The Patriot Post - Alexander's Essay 11-21-2012

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The Patriot Post - Alexander's Essay 11-21-2012
From The Federalist Patriot
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Thanksgiving in Afghanistan
The Blessings of Liberty 'Endowed by Our Creator'

By Mark Alexander

November 21, 2012

"I do recommend and assign Thursday ... next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be." --George Washington (October 3, 1789)

As is our tradition, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving with family and friends in the mountains of East Tennessee -- in warm homes with plenty.

Though I do not let a day pass without expressions of gratitude to our Creator for His provision, too often I fail to take account of the full measure of His gifts. My failure, at times, to adequately express this gratitude stems from preoccupation with the challenges I face as an individual, and moreover, concern for the ongoing crisis we face as a nation.

I welcome this Thanksgiving week as an opportunity to pause, step back, and reflect upon how blessed we really are, blessed far beyond any measure of what we deserve. It comes this year at a time of bitter setback for our nation's great heritage of Liberty.

One of the ways God has richly blessed this unworthy servant is by allowing me to lead a team of Patriots endeavoring to keep the "flame of Liberty" burning bright for our countrymen across the nation and around the world. We are honored to share the burden of defending our inheritance of Liberty with millions of other Patriots, steadfast in that defense.

Yesterday morning, we received the following message from a Marine Corps officer in Afghanistan, a parent who, like many others serving our country, will not be home to share Thanksgiving or Christmas with family. This note reminded us of the privilege and responsibility we bear on behalf of our uniformed Patriots, and the sacrifice they make willingly in the name of Liberty:

"Thanks for all that you do, not only for the cause of Liberty, but also to support those of us who are currently deployed to the far reaches of the Earth, in support of our Country. We do not have the luxury of being able to voice our opinions and beliefs, a choice we made when we took our oath, but I can rest easy, knowing that you are fighting the good fight for us. Knowing that there are still true Patriots, willing to speak up for us, to speak up for what is right, eases the grief of being away from my family and children. Thank you. Semper Fidelis!"

In honor of the service of this Marine, and hundreds of thousands of American warriors around the world, I invite you to take a moment to put our national Day of Thanksgiving into proper context and consider our Creator, who has guided our nation through its darkest of days. As George Washington declared, "The hand of providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and more than wicked, that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations."

I recommend that you read our brief History and Legacy of Thanksgiving1, and the proclamations of those that followed the first harvest feast celebrated by the Pilgrims in 1621. I would suggest that you also view this video from my colleague, renowned constitutional scholar Matt Spalding, entitled "We still hold these truths2," which is devoted to our nation's First Principles. (For the accompanying study guide, click here3.)

I leave you with an excerpt from a prayer for our nation recently penned by my friend, Dr. John Guest. Though born in the Old Country (Oxford, England), John became a U.S. citizen decades ago, and like most Americans of European extraction, he has become an outspoken advocate of our Founders' proclamation of Liberty, as "endowed by our Creator":

"Lord God Almighty, you have made all the peoples of the earth for your glory, to serve you in freedom and in peace: Give to the people of our country a zeal for what is right and what is true and the integrity to use our Liberty in accordance with your gracious will. We thank you Lord, for the gift of our Nation and its heritage. May we live up to the Patriot dreams of our Founding Fathers. We praise You for the Constitution and government our Founding Fathers designed. Forgive us that we have strayed so far from the ideals of religious freedom and individual responsibility they embody. We thank You for our Godly heritage and the Biblical principles on which the laws and institutions of our land were established."

Fellow Patriots, I humbly thank you for the privilege of serving as editor and publisher of The Patriot Post. On behalf of your Patriot team4 and our National Advisory Committee5, I wish you a peaceful Thanksgiving, and God's blessings to you and your family.

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." --Psalm 100:4-5

[Permission to forward, repost or reprint this essay is herein granted.]

(If you have the means, please take a moment to promote Liberty by supporting our 2012 Year-End Campaign6 today.)

(Please pray for our Armed Forces standing in harm's way around the world, and for their families -- especially families of those fallen Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, who granted their lives in defense of American liberty.)

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