.It is our good and just defense of this country.It is our unity.

It is in the heart of our people to be a great nation.

We must unite on common principles to shape a 21st century America that isstrong and prosperous.

President George Washington, in his first Inaugural Address, spoke of layingour National policyin the pure and immutable principles of private morality;and the pre-eminence of a free Governmentexemplified by all the attributeswhich can win the affections of its Citizens, and command the respect of theworld.

Our common purpose must be to preserve, protect, and defend the republicanmodel of government we have been granted by history. George Washington saidit best:

the preservation of the sacred fires of liberty , and the destiny of theRepublican model of Government, are justly considered as deeply, finally,staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people.

-- George Washington


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Day 8.10: Justice

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,before you were born I set you apart;

I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.-- Jeremiah 1: 5 (NIV)

What is justice?It is a fundamental human value.It is fairness, morality, and equity.It is reward and punishment.It is the Wisdom of Solomon.It is liberty and justice for all.It is not redistributive of income, taxes, or property.

It is individual, not meted out on a social scale.

We did not set out to be 21st century patriots, but it is where we have foundourselves, because among other things, we can see that we must stand up toremind America that these fundamental principles must be upheld:

Americans require our government to uphold the rule of law.

Americans depend on equal justice under the law.

Elected representatives of the United States serve the people.

Federal appointees of the United States serve the people.

The U.S. Supreme Court Justices must uphold the Constitution, theDeclaration of Independence, and natural rights.

Enlighten the people, generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mindwill vanish like spirits at the dawn of day.

--Thomas Jefferson


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Day 8.11: Amendment I

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free

exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the peoplepeaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

-- The Constitution of the United States

Among our American values, we hold the Bill of Rights (added from 1789 to1791 as an outgrowth of the constitutional ratification process) as a fundamentalpart of the Constitution along with the amendments right on throughAmendment XXVII.

Until now, we probably considered the First Amendment obvious andinviolate. Now we seem to be at an unfamiliar juncture:

When freedom of worship (to believe but not proselytize) isattempting to edge out our founding principle of freedom of religion;

When hate speech legislation, a well-meaning but subjective form ofcensorship, is moving us toward less freedom of speech for all;

When the search for truth in the media is a daily battle; When the peaceful assembly of citizens bearing American flags is called

many unsavory names and evidence of infiltrators and provocateurs ison record;

When petitions related to weighty legislative matters are ignored by ourrepresentatives and bills are passed through Congress without theconsent of the governed.

Are we newly arrived at an era when the only First Amendment rights we willretain are those we vigorously defend through the courts? Or has the defense ofliberty always been this contentious?

Is the international community moving toward a vision that ties freedom ofexpression to equality? Look into Article 19 Global Campaign for FreeExpression, The Camden Principles on Freedom of Expression and Equality(www.article19.org). Is this international vision what Americans want?

The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and

to protect its free expression should be our first object.-- Thomas Jefferson


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Day 8.12: Courage

One thing I have desired of the Lord,

That will I seek:That I may dwell in the house of the LordAll the days of my life,To behold the beauty of the Lord,And to inquire in His temple.For in the time of troubleHe shall hide me in His pavilion;In the secret place of His tabernacleHe shall hide me;He shall set me high upon a rock.And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;

Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.Psalm 27:4-6 (NIV)

This puts one in mind of the great courage demonstrated by Americanpatriots who served under General George Washington to secure victory in theAmerican Revolution.

It is an amazing fact that the signers of the Declaration of Independence madethis crucial pledge:

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of

divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our

sacred Honor.

A wonderful source of inspiration can be found at The Colonial WilliamsburgFoundations web site called Principles of Freedom(http://research.history.org/pf) where you can view American historicaldocuments in the original.

Our cause is noble. It is the cause of mankind!

-- George Washington


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Day 8.13: Gratitude

A Psalm of Thanksgiving

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!

Serve the Lord with gladness;Come before His presence with singing.Know that the Lord, He is God.It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;We are His people and the sheep his pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,And into His courts with praise.Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.For the Lord is good;His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.-- Psalm 100 (NIV)

What is gratitude?It is thankfulness.It is recognition of ones blessings.It is a moment of feeling the sun on your face.It is holding a loved ones hand.It is enjoying todays sunshine before tomorrows rain.It is smiling at a rainbow after the storm.

