God Bless The USA

Happy Birthday, America! I wanted to take the time to reflect on what America means to me. I have had a somewhat unique experience to have lived and experienced life in countries other than the United States. Sometimes it is only by comparing to others that we truly see how blessed we are.

My first memories of being an American and it being something different and unique was when in second grade we moved to Ontario, Canada. Not so different from America, but there were a couple of neighborhood boys who insisted on calling me "yankee" (with quite a derogatory tone of voice). I kept telling them I was from Georgia which made me a "rebel", but they weren't buying it. At the time it bothered me some, but I also secretly enjoyed being a yankee, rebel, American.

When I was in 10th grade we moved to Bonn, West Germany (at the time it was WEST Germany). What an awesome experience that allowed me to truly see lives and societies that did not live as we do here in America. I remember having bomb threats at our American high school on a fairly regular basis as we had diplomat children from many different countries attending our school and they must have been good targets for threats of terrorism. Thankfully, the threats never came to pass.

I remember traveling to Berlin and visiting both East and West Berlin. Going through Checkpoint Charlie and our car being searched. Going into East Berlin and the eerie silence that permeated the air. We didn't hear dogs barking or children playing, people talking. It was just silent. The groceries stores were bare with only the most minimum amount of food for purchase. The colors were drab and dreary. To say it was depressing is an understatement. I remember standing at the Berlin Wall on the West side and writing my name on it and looking up at the large guard towers and being unnerved to my core. Thinking of the people who had tried to escape to freedom, to be reunited with their families on the other side and being shot down before they could succeed.

We visited the concentration camps at Dachau, Germany. You could still smell the acrid air that reminded us of the unspeakable horrors that occured there. Where just beyond the fence were beautiful farms where far too many turned a blind eye, ear and nose (often I am sure out of numbing fear) to the atrocities that were occuring right next to them. Visiting the homes of Anne Frank and Corrie ten Boom. To see these warriors who lived (or died) through the terror of Hitler's reign.

Having the incredible opportunity to visit the Holy Land. But to be strip searched, taken by heavily machine-gun guarded bus to the airplane for our travels. (just in case someone wanted to blow up the plane, it wouldn't have killed as many people as it would if connected to the airport). To know that the Israelites have never truly had a time of peace and live with this kind of life daily.

To visit poorer nations who don't have the homes, food, clothes, cars, schools, medical care, resources we have. To visit orphans in orphanages who nobody wants because they aren't perfect.

For all these reasons, I often wonder what did I do to receive such a blessing from the Lord as to be born an American. How can I ever show my gratitude for the Americans who have come before me or are currently fighting for us to be able to keep the kind of wonderful lives we have. I know the gas prices are unbelievably high. Groceries are going through the roof as well, job loss is on the rise and moral is down. But still... We live in an incredible country. We have freedom, and there are far too many who have come before us or who are currently making their home on this wonderful planet, who can't say the same thing.

To have so many men and women who have given or are currently giving their lives for us is overwhelming to me. And to the spouses, children and parents who have sacrificed their time and in many cases the rest of their lives with those family members standing guard and fighting for us speaks of incredible selflessness and love they have for America. Thank You.

For those reasons, tomorrow I will be singing (as always ~ with tears in my eyes) -

God Bless the USA.

If tomorrow all the things were gone,

I’d worked for all my life.

And I had to start again,

with just my children and my wife (husband for me).
I’d thank my lucky stars,

to be livin here today.

‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom,

and they can’t take that away.
And I’m proud to be an American,

where at least I know I’m free.

And I wont forget the men who died,

who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,

next to you and defend her still today.

‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,

God bless the USA.