America 250 (part 4) : A Tale of Two Revolutions - America and France

Revolution/wikipedia

The latter half of the 18th century spawned two notable revolutions: 

* The American Revolution

* The French Revolution

One replaced a monarchy with a successful republic, whose continuing form of government is in place to this day. The other replaced a monarchy with the guillotine, the Reign of Terror, anarchy, then an emperor followed by several types of government.

What went right? What went wrong?

https://youtu.be/7tpy6T2Cg5w?si=euGxoXzgIVwoinMh

The different results of each social experiment can be summed up by these three reasons:

1. Understanding of human nature:

America: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

Inalienable rights protect the people from the tyranny of government. The worldview was based on the Judeo-Christian concept of human nature as flawed. Government needs checks and balances, be bound by law, and be subject to religious instruction to restrain corruption.

France: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity

The leaders of the new republic despised religion, with a worldview that reason alone could remake society from the ground up. But forced Equality does not permit liberty or fraternity. Liberty was turned to revenge, resulting in the Reign of Terror and the guillotine.

2. Quality of Leadership

America: 

Leaders rose to greatness as the occasion demanded, such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Alexander Hamilton.

George Washington saw himself as a servant of the republic, resigned his commission at the end of the war, served as president when called upon by the people, and retired after two terms.

France: 

Leaders like Maximilien Robespierre, Jean Paul Marat, and Louis de Saint-Just installed a Reign of Terror that inspired monsters, such as Lenin, Stalin, and Trotsky. 

The republic descended into anarchy, replaced by a strong man, Napoleon.

3. Experience of Self-Government

America:

Before the revolution, the colonies experienced two centuries of self-government. Hence, at that time, these colonies were the freest in the civilized world, least governed, least taxed, and least bound by class distinction

France:

Before the revolution, class was destiny, most denizens were heavily taxed, and social mobility was impossible. The people had no experience of self-government. In the end, the monarchy was replaced by an emperor. 

In conclusion:

The American Revolution since King George III changed the world for the better. This constitutional republic has the oldest written national constitution still in continuous use. (reference: legalknowledgebase.com)

The French Revolution changed the world for the worse. And since Luis XVI, France has had 10 to 13 forms of government, from republics to empires to monarchies to puppet governments under Nazi occupation.

Happy 250th, America!

America's 250th: America 250 Years in the Making

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For other posts on this thread, search:

America 250

America's Story

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Photos: Revolution/wikipedia

America 250 (part 3): Native Americans love America?

 

wikipedia/ww2natives

As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, may we remember the people who were here before the pilgrims, colonialists, and settlers.

Native Americans

In so many ways, the diverse tribes contributed to the tapestry of our unique American culture, which is protected by freedom in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Here is a Navajo tribute to America:

https://youtu.be/x3tRLWF10ms?si=45A0z_t-0xBbEnXm

Native born or immigrant, Americans come from all over the world.

It's no wonder one of the United States mottos is the Latin phrase:

E Pluribus Unum 

which translates

 Out of Many, One.

Happy 250th, America!

America's 250th: America 250 Years in the Making

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For other posts on this thread, search:

America 250

America's Story

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Photos: wikipedia/ww2natives

America 250 (part 2): Benjamin Franklin

 

Franklin/wikipedia

 America’s 250^th

As we approach America’s 250^th anniversary, this July 4, 2026, let’s have a look at one of our founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin. 

He was not only key in winning the American Revolution, but also in drafting the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and supporting the Bill of Rights, ensuring our rights as free citizens.

https://youtu.be/NLWS4ALFMcc?si=jUPKkkBDnJTgJsrU

  Ben Franklin embodied the American dream—poor boy who made good—publisher, inventor, writer, scientist, postmaster, diplomat, statesman. At the time of the Revolutionary War, he was the most famous American overseas whereas no one heard of George Washington. Ben Franklin loved London, had a residence there, the most prominent colonial (non-British) scientist elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of London.

