Christmas Message from Founder of The Patriots

This message landed in my e-mail box and I felt it was valuable enough to share with you. I heard Bob Bowman, retired military officer and advisor to the White House, speak a few years ago and was very impressed. His is a non-partisan, heart-felt and fairly effective message for all Americans living in these days.

The message I have repeated almost in its entirety below, is re-assuring in a way many messages I have received this year have not been. So if you are looking for hope keep reading. While the message is from a Christian's perspective, it is general enough to be appreciated by everyone.

And to Dr. Bowman's message I add my own: Peace and Good Will to All.

-- The Musical Patriot

Bob Bowman

This note will have to suffice for a Christmas card for friends
and family, a pastoral letter to those in our Church, and a message of
encouragement to the Patriots.

We spend most of the year dwelling on what is wrong with the
world and with our beloved country – and there is indeed much to be
concerned about. In my “Inaugural Address,” I try to give a vision of an
alternative and better future. It is meant as an awakening for those who
have been lulled into acceptance (if not comfort) by our consumer society, a
reminder that things could be (and should be) so much better. It is a call
to those who have been on the sidelines to get involved and help bring about
the better world we seek. But it is also meant as an inspiration to those
already struggling on behalf of all of us, and encouragement to those who
have given up or have considered doing so. Above all, it is meant as a
message of hope that the kind of nation and world we envision is indeed
possible. (If you haven’t heard it or read it, you can do so on our web
site www.thepatriots.us http://www.thepatriots.us .)



At Christmas, the season of joy, it is especially fitting that
we hold fast to that hope, in the firm faith that God is indeed in His
Heaven. We may not see how we can succeed in our efforts. (Lord knows,
fighting the moneyed elite, the corporate media, and the brainwashed masses
can be frustrating.) But we must remember that we are not called to succeed
– only to be faithful in our struggle to serve God by serving His people.
Success is God’s business, not ours. It’s above our pay grade. In God’s
time, success will come.



As Maggie and I look back 55 ½ years to when we started our
married life together, we see a better, simpler time – the time of “Happy
Days.” “Leave It to Beaver,” and “Father Knows Best.” The vibrant middle
class of 1956 has disappeared into the great divide of 2011. Workers’ wages
are now a third of what they were then. Our children and grandchildren work
more hours for less money, have fewer freedoms and less fun, and face an
uncertain future.



On the other hand, if we look back 100 years, or 500 years, or
2,000 years, we see that the last 50 years have been but a tiny blip in a
long, steady improvement for all of humankind. God has been working through
His people for centuries … indeed for millennia. Even the last 50 years
have brought progress and blessings to most of the people on the planet.
The 1950's were not “Happy Days” for everyone. Those in China , India ,
South Africa , and Europe are immeasurably better off now than they were
then. Even in our own country there have been gains. People of color
(though still behind the rest of us) are better off today. Their standard
of living and their freedoms have increased considerably.



So if we take the broader view (in both time and geography),
success is not only possible, it is CERTAIN.



Let us give thanks for all the many blessings we have received,
and for being given the grace of having the opportunity to serve God’s will
in difficult times, in the sure knowledge that our efforts are not in vain.
When we pray “Thy Kingdom Come,” we are not just praying for the end of the
world. We are praying for the transformation of the world (the same thing
we are working for), and we know that our prayers will be answered (though
probably not as quickly as we’d like). When we pray “Thy Will Be Done,” we
are not asking God to do it all by Himself (it doesn’t work that way). And
we are not praying for somebody else to do it (Our neighbors? Our
coworkers? Our enemies?). No, the only way that prayer makes sense is with
our recognition that WE have to do God’s will. If we don’t, who will??
Those of us who are Christians believe that we are the Body of Christ.
We’re His hands, His feet, His voice in the world. If WE don’t do His will,
how on earth (no pun intended) is it to get done???



By the way, our loved ones who are Jews, Muslims, and whatever
believe the same thing. Most of the phrases in the Lord’s Prayer appear
also in prayers of other faiths. The humanists feel the same compulsion to
do good and serve their fellow human beings. (Some of them do it better and
more consistently than many of us.)



But we people of faith have a distinct advantage. We believe
that our efforts are inspired and guided by an all-loving God who likewise
inspires and guides others toward the same ends. We therefore are assured
of the efficacy of our efforts and the inevitability of our success. We can
therefore look forward to our renewed commitment in the New Year. Those of
us called to comfort the afflicted can do it with renewed empathy. Those of
us (like yours truly) called to afflict the comfortable can do so with
increased vigor.



For today (Christmas Eve), and tomorrow, however, let us dwell
on our blessings. In my daily prayers, I start by thanking God for all His
many blessings, for this day, for all of creation, for life, for Jesus and
the Church, for friends, family, and loved ones, and especially for Maggie
and our marriage. I thank God for preserving and blessing our marriage.
Then I pray for God’s blessing on each and every one of you (it takes a
while). And remember, the purpose of prayer is not to get our will done in
Heaven, but to get God’s will done on earth. When I walk our German
Shepherd, Sadie, through our community of well-kept homes, green grass,
lakes, trees, flowers, birds, squirrels, rabbits, and friendly neighbors, I
can’t help but be overwhelmed by the goodness of God and by the enormous
bounty he has heaped upon us all. As we celebrate the birth of the One who
came to bring us Abundant Life, let us savor it, drink it in, be thankful
for it, and share it as best we can.



A joyous Christmas and a most blessed New Year to you all.



Bob & Maggie