Happy 4th of July
Hello everyone.
Anyone else marveling at this gorgeous weather we are having? I”m so not ready for 90+ degree temps. I just wilt. So while I have all the lights off and all the fans running so it stays cool I thought I’d share a few thoughts about our upcoming national holiday.
I’ve been doing a lot of reading about Joseph Smith and the world he grew up in. The world of 1820-1840. This was a fascinating time but what strikes me the hardest at this time of year is how much we are lacking in pride in our own country. In Joseph’s time the War for Independence was only a few decades past. Many had grandfather’s and great- grandfather’s who served in that war. They were proud of what they achieved. Compare that today, we are not as proud of what we are today. We’ve been disillusioned by dishonest politics and by the hurt we cause each other. So many people lack a stable home life and that translates into distrust of everything else. Men and Women use each other for short sexual satiation which causes bad feelings in many because they realize they were just being used. We don’t treat ourselves with respect, so why would we respect those things around us.
We forget that we still live in one of the best countries to live in. Thousands of people every year strive to come to this country, legally and illegally because its better then where they are. I heard once that if you have $100.00 in a bank acct, you are in the top 20 percent richest people in the world. How’s that for some perspective. For all our faults, and every country has them, we have great things as well. What blinds us is the “appearance” that is encouraged to think we are lacking and that we can’t really do anything about it. This is done by those who want power at the expense of our own power. We are a powerful country because we the people make it so. But when we put it in the hands of others, we lose that power. Washington wants us to think that everything happens there, but really, everything happens in that voting booth. We have more power then we realize and we are throwing it away because we are blinded by the “stuff” that we have and getting more “stuff”. We’re consumed by what Brittney Spears is doing and whether Brad and Angelina will “make it work”. Who cares what they are doing. They are living their own lives and I could care less about it in mine. The only time I really care about what entertainers are doing is when I have to vote about it or when I pay way too much money to watch them in a movie theater.
My life isn’t easy. Thanks to the dj business I have more bills then money right now. The joy of starting a business, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I have three kids I”m raising mostly on my own and I wouldn’t trade them either. I’m lucky in that I have two involved dads who show an interest in their kids. I’m lucky that I have a firm faith that allows me to know who I am, why I’m here and what the point of all this is.
We have a wonderful country, protected by volunteer soldiers and all that we have to do is work hard to make things happen usually. Life isn’t meant to be easy all the time, you do have to work at it, and in that hard work, miracles happen, joy is found and respect is gained.
Have a Happy 4th of July everyone, remember that its okay to be proud of the country you live in.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
I watch a lot of interesting shows on the History Channel, and every now & then there’s something involving the LDS. I find the history really fascinating, or maybe it’s just that I find history and religion fascinating, period. There’s a lot of amazing TRUE stories about our nation and the people that built it up, that nobody ever hears about because most of the history that is taught in schools is politically correct baloney.
I agree with most of what you said about how people don’t have enough pride in our country. As for respect for oneself and others, it made me think of a quote that I’ve loved for a long time: “Back in the old days, we didn’t have self-esteem; we had self-respect, and only as much of that as we earned!”