Happy 4th of July

  I am thankful that I live in the United States. I praise God for allowing me to be born here. Our country is not perfect, but last I checked no country is perfect. The United States became independent from England in 1776 with the writing of The Declaration of Independence.


Take a moment to read a few quotes about liberty and freedom.


Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed - else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.  ~Dwight D. Eisenhower

In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.  ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

We on this continent should never forget that men first crossed the Atlantic not to find soil for their ploughs but to secure liberty for their souls.  ~Robert J. McCracken

True liberty consists in the privilege of enjoying our own rights, not in the destruction of the rights of others. ~ George Pinckard

It is impossible to enslave, mentally or socially, a Bible-reading people. The principles of the Bible are the ground work of human freedom. ~ Horace Greeley

 Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one. ~ Benjamin Franklin

Have a wonderful 4^th.   True liberty comes from knowing Jesus as your Savior.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1 

Have a blessed day,
Donna

Independence Day

Today is the day we are celebrating Independence Day. The quotes below show us what type of men started our country. Men who loved God and wanted to obey Him.

"God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the Gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever." 1781, Query XVIII of his Notes on that State of Virginia. -Thomas Jefferson

The doctrines of Jesus are simple, and tend to all the happiness of man.” -Thomas Jefferson

“We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We’ve staked the future of all our political institutions upon our capacity…to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.” [1778 to the General Assembly of the State of Virginia] -James Madison

“God governs in the affairs of man. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured in the Sacred Writings that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly believe this. I also believe that, without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel” – Constitutional Convention of 1787, original manuscript of this speech -Ben Franklin

I have examined all religions, as well as my narrow sphere, my straightened means, and my busy life, would allow; and the result is that the Bible is the best Book in the world. It contains more philosophy than all the libraries I have seen." December 25, 1813 in a letter to Thomas Jefferson.-John Adams

“It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.” -George Washington

"The church is the moral compass of society." -John Adams

"Men, in a word, must necessarily be controlled either by a power within them or by a power without them; either by the word of God or by the strong arm of man: either by the Bible or by the bayonet."- John Quincy Adams

"The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country...." –President Calvin Coolidge

Enjoy the day with your families and friends. Thank a service man for his service to our country . Thank God for all He has given you.



Have a blessed day,
Donna

Freedom

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1

Happy 4th of July. I am so thankful I live in America. I know that our country is not perfect but it is still a free nation. We are free to make choices. We can make choices of what we want to wear, where we want to live, what schools our children attend, where we want to worship. The choices go on and on.

Last year my husband and I went to the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. We had a great time and the area was beautiful. Norman Rockwell, a gifted illustrator, was inspired by a 1941 speech by Franklin D Roosevelt titled “The Four Freedoms.” Rockwell painted a series of paintings depicting his interpretation of the speech.

Freedom of Speech
The first is freedom of speech and expression -- everywhere in the world. -F.D. Roosevelt

Freedom of Worship
The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way -- everywhere in the world. - F.D. Roosevelt

Freedom from Want
The third is freedom from want -- which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants -- everywhere in the world. - F.D. Roosevelt

Freedom from Fear
The fourth is freedom from fear -- which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor-- anywhere in the world. -F.D. Roosevelt

As I read the words of F.D.Roosevelt and looked at the pictures of Norman Rockwell, I realized that we are slowly and surely losing our freedoms. A little at a time.

Now is the time to pray and ask the Lord for mercy. If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. II Chronicles 7:14

Will you do your part? The Lord is not just asking us to pray but to humble ourselves and turn from our wicked ways.

Have a blessed day,

Donna