Remember, we are accomplishing amazing things. Glenn Beck reminds hislisteners to Expect miracles! Filling our hearts with gratitude on this journeyof preserving freedom seems an apt exercise in our humble preparation for anymiracles to come.

Remember, no matter what anyone says, it is good to love this vast andbeautiful country that is our homeland. God bless America!

It is our love of country that makes us get up off the couch.

If our house be on fire, without inquiring whether it was fired from within or

without, we must try to extinguish it.

--Thomas Jefferson


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Day 8.14: Endurance

Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice!

Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

When You said, Seek My face,My heart said to You, Your face, Lord, I will seek.

Do not hide Your face from me;

O God of my salvation.

Psalm 27:7-9 (NIV)

Many questions of our time are very challenging:

Why do Americans not unite to protect our liberties?

Has technology or environmentalism replaced God?

Is the search for Earth-like planets the only meaningful frontier?

If demographics are destiny, what is ours? Will we preserve the Englishlanguage, our traditions, and our sovereignty?

Will we teach our children to value American heritage and history?

The peaceful fight for our beloved United States may take time. We may grow

weary, but we must renew our spirits and keep going. Keep reading history.Keep uncovering the truth. Encourage invention in the cause of liberty such asonline bill readers and side-by-side news coverage of the left and right sides of thesame story. This may bridge the gap by some small degree.

Energy and persistence conquer all things.-- Benjamin Franklin


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Day 8.15: Forbearance

Teach me Your way, O Lord,And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.

Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;For false witnesses have risen against me,And such as breathe out violence.I would have lost heart, unless I had believedThat I would see the goodness of the LordIn the land of the living.Wait on the Lord;Be of good courage,And He shall strengthen your heart;Wait, I say, on the Lord!Psalm 27:11-14 (NIV)

What if forbearance?It is tolerance and restraint when faced with provocation.It is patience.It is self-control in a difficult situation.

The root of forbearance is humility and truth. If we remain focused on thetruth of our heartfelt love of freedom, we will overcome the forces lined upagainst us. If we remain focused on our love of freedom, we can act wisely atevery turn, despite harassment, derision, name-calling, and whatever might be

tossed our way.

It is through being tested that we develop a unity of spirit and become strong.

It cannot have been easy for our fiercely independent-minded ancestors tobirth a new nation. We are cut from the same independent cloth but must unitenow for peaceful restoration of honor and preservation of our 234-year old legacyof liberty. There is a time for every purpose under heaven. It is our time to standup.

There was Captain Washington

Upon a slapping stallion,A-giving orders to his men,I guess there was a million.Yankee doodle, keep it up,

Yankee doodle dandy;Mind the music and the step,And with the girls be handy.

-- Yankee Doodle Dandy


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Day 8.16: Harmony

The Lord looks from heaven;

He sees all the sons of men.

From the place of His dwelling He looksOn all the inhabitants of the earth;

He fashions their hearts individually;

He considers all their works.

Psalm 33: 13-15 (NIV)

Even though our hearts are fashioned individually and we stand as people ofgreat courage, there is an even greater example we can set when we cometogether into a harmonious whole, a peaceful body of people united for a commoncause, the cause of liberty.

This combination of presence and harmony is what will speak to the world.

One very courageous United States Marine has already reminded us earlierthis year that we should look beyond the first verse of our National Anthem for arevival of patriotic sentiment. And so, in the same spirit of American revival,here is the verse:

Oh! Thus be it ever, when freemen shall standBetween their loved home and the wars desolation!

Blest with victory and peace, may the heavn rescued landPraise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,And this be our motto: In God is our trust.

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall waveOer the land of the free and the home of the brave!

-- U.S. National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner by Francis Scott Key


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Day 8.17: Knowledge

The Value of Wisdom

My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you,

So that you incline your ear to wisdom,And apply your heart to understanding;

Yes, if you cry out for discernment,

And lift up your voice for understanding,

If you seek her as silver,

And search for her as for hidden treasures;

Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,

And find the knowledge of God.

For the Lord gives wisdom;

From his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;He guards the paths of justice,

And preserves the way of His saints.

Then you will understand righteousness and justice,

Equity and every good path.

When wisdom enters your heart,

And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,

Discretion will preserve you;

Understanding will keep you.

