Buffalo Wings

PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN

    Monday America honors its fallen heroes who served in the Armed Forces. It is Memorial Day. But for my wife and my daughter it will mean so much more than the previous years.

    Yesterday we were dressed in our Sunday best as we headed for the LA Convention Center. There were thousands of people just like us carrying important personal documents. It's been a long time coming for all of us to reach this momentous occassion.

    We faced long lines with every stage as we were herded towards the main auditorium. There was the security check, the document check, and the identity check. The wait was long but it was well organized. Not one of the 3,930 green card holders complained. In fact, many were smiling and helping each other.

    Black, brown, yellow, white --- all different skins; from nursing babies to half-paralyzed seniors in wheel chairs ---we all shared a common dream: to become an American citizen. Of the 124 countries, Mexico, China and the Philippines were the most represented. An Asian American read instructions and a Mexican lady translated it into Spanish. Judge Russell from the US District Court officiated the formal ceremony. He said America is a nation of immigrants. Except for the Native Americans, everyone else came from somewhere else.

    The moment finally arrived and everyone was told to raise their right hand and recite the Oath of Allegiance. In a few minutes the mass of aliens dissolved into one. Suddenly, they were all Americans.

    Tears, cheers and deep reflection spread across the room as new citizens waved tiny American flags and sang the National Anthem. A video of President Obama welcomed us. A music video of God Bless the USA by Lee Greenwood brought tears to many eyes. It was the end of a journey. It's a new day. A new life. A new land we ... I ... call home. God bless America!
   

Wisdom from Jason of Frisco, Texas
Words of Wisdom

Change the way you look at things ... and the things you look at change.

Thanks to this week's winners:
Don of Kelowna; Mike of New York; Tom of Pasadena; Stella of Huntington Beach; Leovino of Manila; Joel of Singapore; Peter Paul of South Pasadena; Jason of Frisco; Kristin of Pasadena.


You can view this email
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Do not oppress a foreigner;
you yourselves know how it feels
to be foreigners,
because you were foreigners in Egypt.
--- Exodus 23:9

Buffalo Wings
Contributed by Tom of Pasadena, CA


Old Man and a Bucket of Shrimp
Contributed by Don of Kelowna, B.C.
A Wonderful true story

You will be glad that you read it, and I hope you will pass it on.

It happened every Friday evening, almost without fail, when the sun resembled a giant orange and was starting to dip into the blue ocean.



Old Ed came strolling along the beach to his favorite pier.

Clutched in his bony hand was a bucket of shrimp. Ed walks out to the end of the pier, where it seems he almost has the world to himself. The glow of the sun is a golden bronze now.

Everybody's gone, except for a few joggers on the beach. Standing out on the end of the pier, Ed is alone with his thoughts...and his bucket of shrimp.

Before long, however, he is no longer alone. Up in the sky a thousand white dots come screeching and squawking, winging their way toward that lanky frame standing there on the end of the pier.

Before long, dozens of seagulls have enveloped him, their wings fluttering and flapping wildly. Ed stands there tossing shrimp to the hungry birds. As he does, if you listen closely, you can hear him say with a smile, 'Thank you. Thank you.'



In a few short minutes the bucket is empty. But Ed doesn't leave. He stands there lost in thought, as though transported to another time and place .

When he finally turns around and begins to walk back toward the beach, a few of the birds hop along the pier with him until he gets to the stairs, and then they, too, fly away. And old Ed quietly makes his way down to the end of the beach and on home.

If you were sitting there on the pier with your fishing line in the water, Ed might seem like 'a funny old duck,' as my dad used to say. Or, to onlookers, he's just another old codger, lost in his own weird world, feeding the seagulls with a bucket full of shrimp.

To the onlooker, rituals can look either very strange or very empty. They can seem altogether unimportant ....maybe even a lot of nonsense.

Old folks often do strange things, at least in the eyes of Boomers and Busters.

Most of them would probably write Old Ed off, down there in Florida ... That's too bad. They'd do well to know him better.


His full name: Eddie Rickenbacker. He was a famous hero in World War I, and then he was in WWII. On one of his flying missions across the Pacific, he and his seven-member crew went down. Miraculously, all of the men survived, crawled out of their plane, and climbed into a life raft.

Captain Rickenbacker and his crew floated for days on the rough waters of the Pacific. They fought the sun. They fought sharks. Most of all, they fought hunger and thirst. By the eighth day their rations ran out. No food. No water. They were hundreds of miles from land and no one knew where they were or even if they were alive.

Every day across America millions wondered and prayed that Eddie Rickenbacker might somehow be found alive.

The men adrift needed a miracle. That afternoon they had a simple devotional service and prayed for a miracle.

