Remembering

              Perhaps Memorial Day reminds me most of why the United States of America is such a great country.

As a young child I was intrigued by the military service of my step father, Charles Garratt. When World War Two broke out he was married, living in New York City where he drove a Wheaties truck. As so many men did at that time, he attempted to join the military to fight against Imperialist Japan and/or the hated German Third Reich. He wanted to be a Navy fighter pilot. Only one problem: On his test flight to see if he qualified to be a pilot he demonstrated a frightening lack of depth perception, a condition that immediately disqualified him from flying. They thanked him and sent him on his way.

Later, he decided to see if the Marines would have him. He met their standards, which I believe may have been nothing more than to demonstrate that he had a pulse. Growing up he had been a first rate athlete, excelling in football. He had been the captain of his high school football team in Concord, Massachusetts in the late 1920s. He received a scholarship to play for the University of Alabama (“Roll Tide!”) where he played on the same team with the future legendary “Bear” Bryant. My step father kept in good physical condition his whole life, so even though he was 31 years old when he enlisted in the Marine Corps, he had no problem with the rigors and demands of boot camp. He married my mother ten years after the end of the war.

I gained a valued respect and appreciation for the United States from him, because of his willingness to volunteer to serve in a war he could have legally and legitimately have avoided. His age and his marital status could easily have exempted him. In fact, while in boot camp with 17 and 18 year olds, he was affectionately referred to as “Gramps.”

That my step father chose to serve as a Marine, the toughest branch of service, also impressed me. I decided early on that I wanted follow in his footsteps. My older brother, John, also must have thought the same thing because both of us enlisted in the Marines, each serving a tour in Vietnam. Oddly enough, we never discussed joining the Marines with each other.

During the years growing up in New England, I recall those special days like Memorial Day, the 4^th of July, and Veterans Day when parades and special recognitions were given to our veterans. There were, of course, many WWII vets, and still quite a few WWI vets. There may well have been some Spanish American War soldiers in those parades down Main Street with American flags all aflutter in the breeze, marching to lively martial music. And I know that the last surviving veteran of the Civil War died in 1956 when I was eight.

I can still see in my mind’s eye the veterans from the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), wearing their fore-and-aft caps. These were the men who left their jobs, their homes and families, to take up arms to face a fierce enemy who was determined to destroy our freedoms and our beloved country. But these world enemies that our men faced, Japan and Germany, mistakenly misjudged the will and the determination of the American fighting man.

So why has the American military person been so ready to take up arms against an aggressor? Simple: Freedom. Our men and women in uniform are, and have always been, ready to fight for the freedoms the rest of us have enjoyed with hardly a ripple while going about our daily routines.

As a Navy chaplain it has been my sad duty and privileged honor to lay to rest numerous men and women whose mortal remains are resting in small town graveyards to massive national cemeteries. Their lives were cut short by war so your and my life could continue unabated.

So take time this Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, and visit the grave of a veteran from your family or friend. If you don’t know a military person who now lies entombed in the ground, then attend a Memorial Day Service at your local cemetery, and join others in giving thanks to God for those who were willing to stand in the gap and keep the wolf from the door.

You and I can sleep peacefully at night because rough men do the hard work of guarding our freedoms and keeping us safe.

Old Glory

            Every so often I feel compelled to write about a certain topic that is near and dear to my heart. That topic would be the proper display and care of the American flag.

As I drive through my community and surrounding areas, I take great pride in the number of businesses and homes that display our flag. It is, in a word, the greatest symbol of freedom the world has ever known. People from other countries are still risking everything to make their way to our shores because it is known world-wide that opportunity to make a wonderful life for them and their family is still very possible in the United States of America.

The American flag is called by many names, or nicknames, if you will. Some of them are: Old Glory; the Stars & Stripes; Colors (military term); the National Emblem; the Star Spangled Banner; and the Red, White and Blue.

Perhaps the best known name used for the flag is Old Glory. There’s quite an interesting story associated with the naming of the flag. In the early part of the 1800s, a ship captain of a commercial vessel, William Driver, was given a gift by his mother of a handmade American flag with the blue field boasting 24 stars, and the 13 alternating red and white stripes. Driver flew the flag on all his voyages, finally retiring in 1837, and settling in Nashville, Tennessee where he proudly flew his flag on all national holidays.

