On this day 239 years ago, when the United States of America declared her independence from Great Britain, the land of the free and the home of the brave began her existence.
July 4, 1776.
Fast forward decades of generations, a millennium, wars — both combat and social, inventions, monumental discoveries and forty-three Presidents, America still stands.
July 4, 2015
Independence Day has always been my favorite holiday. I love the energy, noise and excitement felt during firework presentations, I love the festivities, the summer joy of everything, the parties, the family, and also the reason behind the celebrations: the freedoms we celebrate, our Constitution, the stories of our Founding Fathers. I like to consider myself patriotic in every sense of the word.
However, in light of the recent Supreme Court rulings and various aspects of social and political agendas that we face in our 21st century, we could most certainly say that the freedoms, rights, and liberties we enjoy are either many or diminishing — and that viewpoint is directly related to public policies.
However, because this is not a political blog, rather one dedicated to encourage women of all ages to live intentionally and with purpose in honour of our Creator and Savior, we’re going to stray away from political controversy and simply be thankful for America. For with all of her troubles and issues, she is still a beautiful, wonderful country and one that I am proud to call home. With that being said, I am always so moved by the words of our national anthem and the pride they invoke: hand over heart, eyes raised to the banner of red, white and blue, and love bursting from the deepest part of my being for my country.
So today let’s celebrate and let the anthem of our hearts be raised — true and proud of our God, our Country, our Lives:
- “Praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation…And this be our motto— ‘In God is our trust; and the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave o’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave’!”
O say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming;
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave?
On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, now conceals, now discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines on the stream;
‘Tis the star-spangled banner; O long may it wave
O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave!
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave,
From the terror of flight and the gloom of the grave;
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave!
O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land,
Praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just.
And this be our motto— “In God is our trust; ”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave.
– Francis Scott Key, “The Star Spangled Banner”