"God Bless America"

Grandpa Elliott sings a message that I hear in one way or another almost every day as we work with and among very special Americans who live in inner city Dallas, Texas. Lots to think about here in a day when hatred seems on the upswing.

Living in the Promise Land

Events of this week force upon my heart and mind thoughts of America and its cities and, even more, thoughts of the great "American experiment."

What, in fact, is the genius of this nation?

I believe the answer is found somewhere along the continuum of freedom, mutual respect, openness to change and a living commitment to authentic human community.

At one point this week, as I was buried in such thoughts, I heard Willie Nelson singing the lyrics of David Lynn Jones, "Living in the Promise Land." In its own way the song says it all.

There is history here.

There is hope and great promise here.

At the same time, there is a lingering question here.

Everything hangs on how we choose to answer the question together.
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Living in the Promise Land

Give us your tired and weak,
And we will make them strong;
Bring us your foreign songs,
And we will sing along;
Leave us your broken dreams,
We’ll give them time to mend;
There’s still a lot of love
Living in the promise land.

Living in the promise land,
Our dreams are made of steel;
The prayer of every man
Is to know how freedom feels;
There is a winding road
Across the shifting sand,
And room for everyone
living in the promise land

So, we came from a distant isle,
Nameless woman, faithless child,
Like a bad dream;
Until there was no room at all,
No place to come and no place to fall;
Give us your daily bread,
We have no shoes to wear,
No place to call our home,
Only this cross to bear;
We are the multitudes,
Lend us a helping hand;
Is there no love anymore
Living in the promise land?

Living in the promise land,
Our dreams are made of steel;
The prayer of every man
Is to know how freedom feels;
There is a winding road
Across the shifting sand,
And room for everyone
Living in the promise land.

And room for everyone
Living in the promise land.