Why do I love the United States?

Ever asked the question, Why do I love the United States? Well today a friend and colleague of ours emailed us a letter his brother wrote. We were

moved by his story and wanted to share it with you.

Saturday, July 04, 2009
9:21 AM
Dear Tysons Staff,

I love the United States of America for many

reasons. My 21 years as Chaplain in the United States Air Force/Air National Guard contributed to that love and loyalty. But for the most part, that love came

from my father, an immigrant from Portugal. He came as a stowaway in the early 40’s, became a legalized citizen via seven

years of duty in the Merchant Marines, and went on to be yet another example of an immigrant who came to the land of opportunity with nothing

and turned into a model citizen of integrity and industry. My father, 92, and my mother, 83, now live with us.
Recently, I gave my father a small American flag. He looked at it for a couple of minutes and then said with deep feeling, “There used to be a time when this flag wasn’t mine, but, now it is.” Dementia has slowed his thinking process, so, after pausing for a little while longer, he continued, “It may be a small flag, but, it is still beautiful.” He carried the flag in his front pocket for days after.

I write these things to encourage all of us to love our country. Love should be the result of deep appreciation for its constitution rooted in biblical thought, for education available to all, freedom of thought, a democratic process, and opportunities for work, entrepreneurial or otherwise. We are citizens of heaven – the land that we love above all others – but, we are also citizens of earth, saints who are in Christ and also in America.

Pray fervently for the Lord’s truths to permeate our culture and society. Pray earnestly for the hearts of the fathers to turn to their children, and, most importantly, that many will turn their hearts to the Lord.

Happy Fourth of July!

Joe

Our Blog | Our Website | Our PodCast & V-Log | Our Partners | Give

Little Carter Bridges sings the National Anthem

Happy July 4th! Celebrate the 4th with us today by listening and watching Carter Bridges sing the National Anthem. We are so proud of Carter for how brave he is in singing the National Anthem of the United States in front of crowds. We secretly think Carter should sing the National Anthem at a professional sporting event sometime.

Our Blog | Our Website | Our PodCast & V-Log | Our Partners | Give

Thoughts on Freedom from Banner Elk, NC

Sitting on the balcony of our friends' house in Banner Elk, NC, I'm taking some time to think about freedom. Also what about all those who have sacrificed for us and those that continue to sacrifice so that we can live in a free country, with a free and clear conscience, and more. Let me explain.

On July the 4th we celebrate our freedom as a country. Many men and women died. Many fought. Many worked hard. I come in on their coattails. I don't deserve to live here. God gave me the gift of being born here. I'm grateful. But why do we have this independence? To do whatever I want whenever I want? Negative. I believe that there are many little things I can do for my country, for my family, for those who serve in the military.

We also have freedom in Christ. Christ served us more than anyone could have. He gave His life. Do I take advantage of this freedom? Do I forget about it? Do I ignore it? Because of His life, death, and resurrection, I can have a clear conscience that the penalty for my sin has been paid. I'm not free to do what I want, I've been freed to bring the message of freedom in Christ to others.

Today, remember with me that we are blessed. If you can read this, trust me, you are a blessed person as there are others who can't read, can't see, or are suffering too much to get access to a computer. What will you do today with your freedom?

Our Blog | Our Website | Our PodCast & V-Log | Our Partners | Give

Mesquite Rodeo - July 4th

On July the fourth, we went to the Mesquite Rodeo in Dallas, TX. Enjoy the video that we created that tells the story of our memorable night in 2 minutes.