Forward PA

No sword, no gun, nor

image of lions, dragons,

eagles emblazoned.

Thy seal is simple:

At thy heart, thy will defend -

thy love for thy love.

Forth, PA -

To vict'ry!

---<--@

In my opinion, this is the probably the best Army Seal I have seen so far:

It speaks only to those who know it - and -

is known only to those who love what it defends.

It doesn't have eagles or dragons or guns

- but i'll tell you what it does have -

it has a whole lot of spirit and heart!

It is everything this Nation's Army is all about.

From this heart of Army, everything Army begins -

Forward PA.

Soldier's Peace

Seek it in thy soul,

the home of thy ev'ry love -

the heart of the fight.

And stand with the true

upon the ground of Army

where all War perish -

Here, where guns lay still

and the lions find their peace,

is where thy sword rests.

There, where the

LORD defends!

---<--@

Love Rises

The world forgets - in -

memories and photographs,

and old books forlorn.

Of faded lives - and -

tales too numerous to tell,

we are just as vague.

Like darkness fades

with the passing of the night

remembrance stays not.

Remembrance stays not -

till beheld as beautiful

with a heart of love.

Love rises,

truth remains.

---<--@

Unless you love history, unless you see it beyond the pages of books, its teachings shall remain closed to you.

History when seen through the eye of the heart looks much different than words on a page...

Words on pages eventually fade, but if through history you learn to love your own nationhood (and even those of others not unlike your own), its memory will preserve you.

Therefore, the goal of the study of history is for its story - in its entirety - to be welcomed and accepted more than for its exact details to be known; for its spirit to be deeply loved more than for it to be instantly recognized.

'Til War's End

Do you remember -

I knew not how to tell you...

How I long for life.

Thousand paper cranes

bear me up on wings of hope

that my life may live!

If dreams could come true,

I shall confide this in you -

peace on earth, my friend.

Peace, my friend -

'til War's end.

---<--@

Sadako Sasaki (佐々木 禎子 Sasaki Sadako) 19430107-19551025 of radiation sickness, one of a multitude of victim souls, of the innocents; her promise stolen from our midst by War, her soul returned to God above - via con Dios.

Heart of Africa

Division once stood

to shatter thy native rest -

hear me, Rwanda!

Thou must now stand firm

at the heart of Africa -

one soul; one whole one!

Ne'er again

Ne'er again.

---<--@

Deny the spirit of War

a footing in thyself, O Beautiful Rwanda - forever!

Unity (the one peace that prospers).

Work (the labor of nations - building up the earth).

Patriotism (an indivisible love of Country).

All nations are endowed by God with just one heart -

one spirit to inspire her peoples, embracing their souls,

calling their generations forth from timelessness into time,

establishing upon their midst one rule, one abiding will of peace -

one undertaking of Country, one ascent, one lineage of victory;

one unity that shelters against the darkness and against War

binding all her sons and daughters together unto one soul,

from generation to generation to the last of her generations

so that they belong together: one love, one labor, one destiny.

Stand for thy own native peace;

serve and prosper thy peoples;

defend the life of thy one nation -

steadfastly, always, and with virtue.

Mabuhay, Rwanda!

Christmas to Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Peace, I salute you -

Christmas to Christmas,

we go - each year to each year -

and from hope to hope.

Have we forgotten

the hope of two thousand years?

Christmas to Christmas...

Let us now

remember...

---<--@

Come see -

To each of us is born this day,

in a manger surrounded with love - and only with love,

and in all hearts sincere, willing, humble, and contrite -

Emmanuel, Jesus Christ the Lord!

Alleluia to God,

alleluia to the LORD -

Peace is among the nations,

good will to all men and women of peace.

Vaclav Havel

I am drawn to thee -

even now that thou art gone...

I am drawn to thee!

Thou art gone, dear sir -

the earth mourns at thy passing...

but thy spirit, soars!

Thou art gone,

but not quite...

