Let Freedom Ring

I dream of a world that’s free from hunger

A world that’s free from war

Where peace can live in every heart

And freedom lives forever more

Freedom to learn and believe

Freedom to live and to love

Freedom to give and receive

And to sing with the angels above

I dream of a bright and beautiful world

Where happiness abounds

Where all are free to work and play

A world with wonder all around

Freedom to live in a country

Where law and order prevail

Where both old and young are valued

And no harmful force can assail

A home with freedom to worship

Whatever pathway we trod

And value the worth of everyone

Each one loved as a child of God.

I Believe in Hope

There’s hope in the morning sunrise

When the first light of day shines above

And I hear the song of the meadowlark

Fill the air with joy and love

I believe in hope

There’s hope when a new child is born

When the daffodil blooms in spring

When leaves newly form on the maple tree

And I hear the songbirds sing

I believe in hope

There’s hope in an act of kindness

Helping a child who is lost

Holding the hand of a friend in need

Giving not counting the cost

I believe in hope

So when I’m feeling all alone

With memories that haunt me

I think of all the good I’ve seen

Then choose the better memory

I believe in hope

Winter Sunrise

Winter morning sunrise

Above the shimmering water

Streaming along from east to west

Through pathways known by God alone

How lovely is the sunrise

Gently lighting winter’s morn

With radiant hue of peach and blue

Light painted from heaven’s palette

Weaving through leaves ever so lightly

How lovely is the sunrise

Nature’s way of ushering in

The beginning of a brand new day

With tinted rays of sunlight

And pale blue shades of gray

How lovely is the sunrise

If ever I’ve seen a lovelier view

Of winter morning sunrise

That memory is lost to me

For this is a brand new day

How lovely is the sunrise

Note: Looking eastward this morning across a lawn all covered with snow, and just beyond the meandering tree-lined stream, I witnessed the most amazing sunrise I think I had ever seen. I just felt compelled to compose this poem. I hope you like it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Blessings, Gene

Faith, Family and Friends

Faith, Family, Friends

These three above all else

My life my love my all

The purpose for my birth

Faith in my creator

And in his steadfast love

Led me to my family

And daily leads me on

My family keeps me faithful

My love my life my all

Without them I am lost

They are my only home

And what about my friends

The ones who stand by me

In good times and in bad

Good friends all help me see

The purpose of my life

The reason for all three.

Note: This poem came to me as I awoke this morning and I wanted to share it with my readers. I have submitted it for publication in the Veterans Voices magazine, and I am including it in my newest book of poetry titled, 2020 Poems. I hope you like it, as it represents who I am, what I value most, and the greatest things I have on earth and in the world to come. God bless you everyone. Gene

Vietnam Memorial Wall

My wife and I visited Washington, D.C. and while we were there we went to see the Vietnam Memorial. Although not a combat veteran, I am a United States Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War, having served in the Marines from 1961-1967. At that time a six year commitment was required, and I elected to serve three years on active duty and three years in the Marine Corps Reserve.

The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, was a conflict in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos from November 1, 1955 to April 30, 1975. In Vietnam it was known as the American War. There was also violence and demonstrations here at home in the United States, as many spoke out against the war and protested our involvement. The military doesn’t make government policy nor does it declare war. We protect and serve our country as we’ve been trained to do, but upon returning home after the Vietnam War many who served their country were treated badly, as were their family members who had stayed behind and waited for their return. The war was very divisive in America, and it remains so today.

At the height of the war, in 1969, there were half a million U.S. military personnel stationed in Vietnam. Nearly 60,000 Americans died there, along with nearly two million civilians and over a million Vietnamese fighters. It was a civil war between the North Vietnamese and The South Vietnamese. The government of the south had asked for our help in keeping their democracy. It was time in world history when democracy was being threatened by the takeover of communism. It was the worst of times.

Many in our military never made it home. They were killed in Vietnam. I had friends who were among them, and I wanted to pay them homage for their service and sacrifice while we were in the nation’s capital. 57,939 members of the U.S. Armed Forces had their names inscribed on the Vietnam Memorial Wall, which was dedicated in 1982. Additional names have been added since then, including eight women plus over 100 servicemen who were Canadians.  As of May 2018 the total number of inscriptions is 58,320. The wall itself is actually two walls of black granite, each one over 246 feet in length and reaching up from three feet to a height of ten feet, one pointing to the Lincoln Monument, the other toward the Washington Memorial. There are directories at either end which help visitors find where the names of their loved ones are inscribed on the wall, and many who come there take rubbings of those names and even leave mementos on the ground below.

As my wife and I approached the memorial, tears welled up in my eyes. We were deeply moved by the number of those who had died serving their country. My heart ached for their families and their losses, many of whom continue to grieve even to this day, as I do. Even though I wasn’t in combat, my heart was still with them on the battlefield. It still is. Tears still come into my eyes as I reflect on the Vietnam War.  

After 30 years of ancestry searching, I have traced my ancestors, thanks to FamilySearch.org, all the way back to William the Conqueror (900 AD) and Richard the Lion-hearted (847 AD), both of Viking (Norse) heritage. How exciting is that! And it's so much fun--try it! https://lnkd.in/eSfBnt2

Be grateful in All Things

Yesterday was a difficult day for me. Not the whole day. But enough to cause me a lot of discomfort.

I remember reading that "discomfort is the price of admission for a meaningful life." So when I read this morning's message from Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young, during my morning meditation I was moved by the timeliness of it. So I thought it might be helpful to some of my readers to see what I saw. Here is the message:

INSPIRATION - Jesus Calling

by Sarah Young

Learn to appreciate difficult days. Be stimulated by the challenges you encounter along your way. As you journey through rough terrain with Me, gain confidence from your knowledge that together we can handle anything. This knowledge is comprised of three parts: your relationship with Me, promises in the Bible and past experiences of coping successfully during hard times.

Look back on your life, and see how I have helped you through difficult days. If you are tempted to think, "Yes, but that was then, and this is now," remember who I AM! Although you and your circumstances may change dramatically, I remain the same throughout time and eternity. This is the basis of your confidence. In My Presence you live and move and have your being.

Isaiah 41:10
fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Psalm 102:27
but you are the same, and your years have no end.

Acts 17:28
for ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we are indeed his offspring.’

May we all be happy and free from suffering. May you have a blessed day. In Jesus' name, Amen.