GOD BLESS AMERICA
I was making my way through the first year of being a teenager that summer, the year our country celebrated its Bicentennial birthday. It was a big deal. Everything was red, white, and blue. Even my basketball was sporting the colors of the flag.
That year in school was the year we had to memorize The Preamble of the Constitution. I still know most of the words to it, even now, some forty plus years later. (Props to my Social Studies teacher who follows this blog!)
Every one of us knew, even with a couple ounces of innocence left, that this wasn’t a perfect country. But we also knew that it was the best in the world. We were taught that. We were also taught that a government by and for the people, could be even better with time.
image courtesy of grandparents. com
I worry about this once God fearing nation. I worry about the people that are more concerned about being taken care of instead of being free. Our generation tends to be more of the “Don’t Tread On Me” type of mind sets. We don’t want security, we want freedom first. Security comes from God, not mankind.
That same 1976, the Bicentennial year, there was a TV station with the call letters “KTVK”, a local Phoenix station, that ran a spot that lasted about a second and a half. During that moment it showed an American flag waving proudly in the breeze. A narrator quoted a partial Bible verse from Psalm like an auctioneer. He said, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.”
Until I learned a bit more about the history of the world… I didn’t realize how true that Bible verse was and is.
God Bless America! Happy 4th of July to all and may God bless you too.
Sunday, July 2, 2017 @ 6:05 pm
I remember the world’s fair at Treasure Island, and a special patriotic presentation about the first flag, and other flags and how the National Anthem came about. Bomb bursting in air but our flag was still there. It sure made me proud to be an American. So many exciting things happened that year. The Bay Bridge opened up from Oakland to San Francisco. Yes there was a small toll fee, but they said “when the bridge is paid for, we will remove the toll.” Of course that was ridiculous, because they decided the bridge needed constant painting and repairs etc. Oh well, it sounded good at the time.
As a kid, we could purchase real fire crackers. Seems like we went to the area designated “China Town.” fortunately we were careful except for putting a fire cracker under a tin can and watching it blast off. Later my dad purchased some land in the mountains and built a small cabin. We camped out mostly cooking with a fire pit and some cast iron to set the skillets on. Fried potatoes, bacon and eggs never tasted so good. As time progressed, we would go to the “cabin” especially on the 4th of July. sparklers was our fireworks, because we were in the mountains.
Sunday, July 2, 2017 @ 6:28 pm
A wonderful God-honoring and patriotic post, Floyd. Thank you for sharing it and your memories of the bicentennial. I remember it well. I live in Saint Louis, and many of our citizens headed down to the St. Louis Arch for a fireworks extravaganza and food fest to celebrate America’s 200th b/day. We were tempted to go, but in the end, we held our usual Fourth of July BBQ, celebrating my great Uncle Billy’s b/day. Actually, he thought the whole nation was celebrating his special day. All the family were gathered–my adorable (and elderly) great aunts and great uncles, my beloved father (since passed along w/ his aunts and uncles), my beloved grandmother (Daddy’s mother, whom he sees now in heaven), my mother, siblings, and assorted cousins. Somehow it was more patriotic for us to celebrate as a family and to be grateful we could do that in the land of free and the home of the brave than to mingle w/ the crowds downtown. But I was happy about the bicentennial and felt that it was amazing that I was alive to celebrate it. How far we have come since those more carefree days (and those were nothing like the 30’s from which my parents hailed…. days when you could walk the streets late at night and leave your houses open, days when the church doors were always open too for times of worship or private prayer, days when people prayed openly in the public square, said the Pledge of Allegiance by heart, w/ their right hand over their hearts.) More than caring about our country, our country needs to care about God again. It’s the only way we will survive…. that and self-sacrifice. Our Founding Fathers sacrificed life and limb to make us free. We need to sacrifice our selfishness to do their memory honor and to keep our country free for generations to come. Bott Radio Network had a wonderful 4th of July special today on “The Real Story,” where they shared a Paul Harvey recording. I had had no idea how many of the signers to the Constitution lost their lives or families or properties in order to birth this great nation. They sacrificed everything (unlike many today, both politicians and citizens. )It’s well worth hearing. Thank you for sharing, Floyd, and Happy Independence Day!
Love
Lynn
Monday, July 3, 2017 @ 2:27 am
Great post, Floyd. Many of the loud voices in our nation seem to have left God out of the equation and, like God warned O.T. Israel, we are and will continue to see the results.
Monday, July 3, 2017 @ 7:26 am
Happy Fourth to you and your family. Our nation, imperfect as it is, is the best. I am very grateful for the freedom we have and worry, too, that the enemy wants to take it away in subtle attempts. I am thankful to be living here and pray daily for our country. I rest in the fact that God hears and loves our nation too.
Monday, July 3, 2017 @ 9:56 am
I remember my dad growing a beard for the Bicentennial. 🙂
This is so true, Floyd: “Security comes from God, not mankind.” May we continue to grow in our understanding that true freedom also is from God. Happy 4th!
Monday, July 3, 2017 @ 5:47 pm
Amen, Floyd. This country has never been perfect, but it has been better. Now more than ever the truth of your words about security matter. Have a blessed holiday!
Tuesday, July 4, 2017 @ 1:21 am
We have to remember freedom is not free and remain humble that we have as much freedom as we do in America. Happy 4th of July my friend.
Tuesday, July 4, 2017 @ 8:25 pm
Love this post, brother, and I say a heart “amen” to all you said. I am so burdened over these things and pray much for God to have mercy. So thankful to live here and looking for things to turn around…and, at the risk of offending anyone (I hope I don’t, as I don’t mean to), I am SO happy and thankful for our new president and the amazing job he is doing. I feel like we are heading more in the right direction than we have been in a long time, but there is so much opposition and division. May God help us all to do our individual part to bring peace. I LOVED what you said, “You hear things as a kid, but it takes years to listen to those voices from the past.” SO much wisdom in that and everything else I read here.
Wednesday, July 5, 2017 @ 6:30 am
I know I’m a day late Floyd but thanks for the reminder post. I have this sneaking suspicion if we spent less time worrying about our fireworks and other 4th goings-on, we would be able to take a serious look at our part of making America the nation we desire. In my case, one that fears the one true God. May we heed your words of exhortation.
Wednesday, July 5, 2017 @ 7:19 am
Thanks, Floyd. Straight-forward, sincere, compelling, correct. God bless America, and God bless you.
Sunday, July 9, 2017 @ 8:34 am
Maybe it’s our generation but most of our eyes fill with tears when our national anthem is sung whether its a ball game, a concert, a parade or any other event where respect is shown for our flag and those who died to keep us free. I fear the generation we live in is losing that respect and ability to get emotional over our freedom. I love watching a group of soldiers come back to this country after living and fighting for those in somewhere like Iraq…you can see it on their faces…thankfulness to be home. Great reminders brother…
Tuesday, July 11, 2017 @ 11:36 am
I remember the bicentennial celebration. I was also a teenager and I remember that I sewed a special dress for it. It’s crazy to think of how much has changed since those days!