Pride

Tomorrow is my favorite day of the year. I will be spending it with some of my favorite people in one of my favorite places driving one of my favorite cars, wearing colors that when mixed together make my favorite color... ok, you get the picture.

Why such a favorite day? A friend of mine asked me that and I had to think for a minute.

Being with friends and family? priceless
Eating great food? perfect
Fireworks? breathtaking
On the water? exhilarating

But there was something else...

So many days I wonder what this country is coming to. Dad's sermon today was a reminder that while we have our Declaration of Dependence, that "dependence" only applies to Britain and in actuality it's declaring our dependence on our Creator, Almighty God. How do we not see that anymore?

I'm not gonna rant and rave about it... but there's obviously a problem, rooting with the misinterpretation of separation of church and state. God, Your mercy astounds me.

So... why is Independence Day my favorite day of the year?

Because I truly am proud to be an American.

I've always been... but especially after visiting other countries. Even while our conviction is waning, we are still reaping the benefits of being a country founded on the Word of God. I suppose it's the whole freedom thing... I can't explain it. I guess a terrible example would be having school pride, even though the school might have a horrendous football team.

I remember having a conversation in Africa with a Tanzanian man and him asking me what country I was from...

"America"

Maybe it was then that I realized how blessed I am to live in this country and that not everyone shares that feeling. I had been removed, and thus able to look back and realize that the privilege had been there all along. And now I'm gonna give up trying to explain how I feel... except to say that I'm happy here.