I just hang Old Glory from the front wall of our house. Happy birthday America!
So, what do we do now? BBQ some burgers and dogs, have some ice tea or lemonade, maybe some ice cream with the cake or cookies? Go to the beach at the ocean or to the nearest lake? Maybe we should light up the fire pit later tonight and have some marshmallows? Oh yeah…… go to a baseball game or perhaps watch it on TV… I almost forgot. We can’t forget the apple pie though; remember, apple pie and ice cream and baseball. That’s as American as we can get, right?
What else? Oh jeez! How terrible of me—I forgot the parade tomorrow, all the flags, the high school bands, dancing people, hizzonor the mayor in the flashy bright red convertible, patriotic speeches and getting sunburns etc., etc. Can you think of anything else?
May I suggest some things? Thank you!
- Remembering: our history, our Founding Fathers, their principles of life and living. Their willingness to give their all so our Nation would be born and thrive. Their pursuit of and living out true truth, honor, and integrity.
- Being Thankful: having an attitude of gratitude for the multitude of unearned blessings we have received as individuals and as a people. Just plain being and acting humble for a change, instead of strutting around like a proud rooster in a chicken pen on the family farm. After all, most the ‘bounty’ which we possess was won and handed down to the majority of us by our ancestors, right? And, none of us are ‘self-made’ men and women. In spite of what we might hear from some quarters!
- Being Good: here are some critical words and concepts which should be considered as part of our ‘must have and put into practice list’.
Believe, Trust, Trustworthy, Commitment, Surrender,
Honor, Love, Discernment, Understanding, Wisdom,
Kindness, Honesty, Peace, Patience, Goodness, Gentleness, Self-control, Joy
Every one of us believes something; There isn’t any one who honestly believes nothing. What we believe and act upon certainly deeply affects the outcome of our lives. How we believe and live also very much affects those around us. What is the best way to live a satisfactory and deeply significant life?
My wife and I are deeply committed Christians. We are active members of a congregation which believes and is committed to being all that Almighty God and His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ wants us to be and we desire to share His blessings. Recently our leadership announced that we, as a congregation will pursue God with all our hearts. Together, we will build community with passion and gusto. We will also unleash compassion with unswerving enthusiasm and joy…….all, one neighborhood at a time! We, as a congregation are united in this.
We aim to go deep in the Spiritual truth which is in Christ Jesus and Scripture. We intend, with His help to live out that truth every moment of every day. We also aim to reach out, beyond the walls of the Sanctuary and touch lives in our towns and cities, introducing those folks we run into to Jesus. We aim as well to touch those who are widows, orphans, and the disenfranchised. The lonely, the hurting, and those with hang-ups and extend God’s love, mercy, and grace.
America! Wasn’t this what it was like in the beginning of this great Nation? Ordinary people, like you and I reached out to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. They reached out as well to their neighbors, far and near. They cared. They shared. They prayed. For one another and for our Nation!
Can we do anything less?
Happy Birthday America!