O Sifuni Mungu - First Call

 Psalm 148

Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens;
   praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels;
   praise him, all his hosts!

 Praise him, sun and moon,
   praise him, all you shining stars!

Praise him, you highest heavens,
   and you waters above the heavens!

 Let them praise the name of the LORD!
   For he commanded and they were created.
And he established them forever and ever;
   he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.

 Praise the LORD from the earth,
   you great sea creatures and all deeps,
fire and hail, snow and mist,
   stormy wind fulfilling his word!

  Mountains and all hills,
   fruit trees and all cedars!
  Beasts and all livestock,
   creeping things and flying birds!

 Kings of the earth and all peoples,
   princes and all rulers of the earth!
Young men and maidens together,
   old men and children!

 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
   for his name alone is exalted;
   his majesty is above earth and heaven.
He has raised up a horn for his people,
    praise for all his saints,
   for the people of Israel who are near to him.
Praise the LORD!

God's Own Fool - Michael Card

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

1 Corinthians 1: 18-21

Of thee I sing

"Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it."

~ Mark Twain

"I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually."

~James A. Baldwin

"Patriotism consists not in waving the flag, but in striving that our country shall be righteous as well as strong."

~ James Bryce

"Gentlemen have talked a great deal of patriotism. A venerable word, when duly practised."

~ Robert Walpole 

"Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime."

~ Adlai E. Stevenson 

"You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness."

~Erma Bombeck

"The highest patriotism is not a blind acceptance of official policy, but a love of one's country deep enough to call her to a higher plain."

~George McGovern

"And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."

~ John F. Kennedy

"See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.' What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him?"

~ Deteronomy 4:5-7

When he rolls up his sleeves...

The heavens declare the glory of God;
   the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
 Day after day they pour forth speech;
   night after night they reveal knowledge.
 They have no speech, they use no words;
   no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
   their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
  It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
   like a champion rejoicing to run his course. 

Psalm 19:1-5