141
" The American flag doesn't give her glory on a peaceful, calm day. It's when the winds pick up and become boisterous, do we see her strength. When she unfolds her hand, and shows her frayed fingers, where we see the stretch of red-blood lines of man that fought for this land. The purity of white stripes that strips our sins, and the stars of Abraham's covenant, broad in a midnight blue sky. The rights our forefathers established. As it waves high in the currents of freedom, where the Torch of Liberty shines over the sea, does she give meaning to unity. When we strive as one nation, or when it drops half-mast, to a fallen soldier. "
― Anthony Liccione
157
" A tin of milk is not the same as a milk tin. You are not always the same as others perceive you. The label of a tin of milk is not all that important as compared to the milk in the tin. So many people label others as if the ‘true milk’ in them is equal to the label. We must not always equate the outward man to the inner man. Guard your milk! The only way people can destroy your milk is their ability to punch a hole in ‘the tin’ and after they have done that, they can have reasons to speak about how ‘expired your milk is’. Dare to preserve your milk, no matter how people label you! Keep doing what you need to do as a living sacrifice to the Sovereign Lord God, and one day, they that label you wrongly shall come to a realization how they have their own labels. Stay focused! Move with the right reasons!Two people were asked to go and pick a tin of milk without first touching it. The first tin was well labeled, but without any liquid in it. The second was without a label, but with milk in it. When the two men got to where the tins were, one was quick to pick the one with the label, leaving the other for his friend. Then they came to him who sent them and he asked them, ‘I asked you to go for a tin of milk, where is it?’ the one who took the tin without the milk was quick to stretch his hand, but their sender said to him, ‘a tin of milk is not just a tin labeled a tin of milk, but a tin with milk’. "
159
" This I would like to be- braver and bolder,
Just a bit wiser because I am older,
Just a bit kinder to those I may meet,
Just a bit manlier taking defeat;
This for the New Year my wish and my plea-
Lord, make a regular man out of me.
This I would like to be- just a bit finer,
More of a smiler and less of a whiner,
Just a bit quicker to stretch out my hand
Helping another who's struggling to stand,
This is my prayer for the New Year to be,
Lord, make a regular man out of me.
This I would like to be- just a bit fairer,
Just a bit better, and just a bit squarer,
Not quite so ready to censure and blame,
Quicker to help every man in the game,
Not quite so eager men's failings to see,
Lord, make a regular man out of me.
This I would like to be- just a bit truer,
Less of the wisher and more of the doer,
Broader and bigger, more willing to give,
Living and helping my neighbor to live!
This for the New Year my prayer and my plea-
Lord, make a regular man out of me. "
― Edgar A. Guest