Every morning as my coffee brews, I take a moment to reflect on my blessings and to give thanks.
My first thoughts are always of my loved ones; my second is my fortune to be born in the USA. It's an unearned privilege I'll never take for granted.
In a world that’s too often consumed by negativity and division, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that America, despite every flaw, remains the greatest nation on Earth. This isn't blind patriotism or jingoism; it's a truth that bears repeating, especially today.
No nation has done more to spread freedom and human rights than America. From the Declaration of Independence's radical notion that all men are created equal to the sacrifices of generations who fought to defend it, America remains a beacon of hope for oppressed people everywhere.
The country’s greatness comes from more than just big ideas. Its spirit of innovation has changed the world. From Edison's light bulb to the internet revolution born in American garages, its ingenuity has led the way. We put a man on the moon, cured polio, and connected the globe. Even today, one of our bolder immigrants now sends more rockets into space than any government the planet.
That spirit is tied to another all-American trait: the belief that here, anyone can succeed hard work and guts. From Ellis Island immigrants to today's entrepreneurs, America has always been a place where your background matters less than your determination. It's a land where a small-town boy from Illinois or the child of a Kenyan immigrant can become president and leader of the free world.
Holding it all together is a tough-as-nails system of government. For nearly 250 years, it's weathered wars, depressions, and every crisis in between. It's a system that'll keep on kicking long after our current troubles are in the history books. It's a system that will endure long after our current troubles and troublemakers are in the history books.
As a child, July Fourth was a day for barbecues and a lot of fireworks. I miss those days of indisputably dangerous celebrations, but as I grew I learned the meaning behind them. Today I understand it’s a celebration of the audacity and vision of the Founding Fathers, who risked everything to create a nation founded on the principles of liberty and self-governance.
And fireworks, of course. So tonight, as the colorful explosions light up the sky, remember what they stand for. Like America, they're bright, bold, and a little dangerous. They're a fitting reminder of the rockets' red glare and bombs bursting in air that marked our nation's birth.
Even more, they're a symbol of the never-say-die American spirit that's overcome every challenge thrown its way. It’s a spirit that made the United States a force for good in the world, that still draws millions to our shores chasing a dream. America isn't perfect, but it's unparalleled.
It's a country worth cherishing, worth defending, and worth believing in.
—Ken
@ David Gardner…I’m not sure where you are from and surmise it’s not important. Your condescending attitude comes from a lack of understanding of the American Spirit that abides in most of its citizens. We don’t blindly love our country. We know she is not perfect, but she is OUR country. You could say we view her as a we would a parent or grandparent. There is an inherent love and adoration for her even though we have witnessed or even been the victim of her shortcomings and mistakes. Perhaps you feel the same for your country. That is a good thing. But before you continue to criticize the U.S. remove the beam from your own eye before attempting to remove the splinter from ours.
The only reason America was and still is exceptional is because of God's favor and mercy on our country. As I learn more about our founding father's and mother's, I stand amazed at the miracles through out our 248 years. There is no way we should have won the Revolutionary War! Many colonists wanted to stay with Britain. But God put the right people at the right time to be brave and do impossible things. Our country has had the privilege to send out so many people to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and help others world wide...it is amazing! So many admire and love our country; otherwise they wouldn't have come. People are waking up, revivals are happening all over this great land of hope...can't wait to see wait God will do next!