This morning the very first thing my daughter said to me was, "Happy July 4th, Mom!"
In our home, Independence Day happens to be one of our favorite holidays. Of course the BBQ's are great, the fireworks are fabulous, and seeing our family and friends is spectacular! However, when it comes down to it, there is a profound reason that we appreciate this holiday! You don't have to be a major American History buff to know what we're truly celebrating. This day commemorates the Declaration of Independence, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. When I think of Independence Day, it is the great words of Thomas Jefferson that I remember most; I only wish this was something that I didn't take for granted each day. It shouldn't be once per year that I am reminded of this:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
One day when my daughter was a bit younger, she asked me, "Why are we so lucky to live here....?" I think she must have noticed my confusion regarding her question so she continued, "Why does God let other people be born in countries that are bad?" It was this day that I realized that somewhere along the way I had blurred the lines between being proud of who we are and the country we live in with something else much more confusing. I have since made sure that she is aware that there are so many wonderful countries across the globe. For whatever reason, it was in God's plans for us to be here.... In America! And being proud of our country does not mean that we don't extend our love and respect across the globe. It doesn't mean that we don't admire and appreciate so many other countries in this world, we most certainly do. However, we are here and we are blessed, we are loyal and we are proud...
We are proud to be Americans... Happy July 4th to you and to all those you love.
God Bless!
2 comments:
Hello! I saw your blog on sb.com. I love how you celebrate Independence Day for the real reason and for you to share the meaning with your young daughter! God Bless!
OMG! I've NEVER tie-dyed anything! I'm gonna have to do that with Zoe some day!
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