August 2017 Articles

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Just Rambling August 2017

Just Rambling:
After our July issue of Ag Trader USA I was contacted by Mr. Douglas Madden concerning the way I presented the Pledge of Allegiance, which was used on our front cover. By permission, I am using Mr. Madden’s guidance in my “Just Rambling”.
“I am Douglas Madden the Agriscience teacher at Saline High School and Advisor of the Saline FFA Chapter. The pledge of allegiance is quoted in every FFA meeting of any chapter and at every session of every state’s FFA convention as well as at every session of the National FFA convention.
We (the FFA) believe strongly in saying the pledge (also called “The FFA Salute”) properly—that is—obeying all punctuation marks. According to our Salute, there is no coma after the word “nation” as was on the cover of the July issue of the Ag Trader. This is borne out in the USA government publications website and is as it is printed below. Granted, nearly all people say it wrong. We live in a nation that is under God. When you say it the proper way, it gives new and more significant meaning to that particular phrase of the Salute. I am no English teacher so I am not usually so adamant about punctuation, but I am a citizen of the USA and I am proud that our nation is under God and that He is in control. “
I want to thank Mr. Madden for bringing this to my attention and allowing me to use his explanation in our publication. When I think of our Pledge of Allegiance, I always think of this quote by our past President, Ronald Reagan. “If we ever forget that we are one nation under God then we will be a nation gone under”.
“I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL”
Three years ago I, along with others, were asked to write “what we were thankful for”. Later that year, my writing was chosen to be published in the Landscapes magazine, published by the Tenth Farm credit Bank, located in Austin, Texas. I thought I would share “what I am thankful for” with you this month.
“I am thankful for life that was created by God who is the giver of all life.
I am thankful for freedoms enjoyed in America that were bought with the lives of men and women through the generations.
I am thankful to those individuals that sacrificed, some the ultimate sacrifice of death, for our freedoms.
I am thankful for the nation we live in and what it represents to the world—the flagship of freedom.
I am thankful for my family and friends that God has blessed me with.
Most of all, I am thankful for Jesus Christ who provides us a pathway to eternal salvation.” —Van Bennett