Independence Day

Pardon the delay on my blogs. My family went out of town from 6/30/07-7/7/07. Me and my family, including part of the extended family, as well as some family friends, went up to Branson Missouri.
Obviously we were gone during the fourth of July. We didn't really go simply for the fourth, that's just kinda how it happened. We usually go to Guntersville Lake for the fourth of July, but this time, something called "vacation" got in the way of that.
On the fourth, we really didn't do fireworks or anything like that. It was simple and relaxed, and we didn't party any. I like doing fireworks and watching fireworks for the fourth of July and New Years, but truth be told, they are over-priced in my opinion.
But regardless of what we did, or what you did, there is still a much greater meaning of this day, than the fireworks, parties, traditions, etc. It is about the indepence of this nation, and thus, it has rightfully earned the name "Independence Day." It is the anniversery of the day that our forefathers pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor for the cause of freedom. It is one of those days in history that turned the world upside down. Thirteen colonies joined together to defeat the most powerful nation in the world. Those little thirteen colonies, over time, would expand and assume it's place amonst the nations, into arguably the most powerful nation in the world.
Back then, just like today, there were people with religious differences, political differences, and philosophical differences. Many of our founding fathers, such as George Washington I believe, were devout Christians. However some were Unitarians, and others were pretty close to Deists. All of our founding fathers believed in limited government, more so than just about any politician today claims, but there were political rivalries then as well. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were political rivals, as were Patrick Henry and James Madison.
But all of these men, despite differencs, came together under the cause of freedom. Through the help of God, these men did what not many thought they could not do: defeat Great Britain. They fought with each other despite their differences. As Benjamin Franklin put it just after signing the Declaration of Independence, "We must all hang together or we'll all hang seperately." The brave men did just that. Not hang seperate, but hang together. In fact, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, despite being political rivals, died as friends. As an interesting point of history, they died on the same day, fifty years to the day after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Today, we still have brave men and women who go to war for the sake of their nation and it's people's freedom. But too often those of us, politician or no politician, take their work, and the work of our forefathers, and all those inbetween, for granted. We forget to think about how fortunate we are, why we are so fortunate, and what we can do to make life even better. Far too often our leaders forget that it was the cause of independence that brought our nation into existence. Far too often the people forget that as well. Thankfully, we do have people who join together to fight for this nation that they call home. This war we are in now should be more than a game of politics, but a fight for freedom, whether you are for the war or against it.
So please, even though this is five days after Independence Day, remember the meaning of it. Two-hundred and thirty-one years ago, there were people who's lives were in trouble, so that I may write this blog today. Let us never forget our Independence, and where it came from. God bless America!

UPCOMING BLOGS:

I will soon write a blog about our trip to Branson, Missouri. I also plan to write another blog about America, but this time, the things that are not so good with America, all with love for country though. I plan to write another blog on Christian worship sometime as well. I would also like to write a blog on the basement, a local church-like phenomena that has grown really popular in the local area. I have put this blog off because of the fact that I have never been to the basement, and because I know people who love it as well as people who don't like it, and I don't want to compromise any unity of the church. I will probably put a few more blogs on here as well, but that's a little "heads-up" to what you can expect.

What do you think?

-Ryan