Race #3 & Memorial Day!

First of all -

- so grateful to live in this country
- so grateful that I lived outside this country for a year and a half so I appreciate this country even more
- so grateful that my mom's parents came from Mexico and France so they could give their future children (and grandchildren!) a better life
- so proud to be an American
~ I love this country! ~

race #3 - a Memorial Day race - benefit war veterans - quite fitting. I finished in sometime under 35:30, but I'm not sure what my exact time was.

Not bad.

Yay America!

just saw this on a friend's blog, thought I'd share:

A Tribute

Here's what the guy who created the video wrote about it:

On September 11th, 2001 I was driving in my car to work and listening to the radio. They played a song by the group Live called 'Overcome' from their album that was going to be coming out in a week. They cut into that song to announce that the World Trade center had been hit. Because of that, I associated that song with that day.

A few years ago while cleaning out a closet. I came across all the 9/11 video tapes that my wife had made by continuously recording the news during the September 11th disaster and I decided to compile the footage to the Live song. This is that video.

Here's what I remember about that day:

I woke up to the radio, and heard them talking about a plane crashing into the WTC. I went upstairs to talk to my grandparents about what I had heard, and saw them watching the news. While watching, we saw the second plane crash into the second tower.

I went to school, after having heard from my mom that my brother Adam and his family were all okay.

I went to our weekly campus devotional which had turned into a prayer-service and cried while standing and singing the opening song of "Come, Come Ye Saints." I had never before related that song so personally before then.

This is a petty thing to remember, but I heard from multiple friends that a lot of their classes were canceled that day. None of mine were.

I remember being shocked and horror-stricken at what had happened.

I remember being shocked and awed at what amazing and heroic people we heard about from that horrendous event.

I remember being grateful that the 'brotherhood of man' still existed and was demonstrated by how people jumped in to help their fellowman and risked and gave their lives for people they had never known.

I remember being proud to be an American ...
... and grateful for God's blessings.

I Think It's a Good Time of Year For This

Go here, and take a minute to say thanks to our brave soldiers.

Amazing Men

The fourth is way past now, but I never really mentioned it on here.

I love this country and I love the men who sacrificed so much for its birth.

Here's an email I got from my brother around the 4th:

A good history lesson. It seems that we should do all we can to preserve this great document that these wonderful men fought and died for.

4th of July

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.

Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.

Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists.

Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated, but they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.

So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.

Remember: freedom is never free!

I loved reading 1776 and John Adams by David McCullough. I think every American should be required to read 1776. There is no denying that this country was created under the watchful eye of a generous God.

I hope everyone had a great 4th!

update: go here for more accurate information. while some of this information is true, some of it is grossly exaggerated. (thank you Matthew!)