Fourth of July Thoughts

We had a great weekend celebrating our country and our freedom. We truly are blessed beyond measure to live in this land. It's incredible when you really stop and think about it. My "hard days" are nothing compared to what so many people in the world go through everyday. The fact that I live in a safe, peaceful neighborhood is pretty incredible in and of itself. Eric has told me stories of life in Venezuela -

Where everyone knows someone (as in a friend or family member) who has been murdered.

Where people don't know if they are going to have enough food to feed their families. Not food that their families want to eat - food, period.

Where people line the top of the fences/walls around their house with barbed wire and broken glass to try and keep their families and homes safe,

Where if you vote the wrong way, you very well might lose your job. Or disappear.

Where people don't buy cars (if they are rare enough to be able to afford them) because the mafia will steal it and probably kill them in the process as well.

This is a special land that we live in!

At the colorguard/band leadership camp I teach at in the summer, we tell the kids stories around the campfire at night about the military "roots" of marching band. One of my favorites is about the way colorguard originated. It's a long story, so I won't retell it here, but basically we describe how pageantry colorguards today evolved from military colorguards of hundreds of years ago. I was thinking about it this last weekend and I'm always touched by how men in wars long ago have given their lives to protect our flag - the symbol of our country and our freedom. I'm so thankful for all those who have fought and continue to fight for our freedom and safety. I was particularly touched by the first two lines of the third verse (well, the whole thing really!) from the Star Spangled Banner, as we listened to it this weekend:

Oh, thus be it ever, when free men shall stand

Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!

Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n rescued land

Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation!

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto: "In God is our trust!"

And the star spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

I was also struck by a line in America, the Beautiful, as well (I guess I'll just keep going while I'm on this tangent):

"Confirm thy soul in self-control,

Thy liberty in law."

Word! Word to that thought! :) Seriously. What a beautiful, true thought - confirm thy liberty in law. Morality and the Rule of Law. People in our country are trying to do away with standards and rules of any kind, it seems. What they don't realize is that the reason our country is so great, is because we have those things in place. Our country was founded on principles of morality - basically good people who controlled themselves and tried to live basically good lives. You can't take morality and the Rule of Law out of the picture and be left with the same great nation. With the freedoms and safety and goodness that we enjoy.

Ok, stepping off of my soapbox now. My mind was just racing with thoughts I had to get out. I love America! Happy Fourth!