Though the colonists had grievances with the Crown, such as the Stamp Act, “Taxation without Representation”, the Boston Massacre, Franklin remained a loyal British subject and had a vision that the Crown could patch us their differences with the colonists and expand the British Empire into North America.

But when London got news of the Boston Tea Party, Ben Franklin was called into the Privy Council of Parliament, a place called the “cockpit” (Henry VIII had cock fights there). There, he endured vicious personal verbal attacks and was stripped from his position of Deputy Postmaster of North America.

TeaParty/wikipedia

Franklin kept quiet during the long tirade of insults against him. It was said that day he went into the “cockpit” as a loyal British subject, but he came out as an American. 

The Revolution? He was all in!

First, he helped draft and edit the Declaration of Independence. He changed the phrasing to “We hold these truths to be self-evident” then signed it, saying: “We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.”  

Declaration/wikipedia

Allies were needed to fight the mighty British Army. As a key American diplomat, Franklin secured an alliance with France, and later Spain and the Dutch Republic, making the Revolutionary War a global war. France recognized the United States as a nation and provided military support.

The climax was in Virginia. The Americans cornered the British Army in the west and the French fleet bottled them up in the harbor to the east. Thus, General Cornwallis surrendered to General Washington and the French at Yorktown in 1781. The Americans were formally recognized their independence by the Treaty of Paris in 1783.

Yorktown/wikipedia

Next was forming a government without a king. That took a few years.

As the oldest delegate at the Constitutional Convention, Ben Franklin signed the Constitution in 1787. Franklin supported adding the Bill of Rights, though he did not live to see it happen. In his youth, he was surrounded by people, including his father, who vividly remembered the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. The mass hysteria of those trials, which resulted in executions of innocents, served as a cautionary tale during the debates of the Constitution as well as the Bill of Rights. It demonstrated what can happen with unchecked government power, religious fanaticism, and lack of legal safeguards.

Constitution/wikipedia

Thus, the Bill of Rights corrected the Salem injustices with rights: trial by jury, no self-incrimination, right to confront accusers and cross-examination, right to a speedy and public trial, ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Also, the First Amendment guaranteed freedoms of religion, speech, press, and assembly.

But it was the Second Amendment, the right to keep and bear arms, that put teeth into the Bill of Rights as the enforcer of the rest of the rights.

$100/wikipedia

The winning of the American Revolution and our Rights as a free people hung on Ben Franklin. Loyal British subject turned American. Signer of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Supporter of the Bill of Rights. Diplomat to create global alliances that won the war. And the face of our $100 bill.

America's 250th: America 250 Years in the Making

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For other posts on this thread, search:

America 250

America's Story

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Photos:

Franklin/wikipedia 
TeaParty/wikipedia 
Declaration/wikipedia 
Yorktown/wikipedia 
Constitution/wikipedia  
$100/wikipedia

Geo (part 3 ): JFK and America in England

 

JFK/wikipedia

November 22, 1963

That day in history, President John F Kennedy was assassinated. 

And the first our nation heard it was mid-day when normal broadcasts were interrupted.

https://youtu.be/6PXORQE5-CY?si=yLqjLhWdUab58saf

The JFK assassination was a shock to our nation as well as the world. And the news hit the peoples, on both side of the Atlantic, hard. 

Our strongest ally overseas was the late Queen Elizabeth II. To pay her respects, the Queen bequeathed an acre of land of English soil near London in perpetuity to the American people:

The Kennedy Memorial. 

This acre was in Runnymede Park where King John of England signed the Magna Carta over 800 years ago in 1215. That document was significant in that it limited the king's absolute power, establishing a precedent that even a king was not above the law. The act began a movement toward elected governments, universal rights, and freedom. 

https://youtu.be/iQOZUaSoy90?si=O7Djv-PCcVp4FjbO

Later, England spawned America. Then in 1964, the longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, signed the JFK Memorial Act, which expanded the US global territory by one acre. Now a piece of America is encompassed by England. 

How far it from the UK to the US?

Technically, one step. 

But that's one giant step in good Anglo-American relations.

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For similar posts on this thread, search:

Geography

For similar posts on this thread, search:

Science

Culture

Education
History

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photo: JFK/wikipedia

Space (part 7) - James Lovell

 

James Lovell/wikipedia

August 7, 2025, we lost a legend and great American hero, pioneering astronaut, James Lovell.

Jim Lovell Obituary

Published by Legacy Remembers 

He was best known to be on the three man crew that first orbited the moon during Christmas Eve of 1968. 

https://youtu.be/6vvNxhlP1jA?si=m3UCx0JB0sfz48UY

And in April 1970, on the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission--the most successful failure.

https://youtu.be/YwG4F-16Tno?si=N4nauWVGeFXsTBN8

Here is a tribute to his life:

https://youtu.be/7EP0qaBo-tc?si=9wpfk9te0tMLQN7f

We do not know what we have on earth until we leave it.

Jim Lovell

Rest in peace in the heavens.

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Other posts in the series: 

Space

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Photo:  James Lovell/wikipedia

Great Speeches (part 1) - Gettysburg Address

 

LincolnGettysburg/wikipedia.com

1863

The not so United States was engaged in a great Civil War.

The Battle of Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863) , one the bloodiest battles--over 50,000 casualties--marked a turning point for the Union. But victory came at a heavy cost of blood and treasure.

November 19, 1863, President Lincoln was asked to deliver a message at the dedication of Gettysburg Civil War Cemetery. 

Following Edward Everett's two hour speech, Lincoln spoke for about two minutes.  And the rest is history.

(reference: https://youtu.be/qhMsQm0dufU )

America was conceived in liberty and the proposition that all men are created equal. 

Those words brought America back to her roots- beyond the Constitution to The Declaration of Independence.

Lincoln's address is considered one of the most powerful speeches in the English language, as well as any language expressing freedom and liberty. 

In these divided times, it bears to be remembered who we are.

And with this new thread, Great Speeches

The Pen is Mightier than the Sword

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Other resources on this topic:

American Rhetoric

The 35 Greatest Speeches in History

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Photo: LincolnGettysburg/wikipedia.com

Pray4America (part 20) - Australia still has our back!

kangaroo/wikipedia.com

Anne Graham Lotz, the chairperson of the National Day of Prayer, invites us to pray for the healing of America on May 4th, 2017.

(reference: https://youtu.be/kaYmQzDCOqY )

And one of the themes  comes from from Daniel 9:19

Lord, listen! 

Lord, forgive!

Lord, hear and act! 

For Your sake, my God, do not delay,

 because Your city and 

Your people bear your Name.

And down under, in Australia, Warwick March announced their National Day of Prayer and Fasting team has set aside  this April 30 - May 4. 2017, to intercede for America.

(reference: https://youtu.be/Dwpqby8fJK0 )

And they continue with the theme, II Chronicles 7:14

If my people, 

who are called by My Name, 

will humble themselves and pray 

and seek My face and 

turn from their wicked ways, 

then I will hear from heaven, 

and I will forgive their sin and 

will heal their land.

For we have this promise...

Therefore confess your sins to each other 

and pray for each other 

so that you may be healed. 

The prayer of a righteous person 

is powerful and effective.

James 5:16 (NIV)

God bless Australia!

And God bless America!

