On July 4, 2010, America will celebrate her 234th birthday as an independent nation. This nation was birthed from a deep desire for freedom. The original settlers were looking for freedom from the British government, specifically for a freedom to worship as they wanted. Since then, multitudes of individuals have come to this country seeking the same freedoms: freedom from oppression, freedom of speech and freedom of religion.
On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was drafted to declare the original 13 colonies’ independence. Its second line states, “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. No matter what our backgrounds or personal beliefs, everyone that is currently living in this country is here by choice. Choice is freedom. It’s our God-given right. Based on the freedoms that were fought for and won, we can pretty much choose where and how we want to live. We can choose what to believe.
We don’t all have to agree – in fact, we are even free to disagree! However, our country was founded on a belief in God. The pledge of allegiance to our flag includes the words “one nation under God”. Our money is all imprinted with the words “in God we trust”. When ancient civilizations have been unearthed by archeologists, buried among the pieces of pottery and various other items are usually coins. A lot can be learned about a people and the way they lived their lives by the things they find, especially the coins. What will be known about America is that it was a nation that was built on a foundation of trust in God.
So this July, be thankful for the freedoms you have. Stop for a moment and think about what you have based on the freedoms offered to you because you are a citizen of the United States of America. Fly your flag high on the 4th of July. Be proud to be an American. Some people risk their very lives each day to come to this country to experience the freedoms that we sometimes forget we are so blessed to have. Many men and women have given their lives to ensure that freedom still rings loud and clear in America.
Happy Birthday, America!