Lest We Forget! Remembrance Day 2012

For his contribution to Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, Rudyard Kipling wrote the following poem: "Lest We Forget".

By many, especially those in high places, it was not well received. It was suggested that it was an "unpatriotic and unfair comment upon the glories of the British Empire"

 But all this was fourteen years before the outbreak of the First World War. By Armistice Day 1918 a humbled people willingly adopted the phrase "Lest We Forget" on it's cenotaphs and memorials across the Empire.

God of our fathers, known of old—
Lord of our far-flung battle line—
Beneath whose awful hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

The tumult and the shouting dies—
The Captains and the Kings depart—
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

Far-called our navies melt away—
On dune and headland sinks the fire—
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!
Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

If, drunk with sight of power, we loose
Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe—
Such boastings as the Gentiles use,
Or lesser breeds without the Law—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

For heathen heart that puts her trust
In reeking tube and iron shard—
All valiant dust that builds on dust,
And guarding calls not Thee to guard.
For frantic boast and foolish word,
Thy Mercy on Thy People, Lord!
Amen.

In memory of my uncle Oliver who fought in the battle of the Somme in 1916.

R.I.P.

Ian

O SO CLOSE!

Tuesday, November 6th. A day that shall be remembered with relief.
At 8:30 AM my daughter,Sarah, was driving North on the Trans Canada highway.

Suddenly a piece of metal was thrown into the air by a truck in front. In a split second it hit the hood of her car gouging  two large dents and then flew over the roof to land who-knows-where.

Sarah didn't have time to duck. It was over in a flash. But isn't that true of most accidents?

Meantime, in Vancouver same time, same morning, my son Mark was being driven to a meeting. The driver cut across a stream of oncoming traffic only to see a cyclist appear in front of her. She slammed on the brakes. Mark said a fast moving vehicle stopped a hair's breadth away from his passenger door. It too was over in less than a second.

Pauline later remarked that she could have lost two of her kids on the same day!

Let's give thanks for angels on assignment!

Jubilate indeed.
Ian

Four years after election 2012

There are certain tasks which can rightly be described as "humanly impossible".
The leadership of the super power of the United States would rightly require the powers and vigor of a super-man.

We need to remind ourselves that President Obama is but human.
Four years ago his great mantra was "Yes we can.".But they were the glory days when he was hailed as the new Messiah.

Finding that the glory and the mantle of Messiah belong solely to the One to whom it is appointed, the second four years of the Obama mandate has been scaled back to "Let's stay afloat".

When they are complete the Commander in Chief will be likely be in need of some tender loving touch-up.

Jubilate.

Ian

The Day After.

Well the sky did not fall.

This morning, the day after the election,the good ship "America" sails onward holding to it's previous course.

 The chart is marked "TERRA INCOGNITO"  and in parenthesis we read ( there be monsters in these waters).

That two men, Obama and Romney, should ever want to stand at the helm of the ship of state is mystifying: a little like trying to vie for the captaincy of the Titanic.

For when the hysteria and excitement witnessed in Times Square last night dies down, two sobering realities still remain:

the peril of the rapidly approaching reef of 16 TRILLION dollars of national debt, and the looming cloud on the Eastern horizon of a nuclear Iran.

Neither can be wished away. Both must be shortly confronted.

For this reason the Bible exhorts us to pray for our leaders, for Kings and all in authority over us.
Pray hard, pray earnestly and don't forget your cruise wear




Jubilate.

Ian

Photos of the year

Up here in North America we are suffering deeply from election fatigue.
Tomorrow the issue will be decided but, by way of light relief, I'm passing on a selection of 2012

 "Photos of the year"

For those of you who yearn for a return to Summer here is a shot of 145 water skiers pulled by one boat.

I'm the one 63rd from the left!

Jubilate.

Ian