Proverbs 2:1-11 (NIV)

George Washingtons Farewell Address to the People of the United States is worth revisiting.

Washington stated his belief that our free constitution ought to be sacredly maintained.

Washington knew that the love of liberty was woven into the hearts of the American people.

George Washingtons Farewell Address

To the People of the United States

FRIENDS AND FELLOW-CITIZENS:

the constancy of your support was the essential prop of the efforts, and a guarantee of the plans

by which they were effected. Profoundly penetrated with this idea, I shall carry it with me to my

grave, as a strong incitement to unceasing vows that Heaven may continue to you the choicest

tokens of its beneficence; that your union and brotherly affection may be perpetual;that the free

constitution, which is the work of your hands, may be sacredly maintained; that its administrationin every department may be stamped with wisdom and virtue

...Interwoven as is the love of liberty with every ligament of your hearts, no recommendation of

mine is necessary to fortify or confirm the attachment.-- Excerpts from George Washingtons Farewell Address published in The Independent Chronicle,

September 26, 1796.


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Day 8.18: Awakening

I cry out with my whole heart;

Hear me, O Lord!I will keep Your statutes.I cry out to You;Save me, and I will keep Your testimonies.I rise before the dawning of the morning,And cry for help;I hope in Your word.My eyes are awake through the night watches,That I may meditate on your word.Hear my voice according to your lovingkindness;O Lord, revive me according to Your justice.

They draw near who follow after wickedness;They are far from Your law.You are near, O Lord,And all Your commandments are truth.Concerning Your testimonies,I have knows of old that You have founded them forever.Psalm 119: 145-149 (NIV)

What is awakening?It is opening your eyes after a long sleep.

It is resurrection.It is revival.It is seeing for the first time.And seeing in a new wayAnd with the sense of the brand new day.

Our spiritual awakening and the restoration of honor are topics of interest tomany. In addition, we must focus effort on an economic awakening and revival torestore our knowledge of free market principles. Lets look back at Adam SmithsThe Wealth of Nations (www.online-literature/adam_smith/wealth_nations/).

In Book V. Of the Revenue of the Sovereign or Commonwealth, he spoke of theexpenses of a sovereign nation. Smith explained that the first three priorities ofpublic spending are:

1. Defense2. Justice, and3. Public works, to facilitate commerce and education.


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Smith also considered what would happen if tax rates, such as for toll roads, werecontinually raised because it was a reliable source of revenue. Here is adescription of what he believed would happen:

If the tolls which are levied at the turnpikes should ever be considered

as one of the resources for supplying the exigencies of the state, they wouldcertainly be augmentedit can scarcely be doubted, but that a million might besaved out of [the present tolls], if they were doubled; and perhaps two millions, ifthey were tripled. This great revenue, too, might be levied without theappointment of a single new officer to collect and receive it. But the turnpiketolls, being continually augmented in this manner, instead of facilitating theinland commerce of the country, as at present, would soon become a very greatincumbrance upon it. The expense of transporting all heavy goods from one partof the country to another, would soon be so much increased, the market for allsuch goods, consequently, would soon be so much narrowed, that theirproduction would be in a great measure discouraged, and the most important

branches of the domestic industry of the country annihilated altogether.

It seems we must rediscover a path we have already traveled to regainwisdom we once considered common sense.

An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.--Benjamin Franklin


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Day 8.19: Truth

Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

In my Fathers house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I havetold you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare

a place for you I will come again and will take you to myself, that

where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am

going. Thomas said to him, Lord, we do not know where you are

going. How can we know the way? Jesus said to him, I am the way,

the truth, and the life.

John 14: 1-4

What is truth?

It is honesty, veracity, and integrity.It is verifiable and resonates.It stands the test of time.Its absence is recognizable,It is essential to hope and honor.

One of the truths that we have taken for granted in America is that we are aself-governed nation. But if this self-governance is uprooted by deception, howrestore it? What remedy will we take to set things back on course?

The Progressive Platform of 1912 begins with this:

The conscience of the people, in a time of grave national problems, has called into being a new party, born of the nations

sense of justice. We of the Progressive party here dedicate ourselves to the fulfillment of the duty laid upon us by our

fathers to maintain the government of the people, by the people and for the people whose foundations they laid.

We hold with Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln that the people are the masters of their Constitution, to fulfill its

purposes and to safeguard it from those who, by perversion of its intent, would convert it into an instrument of injustice.