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Previous posts in this series:

Pray4America (part 1) - National Day of Prayer (2012)

Pray4America (part 2) - FDR's prayer on D-Day (2012)

Pray4America (part 3) - FDR's Flag Day prayer - June 14, 1942 (2012)

Pray4America (part 4) - It's a Wonderful Life, America (2012)

Pray4America (part 5) - United we stand? (2012)

Pray4America (part 6) - Christmas in Iran 1980 (2012)

Pray4American (part 7) - For such a time as this (2013)

Pray4America (part 8) - Fear no evil (2013)

Pray4America (part 9) - America, the Beautiful - 1893 to 2013 (2013)

Pray4America (part 10) - Real Hope for America  (2013)

Pray4America (part 11) - New Year Reset  (2013)

Pray4America (part 12) - George Washington's Knee-Mails (2014)

Pray4America (part 13) - Apollo 13 Reflections and Prayer (2014)

Pray4America (part 14) - We are Americans (2014)

Pray4America (part 15) - Communion on the Moon (2014)

Pray4America (part 16) - God Bless America, 1938 (2014)

Pray4America (part 17) - Washington and Providence (2015)

Pray4America (part 18) - Australia Prays for America (2015) 

Pray4America (part 19) - Australia has our back in prayer! (2016)

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Photo: kangaroo/wikipedia.com

America's Story (part 21) - Is America Great?

Reagan 80/Wikipedia.com

Make America Great Again

That slogan can be read that America is no longer great. But we want to be. Again.

And that was Donald Trump's slogan in the 2016 presidential campaign. And it was used before. In 1980. By Ronald Reagan. As shown on the button above.

Both campaigns were decades apart. But in some ways very similar. Both were successful. Both candidates won the White House.

The zeitgeist (spirit of the times), was pessimistic. Angry. Dispirited. As many Americans perceived their country was in a downward spin into the dustbin of history.

In 1980:  We suffered a malaise from stagflation to the Iran Hostage Crisis.

In 2016:  A majority (up 70% to 80%, at times) believed the country was going in the wrong direction. [ Direction of Country polling ]

And during this zeitgeist, I remember getting email from a friend in 2012.  It contained video link, described as  The Most Honest Three and Half Minutes of Television

It still has been making the rounds in social media. And it comes to this conclusion...

America is not the greatest country in the world anymore

Oh, no. Not this again.

That case was made on the TV series, The Newsroom (2012-2014).

It begins, first of all, with the reporter, Jeff Daniel's character Will McAvoy establishing himself as a non-partisan journalist. Objective. Unbiased. A man we can trust. At least in this fictional world.

When asked why America is the greatest country in the world (after hearing the cliche answers of his colleagues), he hesitates.  Reluctant to answer. But he has a cheerleader in the crowd encouraging him with flash cards.

And the drama builds. The answer is finally dragged out of him. Like pulling teeth. It's torture. He finally admits it:

America is not the greatest country in the world. 

Then he peppers the audience with a bucket load of statistics to support this claim. Looking sad and even mourning his dismal conclusion. Yet offering a pearl of wisdom that recognizing the problem is the first step to solving it.

Here is the clip that had many of us (myself included) wringing our hands. Warning, some profanity:

(reference: https://youtu.be/wTjMqda19wk )

Yep. Four years ago, I bought into this brutal honesty. Hook. Line. And sinker. I even blogged about it: AI (part 1) - American Ingenuity 

Here are some points I made in that 2012 post:

The anchor seems to mourn for what we Americans used to be. And here are a few nibbles -

We stood up for what was right ... we reached for the stars ... acted like men ... we aspired to intelligence ... we didn't scare so easy ...

He ends his rant ...

First step in solving any problem is recognizing there is one. America is not the greatest country in the world anymore. ... Enough?

Then I heard a rebuttal to that scripted rant worth considering.

It's described as: A thorough slap down and rebuttal to Jeff Daniels' viral anti-America Newsroom scene, in which he claims that America is not the greatest country in the world.

(reference: https://youtu.be/qOhDFCcmgvY )

Hmmm. Some fact checking here.

Other countries with freedom? Saying other countries have freedom, does not make it so. Not when speech, religion, self-defense, moving between the classes, access to education, opportunity is curtailed or defined by the state.

