Happy Birthday America!

In all her beauty we salute Old Glory today as we celebrate Independence Day. Long may she wave!

For all our differences in so many areas, none more than politically these days, it is our patriotism that should unite us. Today is about not only celebrating our independence and freedom but the ideals on which this country was founded. If we focus on those we will find there is far more that unites us than divides us.

We are country made up of people from all different walks of life and thought, different skin color and different religions, yet because of those ideals on which we were founded we can miraculously still be one people. Our ideals embrace all people but are based in the Judeo/Chrisitan faith. One of our most important values in the words of Jesus is “to love one another”. May we never forget that, in spite of our differences.

Ronald Reagan once noted that you can go to live in France but never BE French, or you could live in Turkey or Japan and never be Turkish or Japanese. But anyone from any corner of the world can come to live in America and BECOME an American because America isn’t just a place or a culture. It is a set of ideas. When we hold those ideas and values dear, we are patriots, we are one people. Those values and ideas are what define us and bind us together, not our race or religion, or ethnicity or any other designation. This is the very thing that sets America apart from all other countries. This is the reason so many, for so long, have sacrificed to come here, and why so many brave a courageous men and women have been willing to fight and die to keep us free.

So today, as you BBQ, swim, watch your favorite sports teams play, join family and neighbors in block parties, and later watch the fireworks that will light up the night sky in remembrance of the battles fought long ago to win our freedom, take a moment to think about the gift it is to be a part of this magnificent experiment in democracy. Take a moment to be patriotic and relish it. Look at Old Glory and say to yourself or even declare right out loud, “Long may she wave!”

Happy 4th of July dear chums,