What Independence Day Means to Me

Not just a day to picnic or play at the beach, today is the day to remember the great men and women who made it possible for us to live in a free country. Were they perfect? No, but they were far better than we credit them for today. That's a different topic for a different day though. It's also a day to remember the blessings we all have the opportunity to enjoy.

There are many countries in the world today where people live in fear of bombing attacks, famine, or natural disasters, all while struggling to make a living for them and their families. Their lives are in constant turmoil due to political unrest, the greed of their countrie's leaders, and restrictions placed upon them by their government. We in America have the privilege to go to school, succeed or fail, speak freely, and live in relative ease compared to most people in the world. Before you start throwing numbers at me telling me how awful this country is to our poor, let me remind you that our "poor" are far richer than even our neighbors to the south of us who live in cardboard and tin shacks with no plumbing. Plus, if you did some research you would find that the number of truly poor people in the US are by far fewer than the government tells us.

Let's think about this on a daily routine basis. You get up, head toward the kitchen and perhaps plug in your coffee maker. You open the cupboard and have a choice on what you might want for breakfast. Or you head to the fridge and do the same. After breakfast you might put your dishes in the dishwasher before heading off to a shower with hot and cold running water. In the bedroom you open the closet where there are multiple articles of clothing to choose from and since today is your day off you pick out something casual and comfy. Today you are going to a movie with friends, or to that intriguing antique mall you drove by the other day. Right now though, your favorite radio station is offering a hundred dollars if you can call in with the answer to their quiz question.

Now lets look at someone who is truly in poverty, someone in a tin shack on the outskirts of a town say in Mexico. They get up and the first thing they have to do is take the bucket to the town well and get some water for drinking and washing. A fire has to be built to cook with, if they are lucky enough to have food. After a meager breakfast he has to decide where to go to find work so he can have money to buy food. His wife stays with the little ones, sweeping her dirt floor and sewing patches on the holes in their one set of clothing to make them last a little bit longer. He is gone for 16 hours and comes home with a handful of masa and a bone that can be simmered to get some broth and perhaps a tiny bit of meat.

In thinking about what we have, it occurred to me that even in the worst of disasters most people in our country can bounce back because we have insurance, and a government willing to step in and help, among some great church and civic organizations. Other countries aren't so lucky.

I believe that our country has been blessed by God, and will continue to be so if we do our part in showing gratitude for the blessings we truly have here. Gratitude is shown by how we treat others, by the way we care for what we have, and share what we have. Gratitude is shown in our willingness to get down on our knees and thank Him for what we do have, and then getting off our knees and making life better for someone else. We show our gratitude by working hard, and teaching, yes expecting others to work if they can. That we have the freedom to work and play is such a gift! So today, would you please take a moment and talk to your children, grandchildren and loved ones about what the US means to you?

May we all have a safe and Happy Independence Day.

Yea...what she said.......

                I bought a bird feeder. I hung it on my back    porch & lovingly filled it with delicious seeds.

                What a beauty of
                a bird feeder it was.

                Within a week we had hundreds of birds
                taking advantage of the
                continuous flow of free and
                easily accessible food.

                But then the birds started
                building nests in the boards
                of the patio above the table
                and next to the barbecue.

                Then came the poop. It was
                everywhere: on the patio tile,
                the chairs, the table ..
                Everywhere!

                Then some of the birds
                turned mean. They would
                dive bomb me and try to
                peck me even though I had
                fed them out of my own good
                intentions and limited budget.

                Other birds became unruly,
                boisterous and loud. They
                sat on the feeder and
                squawked and screamed at
                all hours of the day and night
                and demanded that I fill it
                when it got low on food.

                After a while, I couldn't even
                sit on my own back porch
                anymore.

                So I took down the bird feeder
                and in three days the birds were
                gone. I cleaned up their mess
                and took down the many nests they
                had built all over the patio.

                Soon, the back yard was like
                it used to be .... Quiet, serene....
                and no one demanding their
                rights to a free meal.

                Now let's see.
                Our government gives out
                free food, subsidized housing,
                free medical care, free education
                and allows anyone born here to
                to be an automatic citizen.

                Then the illegals came by the
                millions.  Suddenly our taxes
                went up to pay for all those
                FREE services. Now we have to
                wait 6 hours to be seen by an
                emergency room doctor.
                Our child's second grade class has
                fallen behind other schools because
                over half the class doesn't speak
                English.

                Corn Flakes now come in a
                bilingual box. I have to press
                ‘one’ to hear my bank talk to me
                in English, and people waving flags
                other than 'Old Glory' are
                squawking and screaming
                in the streets, demanding more
                rights and more freebies.

                Just my opinion, but maybe
                it's time for the government
                to take down the bird feeder.

                If you agree, pass it on; if not,
                Just continue cleaning up the poop.

                

                




           
            

           

Monday's Muse - America the Beautiful

I believe in the United States of America without reservation.
It is my home, my country, it is my hope, my concern.....
Here I work and rest. Here I build and dream.
Here is security for my loved ones.
Here my toil is rewarded with an unmatched abundance for my well-being.
Here, freedom to live, to think, to worship is mine, guaranteed by law and our Constitution.
Here I am part of the government, able to vote, to serve and to carry my share of the common load.
God grant me wisdom and strength to safeguard my country's welfare with devotion great enough to measure up to her greatness. - Anon

A very articulate young man.......

This young man is amazing in his outlook.