One Nation Under God

HAPPY 4th of JULY!!!! 

I hope you all have had a wonderful day celebrating the birth of this Great Nation that we live in with those you love the most!!!

The 4th of July has a special place in my heart...for all of the obvious reasons and for a few that are unique to my family.  So growing up in Humble, TX...we lived less than a mile from where the City of Humble Fireworks were launched each year.  We had a pretty big backyard and a perfect view of the fireworks...so starting in the mid 1970's...our house became 4th of July Central!!!

Family, friends, friends of friends...would spend the day at our house...grilled burgers, hot dogs, chicken...my Grandmother's potato salad and my Mom's baked beans...HOMEMADE ICE CREAM and of course, watermelon! 

The entire backyard was filled with lawn chairs, kids, dogs...little American flags for decoration.  People of all ages!  It was always a time to gather to celebrate.  It was one of my grandmother's favorite times...mine too!!!  There were people who attended that celebration every year and there were people who were just passing through (so to speak)...but it was always fun!!!  It was always a big deal!!!

Of course, life progresses and changes..the fireworks moved from the 4th of July to the 3rd at some point...but we still had the party!!!  We had these parties well into my adult years...After my grandmother passed away...We sold the house and strangely, the City of Humble stopped having fireworks...probably not because we sold the house...haha!  More likely budget cuts!!! 

But...the memories...they still light up my mind...like the best fireworks display ever!!! 

We call this Independence Day...A Declaration of Independence...A statement of our rights to Freedom and Sovereignty. 

This is one of my favorite compilation of words ever written...It seems appropriate to post it today.

“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. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”   

Thomas Jefferson wrote those words as a part of our Declaration of Independence.

For me, one line in particular is the perfect summation of our rights...the ultimate statement of Freedom:

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.


I am proud of this country...it is a mix of the good and the bad, the righteous and the self righteous, the giving and the greedy and the proud and the prideful...in other words...a representation of all things human.  Humanity is imperfect...flawed..but for me...the Key to this nation is this...One Nation, Under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for All!

Every day I see examples of God's Grace on my own personal Journey...and if I open my eyes...and look around...I can see God's Grace in the best and the brightest and in the lost and misguided.  I just have to be willing to see and believe!!!

Happy 4th of July!