American’s Creed, Prayers and Songs

The American’s Creed

by William Tyler Page

I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed, a democracy in a republic, a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.

I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it, to support its Constitution, to obey its laws to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies.

–Written 1917, accepted by the United States House of Representatives on April 3, 1918.

Commentary on the Pledge of Allegiance

by Red Skelton

As a schoolboy, one of Red Skelton’s teachers explained the words and meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance to his class. Skelton later wrote down, and eventually recorded, his recollection of this lecture. It is followed by an observation of his own.

I – – Me; an individual; a committee of one.Pledge – – Dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without self-pity.

Allegiance – – My love and my devotion.

To the Flag – – Our standard; Old Glory ; a symbol of Freedom; wherever she waves there is respect, because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts, Freedom is everybody’s job.

United – – That means that we have all come together.

States – – Individual communities that have united into forty-eight great states. Forty-eight individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose. All divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common purpose, and that is love for country.

And to the Republic – – Republic–a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern. And government is the people; and it’s from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people.

For which it stands

One Nation – – One Nation–meaning, so blessed by God.

Indivisible – – Incapable of being divided.

With Liberty – – Which is Freedom; the right of power to live one’s own life, without threats, fear, or some sort of retaliation.

And Justice – – The principle, or qualities, of dealing fairly with others.

For All – – For All–which means, boys and girls, it’s as much your country as it is mine.

And now, boys and girls, let me hear you recite the Pledge of Allegiance:

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic, for which it stands; one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Since I was a small boy, two states have been added to our country, and two words have been added to the Pledge of Allegiance: Under God. Wouldn’t it be a pity if someone said that is a prayer, and that would be eliminated from schools, too?

Red Skeltonhttp://www.usflag.org/skeltonspledge.html

West Point Military Academy Cadet Prayer

“Make us choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong, and never to be contented with half truth when whole truth can be won. Endow us with courage that is born of loyalty to all that is noble and worthy, that scorns to compromise with vice and injustice and knows no fear when right and truth are in jeopardy.”

“My Morning Offering”

This is from the official Marine Corps Field Devotional Book.

O God, for another day, for another morning, for another minute, for another chance to live and serve You, I am truly grateful.

Do…. this day free me:

from all fear of the future,

from all anxiety about tomorrow,

from all bitterness towards anyone,

from all cowardice in the face of danger,

from all laziness in the face of work,

from all failure before opportunity,

from all weakness when Your power is at hand.

But fill me

with Love that knows no barrier,

with Sympathy that reaches all,

with Courage that cannot be shaken,

with Faith strong enough for the darkness,

with Strength sufficient for my tasks,

with Loyalty to Your Kingdom’s goal,

with Wisdom to meet life’s complexities,

with Power to lift me to You.

Be with me for another day, and use me as You will.

Amen.

National Prayer

Lord, we come to You on bended knee,
heads bowed and our hearts filled to overflowing
with so much grief for the many people who have
been injured and killed in our National crisis.

We ask you Lord, to give courage
and strength to those who so bravely
go to their aid. And though their hearts will
be heavy and filled with sorrow we ask Lord
that You give them the endurance needed
to help them through this difficult task.

Please give us the strength Lord,
to get through each difficult and devastating
day that faces each of us and our country.
Protect and guide our Military that
are now being called to duty.

We ask Lord, that You guide the leaders
of our great country in their hour of decision.
The burden that has been placed on their
shoulders during this crisis is overwhelming.
We ask that with Your infinite wisdom You
guide them gently to the right decisions.

And lastly Lord, we ask that You
allow us all to come together as a Nation,
to stand tall and united, so that we might
help each other in our hour of need.
Amen

May God Bless America!

Psalm 121

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

My help cometh even from the Lord: who hath made Heaven on earth.

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: and he that keepeth thee will not sleep.

Behold, he that keepeth Israel: shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord himself is thy keeper: The Lord is thy defence upon thy right hand;

So that the sun shall not burn thee by day: neither the moon by night.

The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: yes, it is even he that shall keep thy soul.

The Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in: from this time forth forever more.

National Anthem

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 rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines on the stream:
‘Tis the star-spangled banner! O long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wiped out their foul footstep’s pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

http://www.bcpl.net/~etowner/anthem.html

America (My Country, ‘Tis of Thee)

Text: Samuel F. Smith, 1808-1895

My country,’ tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing;
land where my fathers died,
land of the pilgrims’ pride,
from every mountainside let freedom ring!

My native country, thee,
land of the noble free, thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
thy woods and templed hills;
my heart with rapture thrills, like that above.

Let music swell the breeze,
and ring from all the trees sweet freedom’s song;
let mortal tongues awake;
let all that breathe partake;
let rocks their silence break, the sound prolong.

Our fathers’ God, to thee,
author of liberty, to thee we sing;
long may our land be bright
with freedom’s holy light;
protect us by thy might, great God, our King.

http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh697.sht

“AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL”

O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain!America! America! God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassion’d stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness.

America! America!
God mend thine ev’ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law.

O beautiful for heroes prov’d
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life.

America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev’ry gain divine.

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears.

America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.

http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/lyrics/america.htm

“This Land is Your Land”

(by Woody Guthrie) This land is your land, This land is my land, From California To the New York Island, From the redwood forest, To the Gulf stream waters, This land was made for you and me. As I was walking, That ribbon of highway, I saw above me That endless skyway, I saw below me That golden valley. This land was made for you and me.

I’ve roamed and rambled
And I’ve followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts
And all around me a voice was sounding
This land was made for you and me

The sun comes shining
As I was strolling
The wheat fields waving
And the dust clouds rolling
The fog was lifting a voice come chanting
This land was made for you and me

As I was walkin’
I saw a sign there
And that sign said no trespassin’
But on the other side
It didn’t say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!

In the squares of the city
In the shadow of the steeple
Near the relief office
I see my people
And some are grumblin’
And some are wonderin’
If this land’s still made for you and me.

Nobody living can ever stop me
As I go walking
That freedom highway
Nobody living can make me turn back
This land was made for you and me

“A Patriot’s Prayer ”

Like all Americans, O Lord,

I breathe in freedom’s air.

The awesome wonder of this gift

inspires my grateful prayer.

I’m thankful for resources

You abundantly provide

so dreams can be encouraged

and needs can be supplied.

I’m thankful for the blessing

of a peaceful neighborhood,

for leaders, teachers, workers

who promote the common good…

for law and education,

and the opportunity

to seek success and happiness

from sea to shining sea…

Give courage and protection, Lord,

to those who help and serve,

and grant all friends of liberty

the blessings they deserve.

amen.