Defending the Nation's Capital

Fort Washington, Maryland on the Potomac River- 

completed in 1809-

 destroyed in 1814-

remodeled and ready in 1846,

reinforced in 1891,

 and abandoned in 1939.

Our sure defenses here on earth - 

fail, and finally stand unarmed.

 We stopped by briefly last week for a walk along the water-

and in the far distance is Washington, D.C

and in this time of political rhetoric that assails us--

 I am reminded of where our sure defense lies-

and though we may only be familiar
 with the first part of the Serenity Prayer-

 the second part gives reassurance 
of the sure hope that we have in our trust in Christ.

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change,

courage to change the things I can, 

and the wisdom to know the difference  --

living one day at a time,

enjoying one moment at a time

accepting hardships as the pathway to peace,

taking as He did, this sinful world as it is,

not as I would have it,

trusting that he will make all things right

if I surrender to His will --

that I may be reasonably happy in this life\

and supremely happy with Him forever.

Reinhold Niebuhr