In accordance with the needs of each generation the people must use their sovereign powers to establish and maintain

equal opportunity and industrial justice, to secure which this Government was founded and without which no republic can

endure.

This country belongs to the people who inhabit it. Its resources, its business, its institutions and its laws should be

utilized, maintained or altered in whatever manner will best promote the general interest.

It is time to set the public welfare in the first place.

This is a historic example of clever use of language. Did AbrahamLincoln speak of industrial justice, the people are the masters, or in

whatever manner necessary? Today, we have a whole new set of phrases.


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The American tradition of self-government and representativedemocracy was framed by our founding fathers in the Declaration ofIndependence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. It is not rootedin political or social progressivism. The change we seek is a return to ourfounding principles.

If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please bring me

some coffee.

-- Abraham Lincoln


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Day 8.20: Peace

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

May they prosper who love you.Peace be within your walls,

Prosperity within your palaces.

For the sake of my brethren and companions,

I will now say, Peace be within you.

--Psalm 122: 6-8 (NIV)

What is peace?Peace is tranquility.It is the absence of war.

Peace is harmony.It is the absence of fighting.Peace is unity.It is the absence of division,Or the sharing of differences,Or the recognition of each others humanity.

Nowhere is the alteration of the English language, and in turn, of Americanthought, more prevalent than in the language of war and peace. A year and a halfago, Americans spoke of a Global War on Terror and an Axis of Evil. Now, our

government speaks of man-made contingency operations and we areencouraged to comply with removing even the thought of terrorism from ourlexicon.

This is not new. In the essay, Politics and the English Language, GeorgeOrwell warned:

A man may take to drink because he feels himself to be a failure, and then fail all the more

completelybecause he drinks. It is rather the same thing that is happening to the English

language. It becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the

slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts. The point is

that the process is reversible.

-- George Orwell

We must attend to our language, before the copybook headings change.

You may deceive all the people part of the time, and part of the people all thetime, but not all the people all the time.

-- Abraham Lincoln


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Day 8.21: Charity

Honor the Lord with your wealth,

with the first fruits of all your crops;

then your barns will be filled to overflowing,and your vats will brim over with new wine.

--Proverbs 3: 9-10 (NIV)

What is charity?Charity is giving.It is an individual act of generosity.It is an act of free will.It is a kindness and a personal sacrifice.It is handing a gift to one person in need.It is lending a helping hand.

It is helping the sick and the helpless.It is an act of love.

America is one of the most charitable nations in the world. We are naturallygenerous. We give through churches and private charities, even government, tohelp people here and around the world to address issues of food, health,medicine, clean water, housing, and more. We are moved to individual action bya strong desire to help people.

Americans are able to reach out with such generosity, because we protect anddefend our own system of free enterprise that has allowed for the greatest

creation of wealth in the history of mankind. The growth of Americanbusinesses, large and small, has created prosperity from which an outpouring ofAmerican charity has poured forth into the world.

I know in my heart that man is good. That what is right will always eventuallytriumph. And that theres purpose and worth to each and every life.

Ronald Reagan


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Day 8.22: Stars

Hurrah for the flag of the free!May it wave as our standard forever,

The gem of the land and the sea,The banner of the right.Let despots remember the dayWhen our fathers with mighty endeavorProclaimed as they marched to the frayThat by their might and by their rightIt waves forever.---Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa (1897)

When is the last time you heard Stars and Stripes Foreverby John Philip

Sousa? Maybe at a 4th of July parade? Are we inadvertently forgetting to passon this old favorite?

If you have a chance, take some time to find it online this summer and turn itup for you and the kids to hear. Its a crowd pleaser and almost guaranteed to liftyour spirits. You can even download a music animation version for $0.76 on theyoutube channel smalin (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx0RRdPdKcM).Even the price is patriotic!

We have all heard the stories of Betsy Ross and the first American flag. If youare interested in learning more, try the online tour of the Betsy Ross historic

home in Philadelphia. This is at the UShistory.org web site(www.ushistory.org/betsy/house/intro.html). Its a charming look back at 18thcentury life in general, and Betsys home environment in particular.

The stars on our flag remind us that our nation is a union of states, each withits own history and unique heritage.

