“America, America, God shed His grace on thee…” ~ Katharine Lee Bates, 1893
Good Sunday morning, dear friends. Once again, we have witnessed another chaotic week in our beautiful land. Truly, turbulent times. I found myself shaking my head after one too many news reports and thinking, “America, what has happened to our America, and what will it take to repair the wounds?”
In 1893, when Katharine Bates wrote the beautiful poem, “America The Beautiful,” she couldn’t have imagined America could possibly be in such turmoil in 2019. I think she would be quite sad and disappointed. Somehow, someway we must right the ship. Perhaps, praying for “God to shed His grace” is a good beginning.
“America The Beautiful,” Katharine Lee Bates
“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, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat, Across the wilderness!
America, America, God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in law!
O beautiful for heroes proved, in liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life!
America, America, May God they gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness, and every 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!”
Wishing you and yours a beautiful and peaceful day.
And…
May your week ahead be filled with kindness and joy.
Amour,
Sandra
Image: viatumblr
Sandra, I never would have believed in my lifetime that our country would be in such turmoil. We have turned our backs on God and have decided to “do what is right in our own eyes.” We cannot mock God without reaping what we have sown. I am saddened and fearful for our nation. May we turn our hearts to the only One who can heal our land.
Pam, my dear friend, I so agree with your every word. Many blessings to you and your lovely family.
What a beautiful poem!God bless all of you…God bless your country!Hugs,my dear Sandra.
Dear Maristella, thank you so much. And for your thoughts. We need your blessings. Hugs and love to you, my friend.❤
I keep thinking, we will survive. We must survive. It will take time to work out and then time to heal. It will be up to the people to make their voices known. But it will still take a long while to resolve and heal. Your photo selection is beautiful with the lyrics.
Thank you, Jeanie.
Sandra, I read this on Sunday and loved it, feeling the same things. I do love America the Beautiful, love the words and music, even wonder if it would have been a better choice for our national anthem, as much as I love the one we have. That first verse gets me every time, it is such a beautiful country we live in.
Dear Dewena, America is Beautiful and we must all hold on to that. Thank you so much for your visit. Wishing you a beautiful day.