---<--@

Vaclav Havel (19361005-20111218) - recalled by God, of natural causes - Czech poet, patriot, enlightened leader of the Czech Republic, loyal son of the Czech people, singer of hope, exemplar of peace, friend of all free nations of the earth - via con Dios.

On purposeful politics: "True politics, worthy of the name — and the only kind I will practice — is the politics of service to one's neighbor. Service to the community; service to those who will succeed us ... If you are modest and do not lust after power, not only are you suited to politics, you absolutely belong there."

On globalization: "An amalgamation of cultures is taking place. ... We are in a phase when one age is succeeding another, when everything is possible and almost nothing is certain."

On hope and persistence: "The only lost cause is one we give up on before we enter the struggle."

On revolution and retribution: "Violence is well-known to breed violence, which is why most revolutions have degenerated into dictatorships, devouring their own offspring - not knowing that they were digging their own graves and confining society in a vicious circle of revolutions and counter-revolutions."

On a keeping a sense of humor: "Anyone who takes himself too seriously always runs the risk of looking ridiculous; anyone who can consistently laugh at himself does not."

"Work for something because it is good, not just because it stands a chance to succeed."

O Sophie

O Sophie, Sophie -

thou put men like me to shame.

Leaving me breathless!

Thou art a bright star

that in the darkness may not

be consumed - ever!

In thy heart,

Germany.

---<--@

Sophia Magdalena Scholl (19210905-19432202) of valor and love of Country - Young Flower of the White Rose Movement, gave her all to help obtain and preserve for captive Germany the image of her own true self, murdered in the paroxysm of the last days of Hitler's lunatic dream - brave and true to the very last - a citizen of both heaven and earth - I salute you, Sophie, and I love you - glory to God and honor to you and your companions forever - via con Dios.

Awkward

Awkward is that space

between two moments - frozen -

between two strangers.

At the threshold of

welcome and friendship - it's there -

The caution of love.

The choice is...

must be made.

---<--@

If you can't live with awkward, you can't live with brave.

Of Torties and Torbies

Torties and Torbies

are the best - pretty and cute -

bright and sunny too.

Torties and Torbies!

No wonder I love them both.

I love calicos!

I just can't

resist 'em.

---<--@

Icha, icha... icha cat.

Beauty

Beauty is a state.

T'is a Home to come home to;

a heaven on earth.

It resides within.

Beyond the control of Man.

Light shining for all.

And beheld

by God alone.

---<--@

My Anne is beautiful. I can not touch her, I can not hear her, I can not see her, but I experience her in the love we have and I know she is truly something wonderful, amazing... beautiful!
---<--@

one Jerusalem

O Holy City!

Place at the heart of three faiths -

when will thou find peace?

O Jerusalem,

Jerusalem in my heart -

be thou always one.

Forever.

Forever!

---<--@

"If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy."

(Psalm 137: 5-6)

EMHC

I stand by my God

and introduce Him to you

at the Eucharist.

I walk with my Lord

and I shall bring Him to you

when you most need Him.

This is my

vocation.

---<--@

An EMHC is an Extraordinary Minister for Holy Communion and is a parish ministry of the laity in the Roman Catholic Church.

I am an EMHC.

There are many ways to serve in the Catholic Church...

Go and find your vocation today.

Saint Josemaria Escriva

Don't say: 'That's the way I'm made... it's my character'.

It's your lack of character: Be a man.

- The Way, Chapter 1, 4

---<--@

In a dream, I saw -

a mighty priest at burial

with glasses, I knew.

We pounded away

at the ashes of the old,

I little, him much.

The greater

work is God's!

---<--@

Saint Josemaria Escriva (19020102-19750626) elect of God, eternal and blessed of the Church, faithful son of Spain, founder of Opus Dei, venerable teacher of the Catholic people, friend to the youth, of the peace of Jesus Christ, of the spirit of Country, holy and mighty companion, one of the principal Saints of my little life.

O mighty teacher, teach me discipline, teach me love, teach me Jesus Christ!