July 4th, America's National Holiday

 

 

Today I am staying home and members of my family are providing our traditional home-parade, where we dress up in colonial clothing, march across the lawn with our flags and hats, fiddles and flutes. I plan to ride my tricycle (an adult sized one). After the parade, which we will film, as usual, there is an out-door buffet and dining area set up for our cold lunch, consisting of southern fried chicken, rolls, coleslaw, tomato-cucumber salad in olive oil and vinegar, dill dressing, and a watermellon lemonade punch from a recipe in Southern Living magazine.

 

 

Like last year, we will hear political, '"train-stop" speeches, using my front porch as the railings on the back of the train, as the podium, in order to imitate the political tours of candidates of the 1800's. This year there will be a presidential candidate speaking at the train stop, a speech from a woman about women's rights (it is not what you may think) and a message from an air force veteran who lives nearby.

 

(Note: Anonymous comments are open today, so if you do not have a google account or any kind of online registration, please post.)

 

 

I do not think my sentiments and beliefs could be stated more eloquently than the words on this poster from an ad put in a newspaper by Hobby Lobby. Each statement is worth researching in depth. Click on to enlarge.

 

I was impressed with the following email from the Romans 16:16 blog , which shows the most important aspect of freedom:

Today, as Americans celebrate the 237th year since we declared our independence from the tyranny which once held our country in it's clutches. Let those of us who are'free indeed'' remember to fall on our knees and thank God for the freedom that we have in Christ.

May we give thanks for the freedom we have in this nation to worship Him in spirit and in truth. May we remember that all freedom is bought at a price and give thanksgiving for those who gave their lives that we may have this freedom. Let us remember to ask God to guide the leaders of this country and to raise up those who will lead it back to the one true standard. Let's praise Him for those who are daily working to do His will within our government. May we remember and teach, without fear and with all boldness of spirit, that true freedom can only be found in Christ Jesus.

Happy Independence Day

"Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." John 8:36 NKJV

rsixteensixteen | July 4, 2013 at 12:29 p

Note: Thank you for this, and for all you do at the Romans Sixteen blog.

 

And now, I will relate a few of my own thoughts, on various topics.

 

Facing a shameful time in history.

It is difficult to write with any joy about "our" special national day, because of this shameful time in our history---not that the shame is on common citizens, but on a government whose actions do not represent our beliefs. The President also defies God's word in many of the things he promotes overseas. We, like Nehemiah want to remove this reproach. People in foreign countries who participate in their hearts and minds with the documents of our Founding Fathers (yes, "fathers") are also upset at the outrageous activities of the government which has trod on our freedoms and threatened the freedom of other countries. My husband and I and the rest of my family want the world to know that we think it is wrong for the U.S. government to spy on citizens of our country and expose their personal privacy, and spy and other countries, and that those who exposed this wrongdoing are heroes, not criminals (providing that it is not a total hoax, which is entirely possible.)It is ironic that a government that thinks we are not allowed any privacy can be so outraged when their own private evil is exposed. The Bible says to reprove the "unfruitful works of darkness." Ephesians 5:11

We who are disciples of Christ are in a better kingdom that benefits the nation.

While the wicked may be in power, let us not forget that the kingdom of light (those who are disciples of Christ) will always be at odds with the kingdom of darkness (those who defy the Word of God, which is the will of God.) Making disciples will put more people in the kingdom, and get more people out of the kingdom of darkness, so this is why having the liberty to teach the gospel and make disciples, is so important.As Christians we are citizens of a different kingdom with a heavenly passport and a holy constitution, the word of God, which much of the federalist papers (the rough drafts of the Constitution) were based on. Citizens in the Lord's kingdom will be better citizens in any country.

Do not think that a harsh ruler will allow you religious freedom.

Some people idealistically say that under duress and persecution, the church will simply grow in numbers and "thrive," and therefore, they feel it does not matter how the government behaves. What they do not remember is that the nations that live under dictatorships (North Korea, Zimbabwe, Cuba, for example) are not able to teach the gospel or send out missionaries. Under a socialist, communist, dictatorship, Christian parents will not be able to freely homeschool or teach their faith to their children. Parents will be imprisoned while the state takes their children. That is why it is so important to govern the government and keep it accountable and to maintain freedom. I believe that young men like Ted Cruz, Edward Snowden, Julian Assange and others are very brave to correct those who are elected and unelected. It impresses me that they are all so young, and that there is a young generation of determined and energetic conservatives.

True U.S. Citizenship.

I noticed that Ted Cruz was born in Canada, and that many people wrongfully believe that he cannot run for President. Having lived in Canada as American citizens, during a time when many other Americans were hired to work in the oil and gas industry there, I am certain that Cruz is a citizen. Our oldest child was born in Calgary, Alberta (as was Cruz) and is an American citizen. Just as children born to ambassadors serving in foreign countries to American parents are automatically American citizens, my child was considered an American, even with a Canadian birth certificate. Therefore, Ted Cruz, U.S. Senator from Texas, born of a naturalized American citizen father (from Cuba) and an American mother, is an American citizen and is qualified to be President, should the American people desire to elect him.

Re-establish your country with the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Finally, I would like to remind you of the tiny country of Estonia, who threw off a foreign government by enacting their own culture of national songs, national flags, colors, sayings, constitution and beliefs. We are in a situation of being so demoralized by what those in D.C. are doing that we do not feel like singing the songs which proclaim the greatness of this country. We do not believe we ought to be blessed by God.

We do not believe that we have our country anymore and are ashamed to sing "God Bless America, " or "America the Beautiful." The first and easiest thing to do which will defeat a people is to demoralize them, making them think they are "no good" and unworthy and that they deserve to be brought low; deserving every evil thing that happens to them. That way, Satan and his allies can actually get us to cooperate with them in our own defeat.

We look at the things that the media publishes that are so shameful and we conclude that "we" are all wicked and that America is a wicked nation. We need to understand that this is a type of demoralization so that we will not feel we have anything to be happy about and will think we deserve to suffer. This kind of thinking will demoralize us and immobilize us so that we will not continue to pursue the various personal enterprises that make a country strong and great and good.

I was greatly encouraged by watching a documentary film called "The Singing Revolution", which recorded how Estonia re-established their nation-hood, their language, their constitution, their flag, their government, their songs and their culture. Although you will not agree with all of it, the main principle is to live who you are, and to practice your faith and to insist on your freedom, erstwhile getting those who oppress you to leave.

So, sing your songs and read the Constitution aloud today. Go to town and dress up like Yankee Doodle and take a copy of the Constitution and stand on a wooden box in front of Safeway or Dollar Tree or WalMart and take turns with your friends reading portions of the constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Bring your family and friends to sing songs and proclaim liberty throughout the land. Publish your opinions and beliefs on the Internet and spread the cause of freedom, just like the FOUNDING FATHERS did before.

From the Declaration of Independence are some applicable statements for today:

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

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. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

These words, written so long ago, serve today as a chastisement upon the current administration and past decades of elected and unelected people in government. I hope they will take note.

You might enjoy this video by a perhaps future president?

 

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