There has been tension between the federal government and states rightsproponents since the Federalist and Republican political parties emerged in the1790s. It seems the party in power tends toward a Federalist interpretation andthe party out of power tends toward the pre-eminence of state sovereignty.

Nullification and secession are the tools of the states to counter the centralizingforces of the federal government. But the argument has always centered on theconstitution. What if the constitution is no longer the center of the argument,because it is being side stepped by laws that it takes years to prove areunconstitutional? What recourse do the states and the people have?

Its wonderful what we can do if were always doing.--George Washington


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Day 8.23: Stripes

The Americans Creed

I believe in the United States of America as a Government of the people, by the people, for the people;

whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed,a democracy in a republic;

a sovereign nation of many sovereign States;

a perfect union, one and inseparable, established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice,

and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.

I therefore believe it is my duty to my Country to love it;

to support its Constitution;

to obey its laws;

to respect its Flag;

and to defend it against all enemies.

-- William Tyler Page, Congressional Record No. 102, April 13, 1918

In 1918, during World War I, an American Creed was entered into theCongressional Record. Respect for the flag is a basic value in the AmericanCreed.

The flag that inspired the Star Spangled Banner its broad stripes and brightstars has been preserved since 1812. Americans raised the flag in victory onSeptember 14, 1812 after defeating the British at Ft. McHenry (Baltimore,Maryland) in the War of 1812.

While in Washington, D.C., visitors can view this huge flag at the Smithsonian:

The Star-Spangled Banner: The Flag that Inspired the National AnthemThe National Museum of American History14th St. and Constitution Ave., NWWashington, D.C.

The Smithsonian is free and open all year except on Christmas Day. At home,you can learn about the American flag through an interactive Smithsonianactivity:

http://americanhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/interactive-flag.aspx

When my country, into which I had just set my foot, was set on fire about myears, it was time to stir. It was time for every man to stir.

--Thomas Paine, Common Sense


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Day 8.24: Gold

Then the king made a great throne inlaid with ivory and overlaid with pure gold. The

throne had six steps, and a footstool of gold was attached to it. On both sides of the seat

were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. Twelve lions stood on the sixsteps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other

kingdom. All King Solomons goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace

of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was

considered of little value in Solomons day. The king had a fleet of trading shipsKing

Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth.

--2 Chronicles 9:17-21.

King Solomon was a man who was paid for his wisdom in gold. His wisdomwas what the people relied upon and what they truly valued.

Did you know that the United States had less than one U.S. coin per capitabefore 1830 due to a scarcity of precious metal? According to the Smithsonian,people used foreign coins, paper money, and private tokens instead, until goldwas found in Georgia and North Carolina.

If you would like to see the first gold coin struck for the United States, visit theAmerican section of the Coins, Currency, and Medals collection at theSmithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. The halfeagle $5 coin was the first gold coin struck for the U.S. Also in the collection isthe worlds most valuable coin, the1933 double eagle $20 gold piece(Smithsonian).

The United States went on the gold standard effectively in 1834 and by law in1900. In the 1930s, during the Great Depression, the government began to takeAmerica off the gold standard. In 1934, the F. D. R. issued Executive Order 6102on April 5, 1933, which allowed the government to confiscate private gold andpay in paper money for it. This revoked the privilege of private gold ownership,making it illegal to possess gold or gold certificates, except collectors coinsminted before April 5, 1933 (the date of F.D.R.s Executive Order). The U.S. fullyabandoned the gold standard in 1971. The privilege of private gold ownershipwas restored on August 15, 1974.

Fire is the test of gold, adversity of strong men.--Seneca, Epistles


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Day 8.25: Lincoln Memorial

Let the sea resound, and everything in it,

the world, and all who live in it.Let the rivers clap their hands,let the mountains sing together for joy;let them sing before the Lord,for he comes to judge the earth.He will judge the world in righteousnessand the peoples with equity.Psalm 98: 7-9 (NIV)

If you are going to the Lincoln Memorial on 8.28, remember how fortunate

you are! If you are supporting everyone from home, you can enjoy the LincolnMemorial too via the new Lincoln Memorial Interactive web site(www.nps.gov/linc/index.htm).

The Lincoln Memorial features a 19-foot statue of Abraham Lincoln designedby Daniel Chester French. Behind the seated figure inscribed in marble is thissaying:

IN THIS TEMPLEAS IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE

FOR WHOM HE SAVED THE UNION

THE MEMORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLNIS ENSHRINED FOREVER

Abraham Lincolns Gettysburg Address is etched in stone.