When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Driver asked some neighbor ladies to sew his beloved flag into a comforter, thus hiding it from the Confederates who were in control of Tennessee, searching to destroy anything that had to do with the United States and the Union Army. He chose not to ask his mother or other family members to undertake this task of hiding the flag. Exactly why, no one knows. I suspect it had to do with not wanting his family to reveal its whereabouts should they be pressed to give up the information.

When the war was over, Driver brought out his flag whereupon it was selected to be flown atop the spire of the state capitol building. The Ohio 6^th Infantry was on hand to witness this event. Caught up in the moment, the famed unit adopted Old Glory as their motto. Newspapers printed the story referring to the flag, just as Captain Driver had done for so many years, as Old Glory. Americans all across the land quickly adopted the new name for the national flag.

Today, flags are used to represent countries, states, schools, and organizations. Flags incorporate the history and ideals of an organization or country through symbolism. For you logophiles, you lovers of words, here’s one for you: Vexillology. This mouthful means the “study of flags.” You’re sure to have fun testing your friends at work and school with this word!

Back to the point of this article today: We’re coming up on Memorial Day, (a specific day we remember those military members who have died serving our country) which is recognized this year on Monday, May 25. Then there’s Flag Day on Sunday, June 14. This is a time for all Americans to show their love of country and patriotic fervor by flying Old Glory from homes and businesses. And of course, there is our Independence Day, Saturday, July 4. All of these days are made-to-order for flying the flag.

But the love of country and the surge of patriotism will not mean very much unless the flag is properly displayed and cared for. I see far too many American flags displayed in front of homes, as well as businesses and government buildings, which are in a pathetic condition. Besides being ripped and torn, worn and frayed, the colors have faded due to constant exposure to the elements, particularly the intense sun we receive in the Central Valley of California. The bright red stripes are faded to a dull pink; the blue field is a dingy grey; and the white stars, and alternating white stripes, are a dirty beige.

I love to see Old Glory flying throughout our town, and across the nation. But, please, if you are going to fly the flag, be responsible enough to have it replaced so it never deteriorates into a condition that is embarrassing.

Take a moment to stop and look at the flag flying in front of your home. And then look at the one flying at your place of work. The flags we fly typically from our homes cost about $25-$30 dollars at any hardware store. Flags flown from businesses will run from $150-$200 and can be purchased or ordered from a flag store.

My suggestion is to purchase two flags. This way you always have a replacement flag on hand. A flag will begin to lose its luster and crispness after about six months. So replace the flag every six months. It’s the cost of lunch for two for you folks with flags flying from your home. For business folks, write the cost of two flags into your annual budget just as you would any other business operation expense.

I’m proud to be an American! I want my flag to reflect that pride, don’t you?

Old Glory! Long may she wave!

 

 

Praying Leaders

              Last week my wife and I were graciously invited by our friend, Susan Vander Schaaf (like: scoff), to attend the San Joaquin County Leadership Prayer Breakfast. Leaders from various parts of our county were in attendance for a full-blown breakfast in the basketball gym of the University of the Pacific (UOP) in Stockton. There were county supervisors, mayors, city council members, church leaders; there were the presidents and CEOs of businesses and leaders of our community covering a wide spectrum, all gathered for one purpose – to seek the heart of God in prayer.

A short history was written on the back of our program which explained the background for this gathering of community leaders. It reads, “In 1953, the International Christian Leadership Group first sponsored the First Annual Presidential Prayer Breakfast, or National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. Every year this event brings men and women together to seek Divine guidance for our leadership and to reaffirm our faith. Communities throughout the nation have followed this tradition by establishing their own Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast or Leadership Prayer Breakfast. Over twenty years ago, Stockton began its own Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast. In 1995, the name of the event was changed to “The San Joaquin County Leadership Prayer Breakfast” to more properly reflect the extent of its outreach.”

I can assure you that this prayer breakfast was not for the faint of heart! It started at 6:45 with a sumptuous meal served buffet style. In this environment there was an energy that was virtually palpable, only with a growing sense of expectation. Animated conversations were taking place at the multitude of tables set up all over the gym floor. A stage was set up for the emcee and various other dignitaries. Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen was our Master of Ceremonies. We opened in prayer, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of the National Anthem. What a wonderful start!

