Beautiful one I love.
Beautiful one I adore.
Beautiful one my soul must sing.

I awoke this morning with this song in my heart. We sing it at church. As I reflect on the words above, my thoughts are this: “God, how beautiful, full of mercy and grace You are.”

As I sat on my back porch having my devotion, I read from 1 Samuel 8:8-22. This passage of Scripture is particularly sobering, because it tells of how Israel -- against God's wishes -- clamored for a king. God warned the people through the prophet Samuel what such a king would do. Among other things, he would take the best of the people's fields, vineyards and olive groves "and give them to his attendants." He would take the best of their cattle "for his own use." He also would take a tenth of their flocks, and the people would "become his slaves."

Samuel warned the people very specifically of what was to come. They refused to listen, though.

I was taken back to the night before while listening to our president use the word "stupid," as he talked about the actions of Cambridge, Mass., police. The men and women in police work across the nation sacrifice their lives daily to keep us safe.

I would agree there are some bad people from all races. It's sad to think that anyone -- regardless of his race -- would use their authority to abuse someone else. But I don't believe the Cambridge police or one of its officers was abusing anyone.

When have we had a president in this once Godfearing nation stand before all and use the words he uses to speak to us? He is saying our police are acting stupidly by doing their job.

What happened to "I hope we can work together and get these things worked out"?

I'm glad I believe in a higher power than the leadership of the United States.

And incidentally, as regards the president's plan to overhaul our nation's health-care system, what kind of fear could he be putting into the hearts of some of the people over 65 by suggesting they will have to take end-of-life counseling?

Earlier, I mentioned a song from church. Another song's lyrics come to mind, as well: "Good morning, America, how are you?"

How funny.

Maybe those words need to be changed to something like: "Good morning, America! Hello! Wake up!"

Freida Holland