Published: July 05, 2009 04:41 am      

We are proud and devoted Americans

We once again more thankfully celebrate another birthday for America. This year in the life of our nation has been one of uncertainty, discomfort and serious adjustment. Although this July Fourth of 2009 finds us in a financial recovery mode, we have not lost the faith on our ability to bounce back and emerge even stronger.

America the beautiful and great has survived many obstacles, wars, recessions and national crises of all types. Through and by our united efforts during these testing and traumatic times in our illustrious history, we again redefine and display the true fiber of democratic freedom, pledged allegiance and determination.

Our American patriotism and trust in God have been and shall continue to be our daily source of strength, faith and hope for the future. It is impossible to divorce our attitude of gratitude from the celebration of our nation’s birthday.

The courage and dedication of our founders must forever flow through our veins of national pride. It only takes one generation to begin the deterioration of our American honor and dignity and the slow erosion of our love of country and determined efforts to maintain and enlarge that pride.

Let the bands play and the fireworks burst forth in all their glory. May the awesome beauty and flickering explosions of brilliant light punctuate the darkening night sky and be a reminder and symbol of our democracy and its enlightened and illuminating influence to all the world throughout our nation’s history.

We will celebrate the Fourth of July with the usual gusto and fanfare. But in the midst of all the picnics and joyous celebrations, we should momentarily whisper a prayer of gratefulness for the blessing of being born or adopted Americans.

July 4, 2009 may find us a bit bruised, but we are bruised together. It may find our armed forces in harm’s way all over the world, but we are attacked together. It may find us struggling for hope in the future, but we will still find hope together. Together we stand or divided we fall, for we are proudly and eternally devoted Americans. God bless our America on her birthday. He has surely shed His grace upon us.

— Elton Slusser