Serious Wednesday: Enjoy Your Freedom!

Freedom! What does it mean? What is freedom?

Big questions in this world of -- should I say...turmoil? Change? Disagreements? Injustice?

BUT...we do have freedom of:

• religion
• press
• freedom to have a trial by jury
• freedom to assemble peaceably
• freedom to petition the government

Freedom means more than just the right to act however I choose. It's greater than that: it stands for everyone to have an equal opportunity for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

The definition of liberty is having the ability to act according to your will as long as it doesn't affect the ability of someone else to act according to his/her own will. 

Definition:

Freedom:  to be free from something
liberty: to be free to do something


Today, as we celebrate Independence Day, July 4th, let's remember how important it is to have freedom. Because without it, we would have to SAY what the government wants us to say. Because without it we would be thrown out (or worse) of the country if we didn't believe what the government believed.

Let's never take our freedom for granted, but be thankful we live in the great United States of America!

Happy 4th!

America, America!

America! America!

May God grant us mercy!

May God keep us safe!

May God keep us strong!

May God bless America!

Blessings!

Monday Morning Gratitudes on Freedom

That the hope will burn forever in me of a continuing freedom in America
fun stuff:

• fireworks
• hotdogs
• get togethers
• laughter

a long weekend
children's awe of the fireworks
what fireworks remind me of
a country where we can say "no" -- so far
the privilege to exercise our rights
our beautiful land.


Blessings!

Sunday Morning Peace

Oh, say can you see

by the dawn's early light,

What so proudly we hailed 

at the twilight's last gleaming,

Whose broad stripes and bright stars 

through the perilous fight,

O'er the ramparts we watched 

were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket's red glare, 

the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof through the night

that our flag was still there!

Oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave?

Blessings!

Food Court Flash Mob - America The Beautiful - Must See!

Sunday Morning Peace

May this be a blessing to you today!

http://www.youtube.com/v/jMtveBPmdik?autohide=1&version=3&autoplay=1&showinfo=1&attribution_tag=m_8L80AS3xuomDIv27xLuA&autohide=1&feature=share

What in the World's Going on?

This is a statement that was read over the PA sytem at the football game at Roane County High School , Kingston , Tennessee by school Principal, Jody McLeod

"It has always been the custom at RoaneCountyHigh School football games, to say a prayer and play the National Anthem, to honor God and Country."

Due to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, I am told that saying a Prayer is a violation of Federal Case Law. As I understand the law at this time, I can use this public facility to approve of sexual perversion and call it "an alternate life style," and if someone is offended, that's OK.

I can use it to condone sexual promiscuity, by dispensing condoms and calling it, "safe sex." If someone is offended, that's OK.

I can even use this public facility to present the merits of killing an unborn baby as a "viable! Means of birth control." If someone is offended, no problem...

I can designate a school day as "Earth Day" and involve students in activities to worship religiously and praise the goddess "Mother Earth" and call it "ecology.."

I can use literature, videos and presentations in the classroom that depicts people with strong, traditional Christian convictions as "simple minded" and "ignorant" and call it "enlightenment.."

However, if anyone uses this facility to honor GOD and to ask HIM to Bless this event with safety and good sportsmanship, then Federal Case Law is violated.

This appears to be inconsistent at best, and at worst, diabolical.
Apparently, we are to be tolerant of everything and anyone, except GOD and HIS Commandments.

Nevertheless , as a school principal, I frequently ask staff and students to abide by rules with which they do not necessarily agree. For me to do otherwise would be inconsistent at best, and at worst, hypocritical. I suffer from that affliction enough unintentionally. I certainly do not need to add an intentional transgression.

For this reason, I shall "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's," and refrain from praying at this time.

" However, if you feel inspired to honor, praise and thank GOD and ask HIM,in the name of JESUS, to bless this event, please feel free to do so.. As far as I know, that's not against the law----yet."

One by one, the people in the stands bowed their heads, held hands with one another and began to pray.

They prayed in the stands. They prayed in the team huddles. They prayed at the concession stand and they prayed in the Announcer's Box!

The only place they didn't pray was in the Supreme Court of the United States of America- the Seat of "Justice" in the "one nation, under GOD."

Somehow, Kingston , Tennessee remembered what so many have forgotten. We are given the Freedom OF Religion, not the Freedom FROM Religion.

Praise GOD that HIS remnant remains!

Hope this blesses you as much as it did me.

Interview with Author Richard Leonard

FANTASTIC GIVEAWAY!

Richard has offered a book (your choice) to everyone who comments and leaves their email address!!

Here are your choices:

HEART OF THE HIGHRIDERS (http://www.haxbooks.com/)

or

NEW AMERICA (http://www.rcleonard.com/)

• Make sure you leave your comment, email address, and which book you'd like, so that I can get ahold of you! Now on to the interview:

How long have you known that you were a writer? Did you receive a clear “call?” Or have you just loved writing all your life?

I have been writing since childhood.

• A while ago, sorting through some memorabilia, I found a little story I had written at age five or six that my mother had saved.
• In high school I won two local short story awards.
• I took a writing class in college and had stories published in the college literary magazine.
• In graduate school my writing shifted to an academic vein (term papers, doctoral dissertation, etc.) and then to writing sermons.
• In secular work I became a technical writer, creating software manuals. Eventually I was engaged to write some works for hire, as well as to do some editing, for Christian publishers.

