Today I played the piano in Relief Society. The planned songs were the "Star Spangled Banner" and "My Country Tis of Thee." I'd never played these songs before, so I practiced quite a bit this week. It was wonderful to have that patriotic music playing so frequently in our house this week. I love the lyrics to both those songs, but the third verse of the National Anthem is the one that sticks with me the most:
Oh, thus be it ever, when free men shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation.
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just!
And this be our motto: "In God is Our Trust!
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
There's something stirring about this song. It makes people sing their hearts out. We had about 10-12 women in Relief Society today, and when they sang, it sounded like a full choir. It was beautiful.
I love America. I'm proud to live here and to have a proud heritage of hard-working, good people.
God Bless the USA!
1 comment:
Technically, that is the 4th verse. For some reason, the hymnbook left out the author's third verse.
And I'm kind of sour towards the anthem right now because it was played three times in church, and each time, everyone was forced to stand up.
But HOORAY for America!
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