Thank you, Veterans!

"Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today's world do not have."

America is the world's best in many areas.  One of our most important bests is our military.  The United States military is the finest in the world, and has been for centuries.  Since our founding, brave men and women have sacrificed their lives at home, sacrificed a normal life, to serve their country and fight for our freedom.

 

Our American military has been involved in seven major wars.  In each one, the goal that sounded with every gunshot has been the same:  Freedom.  Whether we were fighting for our own freedom or another country's, the American military has a goal of freedom that they spread abroad to every country they touch down on.  In the American Revolution, we fought for our own independence from England.  In WWII, we fought for the freedom of Germany from the dictatorship of Adolf Hitler, as well as the freedom of thousands of Jews that had been captured by the Nazis.  In the American Civil War, we fought for the freedom of slaves, as well as the freedom of the entire country by abolishing slavery.  In the Iraq war, we are seeking to destroy terrorism and in the process, free the world of that huge threat. 

Our veterans deserve thanks year round, but November 11th is a day set aside especially for them.  The entire country will remember them on this day.  Our veterans deserve our full, unwavering support.  Many of them come back from war with post-traumatic stress.  Too many of them come back without the means necessary to support their families, that they have sacrificed time away from to serve, after dealing with a major injury.  Some soldiers, sadly, even end their own lives here at home after surviving the war because they cannot deal with the images engraved in their minds after the war.  Our veterans deserve every ounce of support we can give them, and more.  It is beyond sad and pathetic that so many of them come back and are unable to support themselves.  Organizations like Wounded Warrior Project and Any Soldier are doing their part to support our troops and veterans; but the military men and women deserve every single Americans' full, unerring support.

Today, thank a veteran.  Think of and remember those who have given the "last full measure of devotion" for the cause of freedom.  It is because of their sacrifice that we can live in a free country.  They have taken months, and in many cases years, out of their own lives, sacrificed time with family, risked their own lives for the cause of liberty.  They fight for freedom for the next generation of Americans, so they, too, can grow up in a free America.  President Reagan stated our fight for freedom the best:  "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same."  Every one of our veterans has fought for the very thing many take for granted. 

If you are a veteran, I want to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart.  It is because of you that I was born in and can grow up in a free country.  There are really no words I can say that can fully express my gratitude to you!  You are in my thoughts and prayers.  All of America is indebted to you!

Happy Constitution Day!

Yes, today is a holiday!  It is called Constitution Day and celebrates the signing of our National Constitution.

The Constitution was signed on September 17th, 1787, by thirty-nine of the new nation's brightest and best leaders and minds.  With all of their input, the Constitution was born and implemented.  Imagine the pride of those men.  They came to America under British rule, then won their freedom against the British army.  This was a great feat because the British army was considered the best in the world at that time.  They adopted their own Constitution and set of laws, creating a new nation out of practically nothing. 

We are all here in America today because of those brave men who were not afraid to take a chance.  Imagine if they had never done it!  Imagine if, when the British came over to fight here, they had given up and said it was too hard!  They stuck it out and fought for what they wanted.  They wanted a new nation where their children could grow up in a free land.  What they really accomplished was freedom for generations and generations.  Keeping the fight for freedom alive is something every American has a responsibility to do.

With all the criticism of the Constitution through the years, you would think it would have been gone long ago.  There were so many things to be changed, made into Constitutional Amendments, that why not just write up a new one?

That would have never worked.  The original U.S. Constitution is the founding document for this country and still has great relevance today.  The twenty-seven Amendments made to it make it all the better.  Even with all the disagreements over it, our Constitution has remained the law of the land for 224 years.  It will always have its critics, but the Constitution officially established itself long ago.  It is going nowhere.  It is and always will be the document everyone can look to as the thing that officially began this nation. 

When I think of the Constitution, three words come to mind:  The first is faith.  Faith in God, yes, but also faith in their cause.  Faith in each other to carry out the enormous task at hand.  If they had distrusted each other, you and I would not have been born in a free country. 
The second is courage.  Obviously, fighting the mighty British army was a daunting task at the least.  They went into it with a courage that was unmatched at that time, and has only been matched by our military men and women.
The last word is determination.  To win freedom, and to make the new country work.   Without determination to get things rolling, nothing would have happened! 

Have you ever actually read the Constitution?  It's really a fascinating read.  You can read it here:  http://www.constitutionday.com/.