Next followed various community members offering prayer specifically for business, agricultural and civic leaders; for military leaders, troops, law enforcement, fire service and their families; for clergy and staff; and for schools, families, and the impoverished. But there was one corporate responsorial prayer offered that, to me (and a lot of others), was the highlight of our time together. We were lead in this prayer by Dr. Stacy McAfee, Associate Vice President for External Relations at UOP. I spoke with her after the breakfast and told her how much I appreciated this prayer. The opening part of the prayer began like this: “Heavenly Father, we are human, and struggle at times to obey your commandments when it is easy to ignore them. As community leaders we humble ourselves today and ask first for your forgiveness for our transgressions as we forgive those who transgress against us. Humble our hearts as we pray for our nation’s Leaders, Families, Neighbors and ourselves with fervor and sincerity. Lord, we thank you for wisdom, understanding, and for your Holy Word. Bless us with courage, strength, and boldness to be agents of change you have called and ordained us to be.” The assembled responded with, “Lord, hear our prayer.”

The keynote speaker for our breakfast was Hercules! Well, not really, but the man who played the character of Hercules in the hit TV show, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, ran for seven seasons. I was very interested in hearing what Kevin Sorbo had to share. I don’t think I ever watched one of the Hercules programs, but I certainly recognized his face. And Isaura and I did watch the movie he was in, God’s Not Dead! where he plays a very convincing college professor who is an avowed atheist. It was wonderfully done and I highly recommend it. In chatting with him during the book signing, he said he believes the best of the movies about faith that he’s done is What If. We’ll be watching it soon, you can be sure of that!

Besides being a highly successful actor, he is also a director, producer, and author. I had heard some time back that Kevin had become gravely ill, never realizing just how close to death he came until I listened that morning to his story. I could not begin to do it justice in the space I have, but you can read it in his recently released book, True Strength: My journey from Hercules to mere mortal and how nearly dying saved my life.

Listening to Kevin share his story, particularly how his near death experience following numerous strokes brought him to faith in Jesus, I was struck by how down-to-earth he was in sharing his struggles. He is humble about the entire ordeal but isn’t hesitant to share it with you.

So pick up a copy of his book, and watch the two movies I mentioned. You’ll be blessed!

Hi! I'm Ewart

             Ewart. That’s my new name . . . at least until the end of June.

A couple of months ago the Golden Valley Chorus (GVC) of the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) was contacted by the director from the Modesto Performing Arts (MPA) to see if we had four guys who would like to perform in a production of the musical classic, The Music Man.

Well, I jumped right on it! It was Meredith Willson’s production of this musical play where I first heard a barbershop quartet that captivated my interest in this uniquely American musical genre. Even as a kid I always wanted to sing in a barbershop quartet. Years later I discovered there’s an entire organization of barbershop singers (BHS – formerly, SPEBSQSA, Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America) across the United States, and in recent years it has expanded around the world. There are choruses as small as 10, and other choruses that top out at 125 or more. I am a member of the GVC here in Modesto, California which is a chorus made up of 20 men. I also have a membership with the Alexandria Harmonizers (Virginia) which boasts 120 or more. My nephew, Josh Roots, sings with these guys as well. I wrote about singing with the Harmonizers last June as part of the week-long activities in France celebrating the 70^th Anniversary of D-Day. I’m still basking in the glow of that phenomenal trip.

The play first opened on Broadway in 1957 at the Majestic Theatre. The movie came out in 1962 and had a run of 1,375 straight performances. We were living in Norway at the time, but we certainly heard about it. We moved back to the States toward the end of 1963 when I was finally able to see the movie. My sister-in-law also performed in it with the Dallas (Texas) Repertory Theater. The quartet that sang in the movie was from one of those big barbershop choruses located in Dallas – the Vocal Majority. The performing quartet for both the play and the movie was the Buffalo Bills, who were the International Quartet Champions in 1950. They are icons within the hallowed halls of barbershop history and lore.

So who is Ewart Dunlop? He is the fellow in the quartet that sings the Lead part (usually the melody line). That’s my role. I had never paid attention to the stage names of the quartet until this year when the opportunity presented itself to be in this Modesto production. The setting for the musical is in a small town in Iowa in 1912. As a point of interest, Ewart is an old English/Scottish/Gaelic name which means “guardian of riches.” The literal meaning is “a ewe herder” (one who leads female sheep). It is a name rarely seen today, and it’s not even on the top 1,000 names for baby boys today. Nevertheless, my name in the musical is to be Ewart Dunlop. Very British, don’t you know!