They tried to nap. Eddie leaned back and pulled his military cap over his nose. Time dragged on. All he could hear was the slap of the waves against the raft...suddenly Eddie felt something land on the top of his cap. It was a seagull!

Old Ed would later describe how he sat perfectly still, planning his next move. With a flash of his hand and a squawk from the gull, he managed to grab it and wring its neck. He tore the feathers off, and he and his starving crew made a meal of it - a very slight meal for eight men.

Then they used the intestines for bait. With it, they caught fish, which gave them food and more bait....and the cycle continued. With that simple survival technique, they were able to endure the rigors of the sea until they were found and rescued after 24 days at sea.

Eddie Rickenbacker lived many years beyond that ordeal, but he never forgot the sacrifice of that first life-saving seagull... And he never stopped saying, 'Thank you.' That's why almost every Friday night he would walk to the end of the pier with a bucket full of shrimp and a heart full of gratitude.


Reference: (Max Lucado, "In The Eye of the Storm", pp...221, 225-226)

PS: Eddie Rickenbacker was the founder of Eastern Airlines. Before WWI he was race car driver. In WWI he was a pilot and became America's first ace. In WWII he was an instructor and military adviser, and he flew missions with the combat pilots. Eddie Rickenbacker is a true American hero. And now you know another story about the trials and sacrifices that brave men have endured for your freedom.

As you can see, I chose to pass it on. It is a great story that many don't know...You've got to be careful with old guys, you just never know what they have done during their lifetime.

Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!

CLICK HERE for his true story


Videos of the week:

Brits Got Talent: Marc Metral and His Talking Dog
Contributed by Leovino of Manila, Philippines

Brit Talent White Dog

French senior citizen and his white fluffy dog bring down the house with their amazing and hilarious act.

The Candy Bomber Story
Contributed by Kristin of Pasadena, CA

Candy Bomber

This is the touching story of one man’s efforts to bring a little joy to the children of a defeated enemy with two sticks of gum and candy tied to handkerchief parachutes.

Freedom for a Circus Lion
Contributed by Stella of Huntington Beach, CA

Circus Lion feels grass for first time

Look at a circus lion who steps on grass for the first time in his sad life. The aging performer at least spent his last years in freedom.


Ambulance Drone

Contributed by Mike of New York
Ambulance Drone

Drones are a controversial technological marvel where privacy and security laws have yet to catch up with. It's nice to see a positive use that can save lives.


The Octobase

Contributed by Joel of Singapore

Octobase

No it's not a slimy ocean creature with tentacles. It's a musical instrument ... a giant one!
I never knew there was such a thing. It can play notes below what human hears can hear.
I don't think I'll be seeing this in any concert soon.


Brits Got Talent: UDI Russian Dancers
Contributed by Wally of Moreno Valley, CA
Britain's Got Talent UDI Russian Dancers

Something I've never seen before. What a brilliant concept. Excellent ... amazing performance!


Worst Star Spangled Banner Renditions

Contributed by Peter Paul of South Pasadena, CA

Worst National Anthem Deliveries

America's Star Spangled Banner is probably one of the hardest anthems to sing because of it's demand for a wide vocal range. Most of the singers in this video unintentionally butchered the song. Good try guys but please, next time, do your "thing" in the bathroom.
Here's a video (thanks to Stella of Huntington Beach) where the fans actually sang the song despite orders not to. TGIF People! Happy Memorial Day!

Comments

I just came across a DVD I wrote and recorded many years ago, on my pride on being an American. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te0CT9Gs6T0

Congratulations to you and yours on Citizenship and Being proud of your Country. You appreciated it more than those born here and not having to study and learn what you have in attaining your new status. God Bless you and the USA.

Tom of Pasadena

Thanks for the Rickenbacker story.

Hilda of Bellflower, CA

CONGRATULATIONS. I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL AS MY HUSBAND AND I STOOD IN 117 DEGREE HEAT FOR 5 HOURS THE DAY HE GOT SWORN IN! IT WAS ONE OF HIS PROUDEST DAYS EVER. I’M GLAD WE DID IT TOGETHER.

Raoul
I wanted to say Congratulations once again on becoming an American Citizen:)
What a wonderful thing to happen in ones life time.

You should be so proud.

I have always felt that anyone who comes to America and truly wants to be part of our great land and goes through the time and studying it takes and the dedication as well truly deserves it.

Welcome to America Raoul:)
Truly
Carrie of La Habra, CA

Just sharing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9dCkHg0fqw From Charlie of New York

Dear Raoul,

I read your Memorial Day special with great interest.

Will never forget my citizenship swearing in, when I was 12 in Fresno, California. It was 1958.

Eddie Rickenbacker is one of my fave great early 20th century American. He was belatedly awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Hoover in 1930.

Best regards

Robert, New York

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