Have you ever had American pride well up in your heart while tears streak down your cheeks? I have this happen each time I see a return soldier hug his kids. All I have to see is a picture of a combat soldier caring for a foreign child in a country we're at war with to feel this pride fill my heart. Maybe not pride. Maybe it's love for my fellow Americans who risk their lives to make my life safer. The American Song I wrote is for the brave men and women who serve in the armed forces of the United States of America.
My hope is that the lyrics and melody of the song increase their belief and determination to continue the struggle for what they're fighting for. A reminder of what makes America great so that when they walk on foreign soil those reminders bolster them up to brave the long days and nights of being away from home. I've seen a lot of soldiers who have come home with missing limbs. I always point them out to my kids so that they know what a hero looks like. I tell them that a hero is someone who lays down their life for others.
Heroism isn't something that people are given, it's something that happens in a moment of conflict when all thought for oneself is transferred to the well-being of others. This is why most heroes don't consider themselves heroes, because they didn't do the heroic act for their own glory, but for the sake of another human being. I've never served in war, but I have had a life or death struggle with two people who sought to take my life for a few possessions. I know what it feels like to fight for my life. I know what it feels like afterward when distrust of my fellowman heightens my sense of awareness toward strange or suspicious activity.
This was only one experience. I can't imagine the effects of day to day life-threatening experiences would do to a soldiers nerves. The trauma that followed my experienced lasted for several months afterward, but has since faded away into memory. While I still keep a steady eye for the out-of-the-ordinary, my trust in the goodness of humanity has returned. I feel for the soldiers who are still suffering the post-traumatic stress of harrowing experiences that shook them to their cores. It's a weird feeling you get when someone verbally threatens or literally attempts to kill you.
I'm grateful for the freedoms that I enjoy each day, because of the past heroes who laid down their lives that I might live free. This gratitude is what I believe American pride is all about. I'm proud to be an American who loves a nation so rich in the history of the search for freedom. I'm disgusted whenever I hear of someone who wants to remove the liberties my country provides for me and my family. I will fight to defend them, because I've seen what happens to people when these liberties are taken away. They suffer at the hands of their controllers.
Keep the faith my fellow Americans. Keep being grateful for what we take for granted each and everyday. Never forget the captivity of our forefathers. Those who fought for independence from a tyrannical government who wanted to enslave us with taxes too heavy to bear. Be ever suspicious of a government that overburdens her people with heavy taxes, suffocating regulations and non-transparent laws. These threats are all around us and our eyes have been blinded, our ears have been deaf for way to long and our voices mute for fear of retaliation.
Even writing this blog I feel cautious. Why? Because I've seen people and organizations targeted by government agencies and administrations whenever they rose up against overt oppression and suppression to freedom of thought, freedom of religious beliefs, freedom to keep and bear arms and freedom of speech. I'm am only one man, but we are a republic of libertarians. We are a people armed with a love for God, a love for our families, a love for our communities, a love for our freedoms. I don't want to lose anymore ground.
Patriotism is the movement that reminds our elected leaders of the content of our hearts and minds. We have a right to free assembly to voice our grievances with local, state and federal governments. We have a representative governing body that must represent the people and not their own selfish desires. When a politician becomes a servant by the people, of the people and for the people, that politician is to be a hero for those men and women and must stand up and fight for them when their rights and liberties are threatened.
Listen to The American Song and be reminded of what patriotism feels like, what the power of self-reliance feels like. We need patriots and heroes more than ever right now. We need them to speak up and be heard. We must keep our feet down and push against the powers of darkness in high places that threaten to devour our righteous laws and throw away our liberties. There is no grey matter. There is only black and white, right and wrong, good and evil. If you think their is grey area, then you have been deceived by the father of all lies and he has dragged your soul into the bitter chains of wickedness. These chains can only be broken by the grace of God.
If you're wallowing in the mire, then you will be useless in the battle that is raging for the restoration of the American Dream. If you don't have control of yourself then you are good for nothing. Regain control over your appetites and desires and let the goodness of God temper them. Once who have come to God, He will show you how you can help save yourself from spiritual bondage. Once free of that bondage you can continue on to escape from physical bondage. It's never too late to start.
We are only as strong as our people. As our people live clean, upright lives our families, communities, counties, states and ultimately the nation will once again thrive. Without this change we are doomed. No man can save a wicked nation, but a wicked nation repented can be saved by God and that saving grace restores the nation to greatness. Not greatness of men, but goodness, because their hearts are one in Jesus Christ and greatness is simply the byproduct of that relationship.
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