Another Independence Day has come and gone. For us, it was a good day. I can’t remember better weather on the fourth. The high was about 75 degrees and it was sunny all day. We took my dad out for a walk in the woods and then our whole family ate dinner at a local BBQ restaurant. It was a great time of food, fellowship, and family. Later Liz’s family, Lisa, Crystal and I watched the Coshocton fireworks (or at least what we could see from a distance).
This whole weekend I’ve been struggling about what Independence Day really mean? At one time, brave men fought and died for their freedom, their families and countless generations yet to come. We are the beneficiaries of their sacrifice. Each year, we celebrate the freedoms won nearly two and a half centuries ago with bands, fireworks and barbeques. We love reliving stories of our founding fathers: the Washington at Valley Forge, Boston Tea Party, “Give me liberty or give me death” bravery. We love the poetic passionate plea of declaration penned by Thomas Jefferson and signed unanimously by the Continental Congress. Sometimes, it helps to reflect back on men of passion and great purpose.
Maybe, if we would do that more than one day a year, America could, at least for a time, fend off its slow decline. What would the founding fathers say if they could see what our freedom has led to?
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.
Yet it took nearly one hundred years for some to be declared free. Some would insist that we are still not there. What about the Creator part? If you watch mainstream media, God and those who aspire to follow him are subject to continuous ridicule and denigration. The pursuit of happiness is definitely there. That’s all most Americans agree on any more. Today, however, happiness seems to more about the seeking of material possessions and pleasure, than anything of real value. Family values have become self-serving and superficial. Feeling good is more important than doing good. This has affected our home lives, our marriages, and how we raise our children. At one time, marriage was considered a source of happiness. Today we have gone from till death to third time’s a charm.
Recently Gay marriage has become legal. I know this would be a problem for our founding fathers as well. Personally, as a God fearing Christian, I know it is not up to me to judge others. I feel that the main problem with our country is the lack of the self sacrificial love that Jesus showed us. That holds true for any marriage and those who are called to remain single. In my view (and I believe this to be Biblical) happiness cannot exist without love.
Don’t misunderstand my tirade about America today; there is nowhere I would rather be. This country has many problems, but it is still a great nation. Decline is natural. In the history of the world, no empire has dominated the world for more than several hundred years; not the Greeks, the Romans, the Spanish, or the British, etc. I just feel that for a country founded on Judeo Christian values, we could sure use a resurgence of those values now. So at this time, instead of celebrating the accomplishments of those great patriots of so long ago, please join me in praying for stronger families and a return to our root values. That is what made this country great, it is what our founding fathers hoped for, and is our best hope for a bright future.
Everyone waiting to see fireworks July 4th 2015