We started a new tradition this year. We will be reading the Declaration of Independence on Independence Day. This is in the same vein as reading the Nativity Story on Christmas Eve. This idea was actually suggested on one of the Yahoogroups I belong to. As soon as I read, I knew it had to be part of our family.
I can honestly and ashamedly say that I had never read the entire Declaration of Independence. I was quite amazed and the difficulties outlined by Thomas Jefferson that the colonists had been enduring. What is most unfortunate is the fact that we seem to be in the same boat 233 years later....this time at our own doing. Very sad!
But, I have hope. I have hope in my posterity that as I teach them about our Founding Fathers and what they did to deliver this nation to us all, my posterity will rise up and take it back. I will do my part, but I do believe a lot of it will come with the generation that is being raised now.
Teaching my children hard work and self reliant skills will be the backbone of their success. We all need to reinforce goodness in our children and gratitude and kindness.
One of the "signs of the times" before Christ comes, is that men's hearts will wax cold one toward another. There may be very little I can do to change the course of my country and the leadership that is elected and the selfish decisions that are made and what happens as a consequence BUT I can commit to being kind and full of love and service. I do not have to be part of that "sign". I can also teach my children to do the same thing. The more we all commit to a more loving and service oriented way of life, the more prepared we will be to meet our Savior when He comes.
Moving on. We also went to the Phillies vs. Mets game over in Philadelphia. Last year we went as a family and discovered that the Phillies organization goes to great lengths to honor the armed forces. Sam and I felt that this was so patriotic and fun at the same time. So very "American". We decided that we would continue this as a tradition as part of our Independence Day celebrations.
This year was no different. When we got to our seats which were just under the giant scoreboard, we saw a HUGE flag being held together by dozens of national guardsmen/women. They seemed to have stood there forever. Finally, the announcer directed our attention to this giant flag at which time the military wo/men started to unfurl it. It was gorgeous. The wind caught it a bit and it waved across the ball field. It did take up about half of the ball field. It was beautiful.
While it was unfurled, we stood with hands over our hearts and repeated the Pledge of Allegiance and sang the National Anthem. I spoke and sang as loud as I could. I wanted somehow for the Founding Fathers and Mothers to hear my voice as I committed as passionately as they did when they said, "And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor."
The baseball game was a good one. Phillies beat the Mets 4-1. We sat up on the scoreboard porch with a whole bunch of drunks. At one time there were about 4 security guys and an armed police officer making sure a potential fight didn't actually happen. Lots of foul language.
It was a beautiful breezy day. I'm so glad we went. I love doing stuff like that with my family.
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