Statistics? Easy to lie with statistics. Mislead. Compare apples to oranges.

But with freedom comes responsibility. In absence of an overbearing "Nanny State" comes the freedom to make wrong choices. And that has consequences, which are not good. And are reflected in some statistics that point that we can do better.

It comes down to: Freedom vs. Tyranny. And I blogged about that in 2014: Too Weak to Live With Freedom?

Freedom wins. Because it's right.

And...

Is America is great?

You bet. As long as we are free.

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Other posts in this series:

America's Story (part 1) - The Speech that redefined us, November 19, 1863 (2011)

America's Story (part 2) - Savages! (2011)

America's Story (part 3) - Over There - 1917, 1941 (2011)

America's Story (part 4) - Christmas 1944, when we said NUTS to the enemy (2011)

America's Story (part 5) - Amazing Grace (2012)

America's Story (part 6) - GI Joe Tuskegee Airmen (2012)

America's Story (part 7) - When Reagan was shot (2012)

America's Story (part 8) - Memorial Day, Gettysburg, and Amos Humiston (2012)

America's Story (part 9) - A Tale of Two Revolutions (2012)

America's Story (part 10) - Sergeant York (2012)

America's Story (part 11) - Sacajawea  (2012)

America's Story (part 12) - Death and Taxes (2013)

America's Story (part 13) - The Enola Gay (2013)

America's Story (part 14) - I Was a Male War Bride - the real story (2014)
     

America's Story (part 15) - World War 2: memories of North Africa (2014)

America's Story (part 16) - Our First 9/11  (2014)
  

America's Story (part 17) - The Last of the Doolittle Raiders (2015)
   

America's Story (part 18) - VE Day - 70 years ago (2015)

America's Story (part 19) - Trinity and "The Long Peace"  (2015)

America's Story (part 20) - Patton's Weather Prayer (2015)

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Photo: Reagan 80/Wikipedia.com

Music (part 4) - Armed Forces Medley

Joint Colors/Wikipedia.com

President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish a day to honor our military heroes. So the first Armed Forces Day was celebrated on May 20, 1950.  Since then, this day is set as the third Saturday in May. [reference: Armed Forces Day 2016]

For 2016, Armed Forces Day comes on May 21st.  And below is a musical medley honoring all branches of the US military.

(reference:  https://youtu.be/bDF6GQSd7yc )

Many thanks for all those who put themselves in harms way to keep us safe, home and abroad. And music often amplifies the tribute to their sacrifices that words fall short to express.

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Previous posts in the series:
  

Music (part 1) - Winter (2016) 

Music (part 2) - All You Need is Love (2016) 

Music (part 3) - Passover (2016)

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Photo: Joint Colors/Wikipedia.com

Pray4America (part 18) - Australia Prays for America

wikipedia/valley forge

April 30 - May 6, 2015:

Australia Calls World to Pray Fast for 7 Days for USA as noted in the following press release:  Pray USA 2015 | National Day of Prayer & Fasting

Please check out one their prayers for America as shown in the clip below:

(reference:  https://youtu.be/eIcqcWAQ_Ns )

And the week's call for prayer and fasting ends on the eve of

May 7, 2015:

Designated in America as the National Day of Prayer

And Franklin Graham offers these guidelines:  How to Pray for America 

For this week, I offer this prayer:

Heavenly Father –

Thank you for our brothers and sisters in Christ in Australia as well as the rest of the world, who are burdened to pray for America.  We petition for Your mercy and grace as well Your blessing.

Forgive us, Lord, for our sins as we have lived our lives as if You don’t exist.  Give us a heart of repentance and send revival to our souls.  One by one, family by family, church by church, community by community, state by state, may revival sweep our nation and ignite another Great Awakening.

Bless all those who sacrifice and put themselves in harm’s way – home and abroad – to keep us safe.  Protect them from the enemy on all fronts. Give a special grace to all those who suffer and are persecuted for Your Name’s sake.