• Finally I decided to try my hand at novels, and have produced three (with another in progress).

What is the genre you write in? Would you explain what it is?

As the above answer indicates, I have written in several genres. My fiction genres, all with a Christian perspective, have included family life, fantasy-adventure, and speculative.

How do you spend your writing days? Do you set goals to reach a certain number of words per day? Can you give us a general idea of how long it takes you to write a novel?

Because I am retired I have a wide range of interests including web site development, which involves writing descriptive copy such as material relating to locomotive photographs in my railroad hobby site, http://www.railarchive.com/.

Because of my varied activities I do not have a consistent fiction writing schedule, but write when ideas come or opportunities arise. I wrote Heart of the Highriders (http://www.hazbooks.com/) jointly with my daughter, sending files via email, and it took us about two years. I started New America in 1993 and worked on it intermittently, completing it in 2008.

Tell us about your new book. What is the spiritual message in it? What can readers expect to get from reading it? How and where can readers buy your book?

New America is a story set near the end of the twenty-first century in a Christian nation that had been established a generation earlier on the east coast of Siberia. The main character makes several trips to the United States, during when we witness the further development of today’s cultural trends.

There is a prominent romantic interest; the main character has to rescue a young woman, an abortion survivor whose life is endangered by the Fugitive Fetus Law. He is reluctant, because the way he has to do this jeopardizes his relationship with his New American girlfriend. I think one spiritual lesson here is to avoid postponing hard decisions — especially about things the Lord calls you to do — in the effort to protect yourself.

Do you ever feel like giving up? Most people don’t understand the stress, the work, and the joy of being a writer. How tenuous becoming a writer is. Do you care to share how it feels, what discouraging/encouraging times you’ve gone through? Who’s inspired you the most?

It is tempting to give up, especially when it is difficult to interest an agent or publisher in your work because you don’t write to a current popular template. I finally decided to write fiction for my own satisfaction, and for posterity, and not to try to suit publishers’ ideas of what they think they can market. My writing is motivated by ideas, not by the need to sell what I write. In fiction, I am a reader of older novelists such as Elizabeth Goudge, Joseph C. Lincoln or Samuel Hopkins Adams. But I would not say that these fiction writers inspire me as much as do some current writers in biblical theology, especially N. T. Wright whose style is not only learned but lucid and witty.

Would you explain how you “chose” (or were chosen by) a publisher? Do you just go “inny, minny, miny, moe?” Grin. Now, that you’re published, can you sit back and relax from the success you’ve experienced?

I am a published author through works for hire for which I was engaged by a book packager, Livingstone Corporation. I was the “ghost writer” of A Theological Miscellany (Nelson, 2005) and co-compiler of A Glimpse of Heaven (Simon & Schuster, 2007), and have contributed to other publications from Hendrickson, Tyndale House, Integrity and Broadman Holman. Thus I was never chosen by these publishers, who contracted with the book packager for the work that was assigned to me. The books I have authored on my own have been self-published through our own imprints, Laudemont Press and Lampstand Books, plus a few other outlets.

Do you mind telling us some of your likes and dislikes? Hobbies, interests? Where would you like to travel if you could?

• I am a big fan of classical symphonic music, especially from the first half of the twentieth century, and enjoy collecting CDs of works by composers who are not well known (Albéric Magnard, Franz Schmidt, Havergal Brian, Edmund Rubbra, Arnold Bax and Howard Hanson are not household words). I was a music major in college and have composed hymns, worship choruses and other pieces including a flute sonata which I performed.

• I also am a railroad fan with a large web site (http://www.railarchive.net/) of historic photos, especially steam locomotives, many of which I took in the 1950s.
• I enjoy working with computers (we own five) and have built or rebuilt a few. I host and manage the web sites for several churches and Christian organizations.
• I publish WestWard Quarterly (http://www.wwquarterly.com/), a poetry magazine edited by my wife, Shirley Anne.
• As to travel, I think it would be fun to see South Africa, New Zealand or Australia but have never planned to do so. I did make several trips to the Netherlands, France and other European countries some years ago, most recently to teach at a seminary in Croatia.

You recently had a book published. Would you take this time to describe it to us? How and where can readers buy your books?

The most recent title is New America, described above, which is available through our Laudemont Ministries web site (http://www.laudemont.org/) or through Amazon.com. Actually, I give away most of the copies that are distributed as an outreach of our ministry. Readers of this page are free to request a copy by emailing laudemont@aol.com with their address information.

Would you give us your blog or webpage so everyone can check it out? Anything else you’d like to share? Promotional information?

My blog, “Considered Opinion,” is embedded in my author web site, http://www.rcleonard.com/. I comment on theological, biblical, literary and other matters. I would be happy to take advantage of any offers to assist with the promotion of my fiction titles. While I do not write in the typical genres of Christian fiction (romantic, historical, etc.) I believe my stories maintain the interest of the thoughtful reader and will stand the test of time.

Wonderful, Richard. I've loved having you and look forward to reading your books. Thanks for visiting.

 

Blessings, friends!