Happy 250th, USA!

Tomorrow is the 4th of July. It is also the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

For much of the world, 250 years is just a drop in the bucket. 

How about the remains of the Colosseum? It’s not all still standing, but enough to get a really good idea of what it looked like 2,000 years ago. 250 years isn’t much by comparison.

But if you know anything about history, you know that what our founding fathers fought and (many) died for was thought to be impossible. A nation run by the people and for the people? The idea sounded impossible, ludicrous. 

At that time, the vast majority of the world was ruled by kings or emperors or despots or tyrants or some other moniker that meant one man ruled. He and his minions decided what was good for the people (mostly meaning he decided what was good for him and how the little guys would be sure he got it).

Even today, much of the world is under control of a very few.

I love America. I’m so very thankful God chose my mom and dad to give birth to me in the good old USA. Not only the USA but in Idaho with its wilderness and its high desert. I was born for such a time as this. May I live as He has called me to live.

Have you read the Declaration of Independence lately? You should. In order to make it easy for you, I’ve got an excerpt here, with a link to the entire document at the end.

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.

From there the document goes on to list the offenses of the British crown against the people of the 13 colonies in America. It’s a long and detailed list. The document then ends with the following:

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. 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.

To read the document in its entirety, visit the National Archives at: https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript

While I celebrate the freedom my ancestors fought for in the Revolutionary War, in the War of 1812, in the Civil War, in the Great War, in World War 2 … While I celebrate the life my family gave me because of faith and a strong work ethic … While I acknowledge that I am a blessed and very independent-minded woman of the 21st century … I freely acknowledge that I am now and forever dependent upon a gracious and glorious God.

Happy 4th of July, friends.

~robin

PS The winner of my Christmas in (Almost) July giveaway is Bridget at p*****@**.com. Congratulations, Bridget.