May we return to the faith of founders so that our nation may glorify Your Name.

In Jesus Name we pray,

Amen

everystockphoto.com/Let us rejoice as a nation

Give thanks to the Lord,
for He is good;
His love endures forever.

Psalm 118:1 (NIV)

Keep praying for America

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Previous posts in this series:

Pray4America (part 1) - National Day of Prayer (2012)

Pray4America (part 2) - FDR's prayer on D-Day (2012)

Pray4America (part 3) - FDR's Flag Day prayer - June 14, 1942 (2012)

Pray4America (part 4) - It's a Wonderful Life, America (2012)

Pray4America (part 5) - United we stand? (2012)

Pray4America (part 6) - Christmas in Iran 1980 (2012)

Pray4American (part 7) - For such a time as this (2013)

Pray4America (part 8) - Fear no evil (2013)

Pray4America (part 9) - America, the Beautiful - 1893 to 2013 (2013)

Pray4America (part 10) - Real Hope for America  (2013)

Pray4America (part 11) - New Year Reset  (2013)

Pray4America (part 12) - George Washington's Knee-Mails (2014)

Pray4America (part 13) - Apollo 13 Reflections and Prayer (2014)

Pray4America (part 14) - We are Americans (2014)

Pray4America (part 15) - Communion on the Moon (2014)

Pray4America (part 16) - God Bless America, 1938 (2014)

Pray4America (part 17) - Washington and Providence (2015)

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Photo  from:  wikipedia/valley forge
                      everystockphoto.com/Let us rejoice as a nation

Pray4America (part 17) - Washington and Providence

Wikipedia/General George Washington at Trenton 

George Washington's Birthday - President's Day

February is the month when we celebrate President's Day.  At first, Washington's Birthday was observed on February 22nd, but the holiday was consolidated to honor the US presidents.  And for 2015,  this day will be observed on February 16.   [reference:  Washington's Birthday 2015 | Presidents Day 2015]

But as for the original reason for this holiday, let's take a look at ....

George Washington - the man

George Washington  often called the Father of our Country, and the few words of this post do not do the man justice.  The History Channel page has many great resources on his biography and impact on the founding of our nation:  George Washington - U.S. Presidents - HISTORY.com

Since we're well into the third century of the founding of the United States of America, I have been troubled about at the direction we are going as a nation.  It seems there is little an average person can do.  Or is there?

Below is a clip of history changing prayers, including the preservation of George Washington:

(reference:  http://youtu.be/kg8Bk6GUoj4)

With this story, I am heartened that prayer can change history.  But what if it had turned out differently?  What would happen if George Washington were killed before his time and the American colonist lost the war for independence?

What if America did not exist?

Below is a clip showing such a premise:

( reference:  http://youtu.be/nhqBnX-SjDk)

George Washington, as one of our founders, played a pivotal roll in creating the United States of America and many of the ideals that drew many to this country.  And America is more than just a country, it's still an ideal worth fighting for.

So this month of President's Day, please continue in the spirit of George Washington to ...

Pray for America 

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Previous post on President's Day:

 3 birthdays, 3 presidents, 3 centuries, 3 defining wars ...  (2011)

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Previous posts in this series:

Pray4America (part 1) - National Day of Prayer (2012)

Pray4America (part 2) - FDR's prayer on D-Day (2012)

Pray4America (part 3) - FDR's Flag Day prayer - June 14, 1942 (2012)

Pray4America (part 4) - It's a Wonderful Life, America (2012)

Pray4America (part 5) - United we stand? (2012)

Pray4America (part 6) - Christmas in Iran 1980 (2012)

Pray4American (part 7) - For such a time as this (2013)

Pray4America (part 8) - Fear no evil (2013)

Pray4America (part 9) - America, the Beautiful - 1893 to 2013 (2013)

