Update: visited my nephew and miraculously he is now breathing on his own so he was moved from the Trauma ICU to Medical ICU. If you look at the wreck the truck is just car parts stacked on top of each other except the driver’s seat. Only the area remained in its original state. It is just a reminder how fragile life is so thank you for all the prayers for recovery.
We celebrated the 4th by going to the gun range and enjoying a baseball game with fireworks last night. A veteran choir group sang The Star Spangled Banner and God Bless America. Ray Charles belted out America the Beautiful as fireworks lit up the sky. It was a night of celebrating our life, liberty and freedom. As I get older I am more passionate about patriotism, faith, and the love of our great nation.
I am reminded of my grandmother whose 1st love was killed serving as a military pilot . I took out the telegram today. The image of her getting that knock on her door to open it to men in uniform handing her the envelope she never wanted to open. The paper is tinted yellow with age. It has a crease where I can imagine my grandmother opening and closing it not wanting to believe his plane had been shot down and he was presumed dead. Attached is a note that his death was worth $200 and signed “with the government's condolences.” She became a widow with her first born son in her early 20’s. That telegram is a snapshot of the grief that is felt with the loss of a husband and father. She told me once that she didn’t have a funeral because in her heart a glimmer of hope that he was still out there somewhere. Freedom has its cost and we can hold onto them as so many gave all for our liberties.
“The liberties of our country, the freedoms of our civil Constitution are worth defending at all hazards; it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors. They purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood.” Sam Adams
“All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.” Noah Webster
May these scriptures from the Bible help with your spiritual celebrations on the July 4th holiday.
“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God” (1 Peter 2:16).
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1)
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance” (Psalm 33:12).
May we take a moment of silence to say a prayer for our nation. May your time with family and friends be a blessing.
Dreamsdontfade.com
(want a reason to be thankful then read highlights from Yeonmi Park or better yet click on the link and hear her story and words of wisdom she has for Americans-see next post)
I seem to listen to this song around July 4th, Veterans day, and Memorial weekend. There are a lot of great songs out there celebrating our nation and honoring those who serve(d).
Love your country and live with pride
And don't forget those who died
America can't you see?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydWhRObVxrM