Independence Day

When I was living in France as a missionary, I came to realize that there were many things that I took for granted.  One such thing was my family.  You know how it is.  You always get into fights with your siblings, your parents are over-protective, everything that they do is annoying.  But in the end, it's your family.  They are always there and are always willing to help.  While that was obvious to me (the fact that I took my family for granted and *gasp* actually MISSED them!), something else was lacking that I wouldn't have thought of right away.  That would be simply this: living in the United States of America.

With Independence Day weekend just barely past, I took the time to reflect on what makes this country great.  I made a mental list of several things.

1) Baseball (obviously)
2) Driving on the right (directional) side of the road
3) the American flag
4) Checks and balances in the government
5) the South (can I get an "AMEN" from the congregation??!!)
6) the fact that everyone claims to hate the U.S., but they all actually want to BE the U.S.
7) Being free

Some of these are more humorous than others (notice that baseball is #1 on the list.  This is not a joke.  It is God's gift to man), but I saved "being free" for last because it is perhaps the most important, and quite possibly what we take for granted the most.  Think back to those tedious US History classes from high school and those endless dates to memorize.  Why were those so important?  Why were these such memorable days/years in our history?  The events of the past have strongly influenced where we are and where we are going.

During my time as a missionary, I served as the pianist for several congregations of the Church (and you should know that I am a pretty lousy pianist!).  One day, as I was sitting down attempting to practice, I flipped open the hymnal to #340 (in the English LDS Hymnal), "The Star-Spangled Banner".  The last verse hit home the most of the three verses.  It goes as follows:

Oh, thus be it ever, when free men shall stand
between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
and this be our motto "In God is our trust!"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!


We forget how miraculous the creation of this country was.  It was basically a bunch of punks (American colonies) who were tired of being beaten down by "the Man" (Britain).  These poor people stood up for what they believed in.  On July 4, 1776, the United States of America declared its independence from Great Britain.  What these men did was in blatant defiance of the King of England, and was considered treason.  But these brave men had faith that their God would be at their side.  Should we not do the same?  Should we not also stand "between our loved homes and the war's desolation", even when we could lose everything?

And this be our motto: "In God is our trust!"

May we always remember the freedoms that we have and enjoy from day to day.  We must ALWAYS put our trust in God.  As long as we do this, we will always have the right to say, "God bless America, my home sweet home!"