Pray4America (part 10) - Real Hope for America  (2013)

Pray4America (part 11) - New Year Reset  (2013)

Pray4America (part 12) - George Washington's Knee-Mails (2014)

Pray4America (part 13) - Apollo 13 Reflections and Prayer (2014)

Pray4America (part 14) - We are Americans (2014)

Pray4America (part 15) - Communion on the Moon (2014)

Pray4America (part 16) - God Bless America, 1938 (2014)

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Photo from:  Wikipedia/General George Washington at Trenton 

Pray4America (part 12) - George Washington's Knee-Mails

Wikipedia/George Washington praying at Valley Forge

Presidents' Days... 

It used to be called Washington's Birthday, as we used to always celebrate it on George Washington's birthday - February 22nd.  And our first president was born in the year 1732 - over 280 years ago.
[reference:  George Washington Biography - Facts, Birthday, Life Story - Biography.com]

But in 1971, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act moved the federal holiday to the 3rd Monday of January between Washington's and Lincoln's Birthday - February 12th.  Calling it Presidents' Day included our 16th president as well as ever other president.  But let's fess up to the real reason.  Those three day weekends, they can be sweet if you do get them off.
[reference: Presidents’ Day - Holidays - HISTORY.com]

Back to George Washington ...

Most images of our first president depict an elder statesman, yet Washington was a young man during the start of the Revolutionary War.
[For a timeline:  Revolutionary War Timeline]

And George Washington was only 43 when the Continental Congress commissioned him as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army in 1775.
[reference: George Washington's Commission as Commander in Chief] 

The highs and lows of 1776 ...

The book - 1776 - by David McCullough chronicles Washington's mistakes - his defeats and blunders in 1776.  And because of that, during the nadir of the revolution,  "The Glorious Cause of America" seemed doomed.  Most conceded the war was over and the Americans had lost.

But Washington would not give up and would not quit.  He knew that liberty was at stake.  And at the end of the year, Washington went on the attack and won a great victory at Trenton on Christmas of 1776.  The psychological effect of this victory was enormous and marked a turning point in the war.
[reference:  Summary of the Book 1776 by David McCullough]

The power of knee-Mail  ...

And the clip below gives a glimpse into the power of prayer of George Washington - his many knee-Mails - which shaped the destiny of America.

(reference:  http://youtu.be/kg8Bk6GUoj4)

These stories hearten me as they gives hope.   Though times may seem dark for our country, the power of prayer can change the course of a downward spiral and pull it up to soar into the heavens.

Therefore confess your sins to each other 

and pray for each other so that you may be healed. 

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

James 5:16 (NIV)

So were the prayers of a righteous man, George Washington.  And we are blessed by his prayers as we are into the third century after the Revolution.  It is fitting that Washington's Birthday be remembered for great gift that he as well as many of the founders gave to us - those yet to be born

This anniversary of the original President's Day, may we follow the lead of our first president, as seen in the example of his knee-Mails here -  George Washington in Prayer at Valley Forge

May our kneel mails continue as we ...

Keep praying for America!

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Previous posts in this series:

Pray4America (part 1) - National Day of Prayer (2012)

Pray4America (part 2) - FDR's prayer on D-Day (2012)

Pray4America (part 3) - FDR's Flag Day prayer - June 14, 1942 (2012)

Pray4America (part 4) - It's a Wonderful Life, America (2012)

Pray4America (part 5) - United we stand? (2012)

Pray4America (part 6) - Christmas in Iran 1980 (2012)

Pray4American (part 7) - For such a time as this (2013)

Pray4America (part 8) - Fear no evil (2013)

Pray4America (part 9) - America, the Beautiful - 1893 to 2013 (2013)

Pray4America (part 10) - Real Hope for America  (2013)

Pray4America (part 11) - New Year Reset  (2013)

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Photo from:  Wikipedia/George Washington praying at Valley Forge