" God Bless America๐ต..."
I love traditions & celebrations! & next to Christmas, which gave us Jesus, & Easter, which gave us the Way to have eternal life, I believe the celebration of Independence Day which celebrates the birth of America is the best! "My Country tis of thee...๐ต" "This is MY country, land that I love...๐๐ต" (That's the closest I could get to a singing emoji! ๐)
See the little Statue of Liberty on the trucks running board? Isn't she the cutest?
YES!
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I love all of the hoopla, the parades, the traditional games, picnics, barbecues, all of the traditional foods.
But as you all know, my absolute most favorite, the grand finale Magnum Opus....!!!
& since it was our 250th anniversary, our country neighborhood skies were a masterpiece, tour de force, piece de resistance, (prized feature, main event!) of riotous explosions of color & beauty!!
"& the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air..."
& yet at the time this was written by Francis Scott Key, they were not fireworks, but literal bombs bursting in air! & it was during the War of 1812 between Great Britain & the United States. (again!) On September 13, 1814, Key, & a U.S. official , rowed over to a British warship to seek the release of some American prisoners but because of the things these men had seen on that ship, the British could not let the men leave & report on what they had seen. So Mr. Key & the others got a front row seat for these fireworks in the lengthy night bombardment of the British against Fort McEnery in Baltimore, Maryland which was eight miles away. As day began to dawn, I can see Mr. Key squinting through the dust & smoke I imagine with the first stanza of our National Anthem beginning to take shape in his mind which actually ends with a question.
"Oh say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
o'er the land of the free, & the home of the brave?"
So, I will let Francis Scott Key answer that question in his own words, from his front rowboat position that he was seated in on that long ago smoky dawn of 1814.
"On the shore dimly seen, through the mists of the deep
where the foes haughty host in dread silence reposes,
what is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
as it fitfully blows, half conceals. half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam, of the mornings first beam,
in full glory reflected now shines in the stream,
Tis the star spangled banner, O long may it wave,
O'er the land of the free, & the home of the brave!"
Can you imagine the excitement! the exclamations of cheer! of the inhabitants of that little rowboat? & yes some tears of joy, & humble prayers of deep gratitude that indeed that banner was still waving.
There is a third verse too. I will let you look that up on your own, but I wanted to include this last verse because it is the inspiring exclamation point of that poem & our National Anthem.
"Oh thus be it even when freemen shall stand
between their loved home & the war's desolation!
Blest with victory & peace, may the heav'n rescued land
praise the Power that hath made & preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just
And this be our motto - "In God is our trust,"
And the Star Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave,
O'er the land of the free & the home of the brave."
There is so much dishonor for our country these days from its' own citizens. I am so ashamed for them as they are influenced by the delusionary voices of lies & deception that do not love our & their country. Because "love suffers long & is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails." Of course this is from the Bible & some would say that I'm taking this out of context. But I don't think so. Because America began with a covenant, just as marriage does. A covenant between God & America that began on the shores of Cape Henry, Virginia with Pastor Robert Hunt. I think there are a lot of people, especially thirty years old on down, that have not been taught the true history of the birth of our nation. ( I highly recommend the writings & books of David & Tim Barton concerning the history of America, "The Wallbuilders". Excellent!!) But it is our responsibility as parents, grandparents, Americans, patriots & Christians to teach & live out our American heritage. & it may be at a cost as with the Black Robed Regiment. & our patriotic forefathers (& foremothers too!) who pledged "...our Lives, our Fortunes, our sacred Honor". & because of that covenant made more than four centuries ago between God & our newborn America, to borrow another biblical statement for the covenant of marriage in Mark 10:9, "What God has joined together, (God's covenant made with America) let not man put asunder."
Definition of Asunder:
"To separate, divide or tear into pieces"
Let's take this as serious as God does. Let's honor the covenant of God with America. & then that Star Spangled Banner will always wave, over "the land of the free & the home of the brave." & as we do, God will truly bless AMERICA!
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Raintree Perk of the Day:
"Happy are the people (country, nation) whose God is the Lord!" Psalm 144:15
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