The quartet I am in will be primarily singing, but also with some short speaking parts. The performances will be toward the end of June at the Gallo Center in Modesto. The dates are June 20, 21, and 26, 27, & 28. The songs in the musical are ones you are certainly familiar with because they have captured the spirit of the whole story of Marian the Librarian who falls in love with the con man and scoundrel, Professor Harold Hill. The songs our quartet will sing are: Ice Cream/Sincere; Goodnight, Ladies; It’s You; and Lida Rose.

During the next two months I will be engrossed in learning to sing these songs with the three other quartet members. So should you see me in passing, and you notice that I have a glazed look on my face and my lips are moving but there’s no sound, you will know that I am going over the songs and speaking parts for the musical until I’ve nailed it! Not to worry – I’m harmless.

 You can find information on the Music Man at www.GalloArts.org, or call 209-338-2100. Ticket prices run from $19.00 to $34.00.

This next part is for the guys . . . If you ever had the thought that you might like to try singing with a bunch of men, then come join us on a Tuesday evening from 7:00 to 9:30 at Mancini Hall, 718 Tuolumne Boulevard, Modesto. We’ve heard all the excuses for not coming out and singing. Our favorite is, “I can’t carry a tune in a bucket!” Trust me! Our director, Mr. Bruce Sellnow, and our assistant director, Howard Barber, will have you singing and ringing chords in no time. We have a lot of fun, and so will you!

But when you come on a Tuesday evening, don’t call me Ewart!

A Song for the Soul

              I have wondered at times why I have such a love for the hymns of the Christian faith. You might be thinking at this moment that I’ve slipped a cog, seeing that I am a retired pastor from the Free Methodist Church. But hear me out.

Attending a church of any kind while growing up was a rarity. And the one church we did attend infrequently was not even Christian. It would be classified as a cult, meaning it had many of the trappings of being Christian but its doctrine clearly missed the message of Jesus and his love. And the hymns of the faith were not sung in this place of false worship.

Though I did not understand why, I found myself drawn to the old hymns even as a child. The opportunities to hear these blessed songs were few. But even in that day they were far more often heard on radio and television, and even sung in public school, than is the case for today. They were part of our secular culture because of the strong Christian influence that had built this nation of ours.

There was a wildly popular singer in that day who was, and still is, a favorite of mine. He could sing Gospel songs better than anyone else. I have a couple of his religious albums on 33 LPs and CDs. The singer is none other than Elvis Presley.

So when I walked into a Christian Servicemen’s Center on September 8, 1972 as a sergeant in the Marine Corps, the place where I surrendered my heart and life to Jesus, the hymns became a permanent fixture in my life. Over the next forty years I had the great privilege to sing in gospel groups, choirs, duets, musical productions for churches, and acappella singing.

The church my wife and I attend is the same one I pastored for sixteen years until my retirement last May. There are two services on Sunday morning. The service I prefer is the first one at 8:30. The reason is the singing. It is in that service that we sing the hymns of the faith that have stood the test of time. During the offering our pianist played arguably one of the greatest hymns ever written. It was written by Frederick M. Lehman in 1917. It is entitled, “The Love of God.” Though this minister wrote more than 100 hymns during his life, none ever touched the soul with divine inspiration the way this hymn has done and continues to do.

The song is written with three verses and a refrain. But it is the third verse that is so powerful, speaking of God’s infinite and eternal love for us. Hear these words in your own soul: “Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of parchment made, Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade, To write the love of God above, Would drain the ocean dry, Nor could the scroll contain the whole, Tho stretched from sky to sky.” Then the refrain: “O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure – the saints’ and angels’ song.”

The story is told of an anti-Jewish priest in Worms, Germany in the 11^th Century who laid out some damning accusations against the Jews of that city. The king of that city challenged the Jewish leadership to publicly defend themselves against this vile accusation. If they were successful, they could continue to live at peace in Worms, otherwise the Jews would be killed. A poem was written by Rabbi Meir Ben Isaac Nehorai which was read aloud in defense of their religious faith, saving the day for the Jews. Part of that poem reads, “Were the sky of parchment made, A quill each reed, each twig and blade, Could we with ink the oceans fill, Were every man a scribe of skill, The marvelous story, Of God’s great glory, Would still remain untold; For He, most high, The earth and sky Created alone of old.” Clearly Fredrick Lehman had read this poem, incorporating some of the same wording into his now famous hymn.

