Growing up we always went to our church's pancake breakfast and then in the evening we'd go to a huge outdoor symhony concert which climaxed with a brilliantly colored fireworks display as John Philips Souza's "Stars and Stripes Forever" played in the background.
I celebrated another memorable Fourth of July as a missionary in Portugal. My companion (another American) and I memorized all of the verses of the national anthem that day on very, very long walk we had to make due to a bus strike going on in our area. I remember being grateful to be in Portugal but deeply attached to my national heritage on that walk. I vowed to never take that heritage for granted.
Now I'm the mom in this house and responsible for things like decorating for this day--thanks, Amanda, for helping me out with that one! We spent some of the day at Washington's Crossing State Park. We mainly enjoyed the Delaware River. At first, J was only interested in walking out on the rocks.
Then he got D and E (in the frontpack) involved.
And can you really keep boys out of the water? Of course, there had to be some tutoring in the art of rock-skipping and you can't stay dry doing that.
I am so grateful for the freedoms we enjoy. Today I'm grateful for the physical freedom we feel to explore beautiful state parks that surround us in this Garden State. I'm grateful that I can confidently teach J that he is free to become whatever he wants to become is he'll work hard at it. I'm grateful that D was free to choose his career. I grateful for the freedom to worship God in my chosen manner. I'm grateful that we are free to have as many kids as the Lord sends our way, and I'm thankful that we can actually support ourselves when they come two at a time.I hope you sense the same freedoms in your lives. Or maybe you have an even stronger sense of other freedoms we enjoy--I'd love to hear from you about those. If we aren't all living the American Dream I'm not sure who is.
4 comments:
Deborah & I love the post. We love the picture of Dan & J at the end (not to mention those cute toes hanging out of the front pack).
Our American Dream is that we can all live near each other.
So. Cal, anyone?
We were at Ellis Island w/ the youth for Youth Conference last week and I am sooo grateful my family came here so long ago so I didn't have to go through all the hardships they did. After hearing the horror stories of children dying on ships, etc. I was saying God Bless America to all the youth. They thought I was lame but I hope they appreciated it!
Loved your post, yes, we have SOOOO many things to be grateful for and I have to say I agree with just about everything you said. I am so grateful we can worship how we want, wear what we want, and all the choices are ours!! G's brother is serving in Afghanistan right now and we are so grateful he is there to protect all of these freedoms. Wow...we are so blessed.
Great post with great reminders! You always seem to remind every one of the important things rather well. I am glad you are enjoying the USA as well!
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