The inspiration, a glimpse of Truth. The flag that Jack served under. Flying free from the fantail of his ship. All hands on deck. The enemy of our country aiming it’s guided missiles at him. Still the flag was there and it flapped off the fantail. Declaring we are the country of the free, home of the brave. A country that doesn’t give up when the odds and the enemies around us say we must quit, we must knuckle under people that don’t want those things, or worse yet, know those things and desire their own power more than the freedom we have.

We won all battles and we will do so again. These times, once again, will bring the true ruler into view. The only one that knows our hearts, sees our weakness’ and non-the less, loves us and heals us when we talk to him.

There are true lovers of the real power behind all things and these lovers have done, and continue to fight for the inalienable rights all men are endowed with. When told that all men are endowed with those rights,they pray for guidance that tells them how to honor all men and stand strong in their trust. Standing for that honor and knowing how to do so. The right ways to stand, the eternal rights given to stand. The knowledge that their hearts, given freely to their King, are guided and given strength. Enduring pain and suffering at times to do so.

You, reader, know these things. It was taught to us and if we suddenly realized that this teaching was right and true, there is no power on earth, no power of hell that can take that away. There will always be struggle to heal and be healed of hearts broken and at times, body breaking things to discourage us. It is imperative we do not give up nor give in to the weakness’ offered to us by evil and comfort offered. Judgment of our fellow man is just one of the weakness’ shown to make us less than what we are. C.S. Lewis, beloved author, suffered through two world wars and wrote great words that still show those truths to us. To no other man do I owe more for my ability to speak the truth. Sometimes I even listen and brought up short, I get back on that path of real life.

There was a time when Lewis was in a church service and he was critical of all the music he didn’t like and did not inspire him to love. He looked over the aisle and saw an old farmer, hands raised in adoration. A shabby old farmer with dirty boots, perhaps the only shoes he had. The farmer was weeping with joy and with his connection with God. Lewis realized suddenly he was not fit to clean and tie the laces of that man’s boots. Humbling and filled with the truth of his hearts emptiness, Lewis was transformed as Jack is when understanding how timeless and truthful that image is. Lewis too was nicknamed Jack. A good name Gator aspires to.

No one can denigrate the few men that saw these things, wrote these things and acted upon that truth. Our forefathers that open our eyes time and again. The constitution, the bill of rights. Inalienable rights to feel proud for the best things for us, here and now. It’s the good pride that sees beauty and love in others. Humbling pride that produces change in Gators heart. Change that gives great hope and real rest to him and all of us. We need to know the beauty of healing our hearts and minds together. We are broken and we must help one another to be whole. It’s the way of God. He gave us this beautiful way to stand together. No man is an island.

There is no greater thing than to love our God and love our fellow man, our neighbor. Love them even more than we love our own lives. The best love, the kind that never grows dim and gives joy and trust in the good thing. Joy that never fades, and gives us courage to be healed and made whole again. It’s pretty good. Jack Gator