Happy Birthday USA

  HAPPY BIRTHDAY USA

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. . . . May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you" (Psalm 33:12, 22 NIV).

“We on this continent should never forget that men first crossed the Atlantic not to find soil for their ploughs but to secure liberty for their souls.”  --Robert J. McCracken

As we have fun with family and friends this holiday weekend, let's remember the real meaning of Independence Day, July 4, as we celebrate the 238th birthday of our beloved United States of America.

Primarily the work of Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence was America's proclamation to the world "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights." And it held that the purpose of government is to "secure these rights," not to determine what rights the people can enjoy.  

"What is revolutionary about the Declaration of Independence is not that a particular group of Americans declared their independence under particular circumstances, but that they did so by appealing to -- and promising to base their particular government on -- a universal standard of justice." -- Matthew Spalding

The Fourth of July is a great opportunity to renew our dedication to the principles of liberty and equality enshrined in what Thomas Jefferson called "the declaratory charter of rights."  It reminds us to be thankful to God for the freedoms with which we are blessed.  It also reminds us that freedom comes at a terrible price, and each of us is responsible for the preservation of our freedoms which were purchased by the blood and sacrifice of so many.     

“Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed - else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.”  --Dwight D. Eisenhower

Let's remember to make God our LORD and put our hope and trust in Him -- that we may continue to receive God's blessings as a nation worthy of His favor and protection. Hear the last verse of "My Country, Tis of Thee:"

Our fathers' God, to Thee, Author of liberty, To Thee we sing:

Long may our land be bright With Freedom's holy light;

Protect us by Thy might, Great God, our King!

Dotse and I wish you and your family a safe and enjoyable Holiday as we celebrate together the wonderful freedoms we enjoy.  

Love, Jerry & Dotse