FOUR SCORE AND SEVEN YEARS AGO,

OUR FATHERS BROUGHT FORTH ON

THIS CONTINENT A NEW NATION:

CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY, AND

DEDICATED TO THE PROPOSITION

THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL.


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Day 8.26: Washington Monument

O Lord my God, you are very great;you are clothed with splendor and majesty.

He wraps himself in light as with a garment;he stretches out the heavens like a tentand lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.He makes the clouds his chariotand rides on the wings of the wind.Psalm 104:1-3 (NIV)

The Washington Monument is a towering obelisk reaching over 555 feet highand weighing 100,000 tons including its foundation. It is the tallest building inWashington, D.C. The Washington Monument is made of 36,000 stone blocks,

mostly marble and granite.

When you stand before the Lincoln Memorial it will be behind you across theLincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, past the World War II memorial, and on theNational Mall.

This year, 2010, marks the 125th Anniversary of the dedication of theWashington Monument, which occurred on February 21, 1885. You can readilyobserve two stages of monument construction marked by a change in the marblecoloring. The monument construction was halted in 1854, restarted briefly,halted for twenty years then started again by the U.S. Army Corps of engineers in

1878. Construction was completed in 1884.

If you want to go inside the Washington Monument while you are visitingWashington, D.C. it is free, but you must have a ticket. Make sure to call aheadfor your ticket (1-877-444-6777 for individual tickets or 1-877-559-6777 forgroups). You can also reserve tickets atwww.recreation.gov. There is a smallservice charge. You pick up your reserved tickets at will call. This summer themonument is open from 9 A.M. to 10 P. M.

There are 193 commemorative stone tablets set into the interior walls of themonument. They come from private and public organizations, cities, states, and

many countries. They were sent to honor our first president who became anAmerican legend. The commemorative stone from Hawaii is crushed coral. FromCalifornia it is marble. From New York the stone is

There is a Destiny which has the control of our actions, not to be resisted by thestrongest efforts of Human Nature.

-- George Washington, 9.12.1758


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Day 8.27: In God We Trust

IN GOD WETRUST

-- United States National Motto

By an Act of Congress (36 U.S.C section 302) in 1956, the words IN GOD WETRUST became the official United States motto.

What does IN GOD WE TRUST mean to our nation?

Historically, it means we are a God-fearing, Christian nation. It means wewere founded on Judeo-Christian values. It means our founders trusted in aprovidential God.

Today, in addition to the historical significance, our national motto signifies

that we are a blessed nation. We need not apologize for believing in Americanexceptionalism, for having an industrious nature, for earning and enjoyingprosperity, for generosity expressed through individual, charitable giving.

Our nation is a beacon of hope for the world.

Our trust in God and the goodness of man, is one reason for that.

We are a people defined by our love of freedom.

Our national motto is more than patriotic or ceremonial. It is the heart of who

we are.

To everything there is a season,A time for every purpose under heaven.

--Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)


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Day 8.28: E Pluribus Unum

For everything that was written in the pastwas written to teach us,

so that through endurance and encouragementof the Scriptures we might have hope.May the God who gives enduranceand encouragement give you a spirit of unityamong yourselvesRomans 15: 4-6(NIV)

E PLURIBUS UNUM

It is written on our coins, always there, but seldom noticed:

over the Lincoln Memorial on the back of a penny over Monticello on the back of a nickel over the American eagle on the back of a quarter across the olive branch, torch, and oak branch on the back of a dime.

(If you take a minute and look at the back of a penny, inside the Lincoln Memorial you will see

Abraham Lincoln sitting there.)

E Pluribus Unum. Out of many, one.

This Latin saying expresses the fervent desire of our people to be one nation, to build on ourcommon values.

It is in this spirit of unity that American champions of liberty will come together for the

Restoring Honor Rally at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on 8.28.2010. We will stand up, and we

will make history.

All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those thatare movable, and those that move.

-- Benjamin Franklin


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Permissions

Cover Page: Restoring Honor is an excerpt from the freely downloadable poster athttp://media.glennbeck.com/828/828kit.pdf. This is not an official endorsement.

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THEHOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978,1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan PublishingHouse. All rights reserved.

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