Happy Independence Day!

There are doubtless some nit-wits today who believe these United States achieved independence from King George by tweeting, occupying, and giving free food, housing and healthcare to everyone, but the fact is that serious-minded people took stock of the human condition, and discerned the inalienable rights that we possess.  And then they asserted said rights.  Fourscore and five years later, there commenced a test to see if such a nation could survive.

Over the weekend, we were guests of some fine folks who know something about freedom.  In part, they celebrated by firing this replica 1861 field cannon.

Two hundred thirty-six years after the birth of our nation, there are voices calling for a Revolution. But instead of throwing off the shackles of tyranny, taxation without representation, and slavery, they seek a government monolith with unfettered powers and unlimited taxation which will enslave spirited, hard working Americans to support those who will not.

There is debate today about whether our forefathers were or were not Christians, Deists, Agnostic or Atheist. It is less important to me what each Declaration signer's creed or faith was, than to recognize that their collaborative work product was, even if not divinely inspired, in alignment with our Creator's design for us. Today, our legislators create laws not only unaligned with God's purpose, but often in direct contravention.

Tomorrow I will remember my Creator God, the founding men and women of this country, and the generations of brave Americans who have upheld the unique proposition, as Lincoln said, "...that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

It's the same mindset I'll take to the polling place in November.


"Let the Fourth of July always be a reminder that here in this land, for the first time, it was decided that man is born with certain God-given rights; that government is only a convenience created and managed by the people, with no powers of its own except those voluntarily granted to it by the people. We sometimes forget that great truth, and we never should."- Ronald Wilson Reagan¹


¹ h/t The Survival Blog