I'm writing this at 11 pm on the Fourth of July. I would have written it sooner, but I've been to church and then cooking all day and then eating and then off to see fireworks.
I am grateful for this country. I am grateful to be free. I can worship as I please. I can vote. I can go to Wal-mart at 12 am to buy a pack of toilet paper. Soft toilet paper.
I don't have to worry that a rebel army will come and burn my house down. I don't have to worry where my child's next meal will come from. I don't have to produce documents to cross state borders.
We live in a fantastic country. We have freedoms and privileges that others can only dream about. We have electricity, indoor plumbing, clean water systems, working roadways, etc. Sometimes our biggest concern of the day is what to make for dinner, not if dinner will be had at all. Our children can go to school for free. We can borrow books for free.
Sometimes the worst thing that happens to us in a day is that the internet goes down for an hour. Or finding out that our favorite television show is being canceled.
What is our problem? Why don't we recognize these blessings more? Do we realize what the people that founded this nation went through to create a country that can provide such luxuries to the majority of it's citizens? And did they risk everything and die for the luxuries? We've forgotten what America is about!
We sang America the Beautiful at church today. Most of us have the first verse about purple mountains and fruited plains memorized. But we would all do well to learn the other verses. Because that is where the truth lies. The truth about how we got here and what we need to do to stay here:
Oh, beautiful for pilgrim feet,
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self control,
Thy liberty in law.
Oh, beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness,
And every gain divine.
Oh, beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam,
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.
I might be crazy, but I suspect that if this were the song that we sang at every major sporting event and all the celebrity singers wanted to belt out loud and strong that we would be a different country. I think our perspectives would change.
"Confirm thy soul in self control, Thy liberty in law."
"Who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life!"
"America! May God thy gold refine, till all success be nobleness and every gain divine."
As wonderful as this country is, so many of us (including me!) have become selfish and forgetful. It's not cool to be patriotic anymore. If you love America, something must be wrong with you.
I really can't understand those who see America as a rotten country, forcing it's issues and designs on lesser endowed countries. I think we've made mistakes, as humans do, but ultimately we are trying to do the right thing.
My hope is that the rising generation will take up the torch and become something more akin to the selfless and sacrificing generation of WWII. I hope they will trust in our country to do what is right, vote out those who do what is wrong, and stand up for what we believe in. Freedom. Justice. Mercy.
And Hope.
Let's hope.
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self control,
Thy liberty in law.
Oh, beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness,
And every gain divine.
Oh, beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam,
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.
I might be crazy, but I suspect that if this were the song that we sang at every major sporting event and all the celebrity singers wanted to belt out loud and strong that we would be a different country. I think our perspectives would change.
"Confirm thy soul in self control, Thy liberty in law."
"Who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life!"
"America! May God thy gold refine, till all success be nobleness and every gain divine."
As wonderful as this country is, so many of us (including me!) have become selfish and forgetful. It's not cool to be patriotic anymore. If you love America, something must be wrong with you.
I really can't understand those who see America as a rotten country, forcing it's issues and designs on lesser endowed countries. I think we've made mistakes, as humans do, but ultimately we are trying to do the right thing.
My hope is that the rising generation will take up the torch and become something more akin to the selfless and sacrificing generation of WWII. I hope they will trust in our country to do what is right, vote out those who do what is wrong, and stand up for what we believe in. Freedom. Justice. Mercy.
And Hope.
Let's hope.
1 comment:
Just barely saw your post this evening. I too am grateful every day to witness the wonders and blessings of living and worshipping in this great nation, our beloved home. It becomes our duty and our priviledge to help preserve the freedoms for which so many have given their time, talents and very lives. Thank you for taking the time, even so late in the evening, to give us these thoughts of truth and inspiration.....
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