July 4 Celebrations

Happy Birthday America. I was able to go over to the Millers/Lowerys/Templetons anual July 4th cookout. What a great time of food, fellowship and fun. Teterman even brought out his banjo for a while and we had fun listening to him pick and grin. The night ended with the fireworks show put on by the local Catholic Diocese followed by the City of Sparta's show.

It has been 232 years since we declared our independence and 225 years since it was earned (Great Britain's signing of the Treaty of Paris). What an incredible adventure for Americans living at any time in our history. I can't think of a 50 year period in our history where something historic and significant hasn't taken place. The great state of TN was added as the 16th state in 1796. Other states were added over time as the country continued Western expansion and growth.

Not long after our independence we fought the War of 1812 against the British. While the war basically ended in a stalemate with neither GB taking back over any part of the new country not the USA gaining any territory in Canada where some of the battles occurred and disputes continued on where the territorial lines should be drawn.

Again, soon after this war ended, we were again at war this time with Mexico over TX (The USA annexed Texas in 1845) and other land along the Southwest part of our growing land. The Mexican-American war lasted from 1846 to 1848 and ended on February 2nd with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

13 years after the end of the Mexican_American War we found ourselves in a new war. The war between the states (war of Northern Aggression, Civil War, etc.) was fought from 1861 to 1865. The war ended with the surrender of General Robert E. Lee in April of 1865. The war costs millions of dollars and more importantly over 618,000 Americans were killed (360,000 Northern soldiers and 258,000 Southern soldiers).

I could continue to list significant events and wars in our nations' history but suffice it to say we have a bloody history. As many have said before, Freedom is never Free. I extend my thanks to the men and women who today are in harm's way so that those of us here at home can continue on with our regular activities safe and secure.

This nation is not perfect (and might get worse here pretty soon) but it is still the greatest nation on earth. I pray that we will turn back to our creator and submit to God's authority (outlined in the Declaration of Independence -selected sections - "When in the course of human events...the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them...that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, ...And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence...").