We’ve all been touched by the sinful nature of man, and the evil intent that resides in the heart, and the horrific actions brought against others. Only God can eradicate this from our soul. That’s what Jesus came to do.

Let me conclude with the first verse of this hymn. “The love of God is greater far, Than tongue or pen can ever tell, It goes beyond the highest star, And reaches to the lowest hell; The guilty pair, Bowed down with care, God gave his Son to win: His erring child He reconciled, And pardoned from his sin.”

Yes, I love the old hymns, but I love the message even more. It is said that theologian Karl Barth was asked to summarize his twelve-volume set on church dogmatics which deals with the theoretical truths of faith concerning God and his works. His reply? “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

Have you been touched by the love of God?

Consider Miracles

             There are certain inexplicable events that occur in life that are not easily explained or resolved. What are frequently identified as miracles are typically dismissed as being coincidental.

If we look at this matter of miracles, or the miraculous, then we must first understand what defines a miracle. “Miracles are God’s intervention into the natural world – His special work for a specific purpose.” (5 Minute Apologist, Dr. Rick Cornish, NAVPRESS - 2005).

The Old and New Testaments are replete with miracles. The exploits of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel) quickly come to mind. But it’s hard to beat all the miraculous occurrences during the time of Moses. And, of course, you have a plethora of miracles recorded in the Gospel record of Jesus’ life and ministry – most notably – the event celebrated at this time of year by Christians – the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

There are basically three kinds of people in the world when it comes to the miraculous. You have those who believe in miracles; those who do not believe in miracles; and those who don’t know if the odd and strange happenings are actually miracles or just some of life’s imponderables.

So, only God, the maker of heaven and earth, can perform true miracles. Miracles are intended to bolster the faith of believers, and to challenge the skepticism of those who do not believe. What we actually witness in miracles is God throwing down the gauntlet, asking us to believe what cannot be naturally explained.

People who choose not to believe in the existence of God (atheists) must also dismiss any possibility of miracles. Why do I suggest this? Because the moment the miraculous is introduced into the equation, by necessity, the existence of One who is greater must be considered.

As is the case in all things in this world you have those who are on either end of the faith/belief spectrum. On the one end, atheists categorically rule out any possibility of miracles because they open up an element to life that, in their mind, cannot be explained by natural law. The Ten Plagues which God visited on the Egyptians were all very real, and supernatural, which could not be easily explained away, either then or now.

Radical religionists, on the other hand, are quick to attribute every little thing in life as being miraculous. For instance, I cringe when I hear a news reporter interviewing someone who is the sole survivor of a deadly tragedy. Invariably, the comment is made, “God was with me!” Now, I know the person is expressing exuberance in being alive. That’s perfectly understandable. However, such a statement troubles me because it makes it sound as though God is playing favorites. Wasn’t God with the six people who perished?  

“Miracles become possible if God exists because the One who could create a universe would be able to intervene into His work any way He wanted.” And not just that, but the Bible declares that God simply spoke everything into existence. The classic challenge to theists (believers in God and his existence) is formulated in this question which is designed by unbelievers to trip up the believers: “Well, if God made everything, then who made God?”

The answer to this question is simple enough. No one made God because he has always been. He is All Powerful. Again, the Bible often states this rhetorical question: “Is anything too difficult for God?” Or put another way, “Nothing is impossible with God.”

The language used in the Bible regarding God and His power is precise. The wording is definitive. For instance, throughout the Book of Job, God challenges Job to consider God’s many attributes in confirming that Job had not been abandoned by God during Job’s time of testing. Later we see such descriptive terminology attributed to Jesus, where we read in the Book of Revelation, “I am the Beginning and the End. I am the First and the Last. I am the Alpha and the Omega. I am the One who was, who is, and who is to come.” All of these expressions are given to us to help us to understand that God is, always has been, and always will be.

In accepting this premise about the existence of God, then miracles become a natural phenomenon in the faith journey for the believer. And as such, miracles not only occur, but are to be expected. You see, miracles are not miraculous to God. It is the way He chooses to operate in our world. And it’s no big deal to Him.

Let me leave you with this thought: Consider Miracles!