Some patriotic reflections for the Fourth of July (standard:humor, 906 words)
Author: Godspenman	Added: Jun 27 2010	Views/Reads: 2711/0	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
The Fourth of July is upon us and nobody enjoys a party more than Yours Truly. I will offer any excuse to break into some kind of a party mode. The slightest hint of refreshments and I have my "these-boots-were-made-for-walking" footwear on and

The Fourth of July is upon us and nobody enjoys a party more than Yours
Truly. I will offer any excuse to break into some kind of a party mode. 
The slightest hint of refreshments and I have my 
"these-boots-were-made-for-walking" footwear on and I am ready to go. 

I especially like birthday parties, when it is somebody else's birthday,
that is. I have found when it is my birthday party too many people want 
to congratulate me on another milestone in my life that I do not get a 
chance to enjoy the delectable refreshments. Smiling and stuffing the 
face do not go together. 

But a patriotic party is something altogether different. It is the
birthday of our country and it is hard to imagine anybody celebrating 
too much on this anniversary. Over 230 years ago, give or take, this 
country came into being. And what a country it has been. 

Do we have problems? The only people without problems are those resting
quite peacefully at Boot Hill. If there is life, there are problems. 
Our country has been of such a nature that no problem has been too big 
to solve. We are a nation of problem solvers. Henceforth, we need 
problem makers in order to prove what great problem solvers we are. 

If we had no problems in our country today nobody would know just how
great we really are at solving problems. I do not get upset with all 
the problems floating around in our country today. I know any problem 
is a temporary inconvenience and that in the long run, good usually 
wins out. 

As I was thinking about this year's Fourth of July celebration, I began
to reflect on all of the good in our country. If you want to see any 
good in this country, you first have to turn off the television 
newscasts, lay aside the daily newspaper and turn off your radio and 
then go take a stroll in the park where real life takes place. 

I know the news media has to do their job, but do they have to do it so
well? 

For example, if there is some social burp somewhere in our country
(especially if it is some celebrity) the news media from all over the 
country goes to that spot and for the next week there is 24/7 coverage 
of that little burp. After three days of constant news coverage, it is 
not hard to conclude that the entire world is going to that really hot 
place in a handbasket. 

For every negative story in the news today, there are 99 unreported
incidences of peace and goodwill toward men. Maybe it is a good thing 
that only bad stories catch the headlines. Maybe that is an indication 
that in reality bad is the exception and good is the norm. Well, one 
can dream can't he? 

In spite of all the dissing of America, there are plenty of things to
celebrate this coming Fourth of July. 

I was at the supermarket picking up an item on my way home the other day
and as I was waiting to pay the bill, I happened to look at one of my 
dollar bills. Right in the middle of that dollar bill in plain sight 
were the words, "In God We Trust." I chuckled to myself. Every time 
someone uses a dollar bill in this country, they are giving tribute to 
the awesome fact that this country was built upon trust in God. And not 
just any God, but the Judeo-Christian God of the Holy Bible. 

One of my favorite sports is baseball. Just before any game the entire
stadium stands and sings, The Star-Spangled Banner. In the middle of 
that song there is a phrase that goes, "And this be our motto: ‘In God 
is our trust!'" 

Our founding fathers took for granted something that this generation has
long ago forgotten. Everything in this country is built upon God. Not 
some generic god, but the God of the Bible. To disavow that is to 
misunderstand what the founding of this country was all about. 

I often hear people crying out in defense of their ignorance,
"Separation of church and state." That is about as possible as 
separating the hydrogen out of the air we breathe. It can be done but 
it leaves us with something we cannot breathe and exist. 

Then, every time we look at the American flag, we are reminded of the
"Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag." A little phrase in that 
pledge says, "One nation under God." Again, the God referred to is the 
God of the Bible. 

For those who are trying to get away from God they have an impossible
task on their hands. Every time they use an American dollar, they are 
acknowledging our trust in God as a nation. Every time they go to a 
baseball game and sing The Star-Spangled Banner, they are singing about 
their trust in God. 

Even atheists in this country have to start with God in order to define
who he or she is. If I did not believe in God, I would not spend all my 
time and energy and resources fighting against something that I do not 
believe exists. 

But as I celebrate the Fourth of July, I will pause and give thanks to
God for America and I probably will sing, "America! America! God shed 
his grace on thee." 


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