November 20, 2007--

American Thanksgiving Tribute To Troops.

An American Thanksgiving:

Thanksgiving's a time when we pause to embrace
our faith in our families gathered or spaced
apart from each other but joined in a way
connecting us all in America's faith.
You ask, "What is meant by 'America's faith'"?

Thanksgiving's become an American time
to pause and say "thanks" and attempt to divine
the bests ways for living our lives to define
the value of freedom on faith to opine
without fear of government writing our lines.

At Thanksgiving time I confess and explain: 
Beliefs I embrace by religions ordained
derive not from "insights" on "God" that I claim
but rather from viewing behaviors proclaimed
as serving the "Will" of the "God" thus proclaimed.

In all the religions that humans may choose
as Christians or Muslims or Hindus or Jews
or Buddhists or "none" as the non-theists choose,
of God there is more than a singular view
of acts that by God would as "Godly" be viewed.

In each, one can find both the worst and the best
on how Man should honor the God he's professed.
Fanatics abound more in some than the rest,
however, in each, there's a lot of the best.
So what is the guidepost for knowing the "best"?

For me there's a guidepost for judging the voice
most likely expressing such "best" as a choice:
A steadfast belief that by God was the choice
that Man have the right and the will we call "choice"
on whether, or how, to say "God" is my choice.

This insight on what is the "best" way of living
a faith that is worthy of what we were given
by Forebears declaring by "God" we were given
the right and the will to make choices in living
reveals why it's right to express our Thanksgiving.

And therefore, Thanksgiving's a time to embrace
this special, uniquely American faith
not only by those who in God profess faith
but also by those who, though lacking such faith,
embrace our uniquely American faith.

And most who give "thanks" to the God of their choice
do likewise believe that the gift we call "choice"
endures thanks to fellows among us whose choice
compels them to risk their own lives to give voice
to those who respect -- as from God -- human choice.

And therefore, among many "Thanks" I'll be giving
are thanks to our troops for the way they are living
their lives so that "choice" in the lives we are living
endures despite threats to the choices we're given,
so hear what I wrote to express my "Thanksgiving":

(Verse 1)
From farms in the country, from cities and towns,
from places quite humble, from places renowned,
from fact'tries, from stores and from offices tall,
from service professions, from shops in our malls,
come citizen soldiers our country to serve
as full-time professionals, guard or reserve.

(Verse 2)
From mothers and fathers and husbands and wives
from children and lovers and friends in their lives
our citizen soldiers depart despite tears
on missions of danger in spite of their fears
as selflessly, proudly and bravely they serve
that freedom of conscience and Faith be preserved.

[Chorus]
To you who defend us, we proudly proclaim,
our pride in the deeds you have done in our name.
To citizen soldiers our humble refrain:
We thank you, we thank you for deeds in our name.

(Verse 3)
In caves and in tunnels where murderers train
unspeakable terror they face in our name.
With principled discipline, training and skill
in taming the instinct to kill or be killed,
our citizen soldiers have honored our name,
so, proudly we thank them for deeds in our name.

(Verse 4)
They serve in the skies and at sea and on land,
in mountains and jungles and deserts of sand,
on foot and in foxholes, in trenches and tents,
in tanks and on submarine mission descents,
in planes and on ships and on carrier decks,
in Humvees and hangars and convoys on treks.

[Chorus]
To you who defend us, we proudly proclaim,
our pride in the deeds you have done in our name.
To citizen soldiers our humble refrain:
We thank you, we thank you for deeds in our name.

(Verse 5)
For risks to themselves they increase as they strive
to minimize dangers to innocent lives,
so we and posterity freedom retain,
unspeakable evil they face our name.
Our citizen solders have honored our name,
so thank them we must for their deeds in our name.

(Final Chorus)
To you who defend us, we proudly proclaim,
our pride in the deeds you have done in our name.
To citizen soldiers our humble refrain:
We thank you, we thank you for deeds in our name.

--Jim Wrenn, Editor at WrennCom.Com; also Editor at PoliSat.Com.

Permanent Link to the entire Tribute to Troops:  [http://PoliSat.Com/Thanks.htm]

Permanent Links to this "American Thanksgiving" installment:

          [http://wrenncom.com/CommentaryArchives/2007/20y07m11d20-01.asp]

          [http://PoliSat.Com/Thanksgiving.htm#20071120-01]

.