Red, White and Blue

Happy Fourth of July!  One of my favorite holidays.
If you have young children, have a parade with everyone and everything decked out in red, white and blue.  Play patriotic music on your sound system, or even hum.  We used to hum "Stars and Stripes Forever" while we waved our sparklers in the air.  Make your favorite All American summer foods, especially Popsicles  (or homemade ice cream).
Fly your flags .  Sit on the porch and visit with family and friends.  Read the Preamble to the Constitution out loud to your family.  Talk about the Christian principles that guided our founding fathers in declaring our independence.
Google the signers of the Declaration and you will find that freedom is indeed not free.  Every one of those men faced retribution from the British because of their signature.  Their families were hurt, their homes destroyed and their own lives threatened.
Our country is what it is because so many people were willing to sacrifice their own happiness for their beliefs in the bigger goal of freedom for all and to protect the Christian principles this country was founded upon.
In my family, I have a several greats in my ancestry - a great grandfather and his seven sons who fought in the Revolution.  I have ancestors who fought on both sides of the Civil War,
My Dad and three uncles fought in WWII.  They were mere babes, 17 and 18 years old , flying in bombers over Germany, advancing through Austria on foot, and serving on an Aircraft carrier in the Navy. None of them ever talked a lot about what they did and their service did come at a price to themselves and their families.
If you know military families, encourage them and thank them this Fourth.  Pray for those serving our country.
Pray for our country...I believe that and voting, or even serving in some type of office are some of the most patriotic things we can do.
Our allegiance belongs first to God, however.  I have friends whose religious beliefs include not saluting the flag because of this principle.  I believe that God has protected and prospered our nation so that we can help others and further His Kingdom in doing so.
If you ever get the chance to go to Washington, D.C., visit our monuments.  Engraved on the Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt and even our Capitol are the Christian principles that guided our founders.  Long may those principles reign.  God Bless America and help us to bless others!