July 4, 2014 — 238 years ago today, a group of very brave men gathered together in Philadelphia to sign the document that noted the birth of the United States of America, after spending much time in thought and prayer and consultation with people from the 13 colonies. Praise God for the men who had the courage to declare our independence from British rule and all those who fought a long war, giving their lives so that we might have so many precious freedoms in the greatest country in the world!
I came across a quote from one of our founding fathers, “My God! How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy! ~Thomas Jefferson. I wonder what Thomas Jefferson would be saying now, 238 years later, about how we seem to take our freedoms for granted and ignore the things going on in the government that threaten to take away those freedoms that have been fought for many times over the past two centuries. I pray that we wake up soon and open our eyes to the events of our times and what is happening to our freedoms. We see people being told the American flag cannot be flown in some neighborhoods because it might be found offensive by people from other countries! A high school that has banned the flag from being flown at their school because it was deemed “incendiary and disrespectful”. What?? Since when would a country’s flag be considered an inflammatory and disrespectful device?
I could go on and on with the events that I find disturbing and very threatening to our freedom as citizens, as I’m sure you could as well, but I won’t. We know what they are and we need to speak up and let our feelings be known. We need to vote for candidates who share our values and remind them of the values our wonderful country was founded on–Judeo-Christian principles, God’s word, despite what some may think. A little quote I read in a devotional book Our Daily Bread, says “Our greatest strength comes from dependence on our strong God”, that same God who our forefathers relied on 238 years ago! As it says in John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
Also in II Corinthians it says Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (NIV)
Enjoy the wonderful birthday celebrations of our country and remember our forefathers and the freedoms they fought for!
And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
~Lee Greenwood
Elaine's Random Thoughts 