I LOVE AMERICA!

   

  "America the Beautiful" "from sea to shining sea" – it is "the land of the free and home of the brave." I love America. I am thankful for where I live, yet so many people take it all for granted. They do not realize the privilege they have.

   At a young age, I was taught to be thankful for the opportunity I have to live in this land. I remember being in kindergarten, pledging allegiance to the flag, and singing “America the Beautiful”. My family has always celebrated the 4th of July in some way. When I was two or three, I sat and watched a fireworks display that the church we were at gave. Even then, I did not fully realize the privilege I had. It was not until my family became missionaries that I truly understood. As we traveled the eastern half of the United States, we visited state parks and memorials. We visited New York City and Washington DC. We were able to take a picture in front of the Statue of Liberty. The seed of love for my country began to grow, but I would still take it all for granted until we had to leave the home we knew and the land we loved. 

    After we raised enough support, my family left for language school and went to Quebec, Canada. We had many great adventures, but we experienced major culture shock. It is not to put down that country or its people; it was just so very different. Where we were, not only was some of the food different, but it was other things too. They spoke a different language. Homeschooling is also foreign to them. We were homeschooled and had to stay inside during school time because if we left, the police would approach us and ask why we were not in school. That happened to me and my dad. We were going to the store and as we were walking in, a police officer approached my dad and asked about my schooling. That was a mini adventure in itself.  Yes, life in Quebec was different.

    There was a bright spot each summer the year and a half we were there. We would pack all our camping supplies, load up into our conversion van, and travel across the country line from Canada to the United States. Oh, what a great feeling it was to be back in a familiar land! We had someone tell us "Welcome home." We all started crying right there. To top it off, we would pull out our CD – The Great American Time Machine – Patch the Pirate Adventure. We would sing right along with the songs "I'm Thankful to Be an American" and "We Salute You, Lady Liberty." Can you tell we were homesick? 

    After language school and reaching more support, we left for our mission field. We did not have as much culture shock in St. Barths, but we still thought fondly of our homeland. We had a sense of pride and joy each time we came for a visit. After we left the mission field, we planted Victory Springs I. Baptist Church. I enjoyed our time as missionaries, but I also love being back in my homeland and being able to enjoy the freedoms we have been given.

    It saddens me whenever I see or hear of someone taking this land for granted. Some people disrespect the flag, our government, law enforcement, and the foundation upon which America was built. It ought not to be so. Please do not take America for granted.

    How can we take advantage of the blessings we have been given as young ladies? What makes a good citizen? How can we show appreciation for our country and make it a better place?

7 Ways to Show Your Appreciation for the Land You Love

1.) First and foremost, we can pray for our country, government, soldiers, and law enforcement. 

There is power in prayer. Our country really needs prayer right now. We can begin by praying for revival in our country. Then we can pray for our government to make wise decisions. Let us not forget the people who lay their lives on the line to protect us such as soldiers and law enforcement. We need to pray for them to have courage. Truly it is a land of the free because of these brave men and women who give their lives to protect us and our freedoms.

2.) One of the next things we can do is vote.

Do you realize the privilege you have as a young lady today? If had lived over a hundred years ago you would not have the right to vote as a lady. It truly is a privilege more than a right. Some people are too worried about their rights that they fail to realize it is a privilege. I can still remember the first time I was able to vote when I was 18. I was both nervous and proud to be able to vote for who I desired as a President and leader. If Christians do not vote righteously and wisely together, then the people who do not stand for the things we stand for could be put in office, and some of our freedoms could be taken away. I encourage you to go out and vote in the election this year. 

3.) Not only can we pray and vote, but we should also be a witness to the lives around us.

As Christians, we are called to be witnesses. Indeed, we are to be a light to the nations, but it starts with here, in this nation. There are some Christians who put their whole focus on foreign missions that they neglect the people that are nearby. Yes, we must do our part in foreign missions, but we should also go across the street. I can be guilty of that as well. We cannot rely on the pastor, the preacher, or the missionary if we are not being witnesses ourselves.

4.) We can take part in celebrating our national holidays that remind us of how blessed we are. 

I have met some Christians who do not celebrate holidays like the 4th of July for weird reasons. They take for granted the very country that gives them that liberty to choose. You can show your appreciation for the land you live in during the 4th. You can remember those who gave their lives during Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Don't take these times for granted. Instead, take those times to thank and praise the Lord.

5.) Respect the authority God has placed over you.

America is a great country because of the things it stands for. It is God and the people who fight for it who make it great. Too many people disrespect our president, law enforcement, soldiers, and flag. The very thing set in place to protect and lead, they disrespect and disdain. Do not be like that. As Christians, we should respect our authority. My dad was taught to respect the flag and never let it touch the ground. In turn, my dad taught it to his children. Sadly, there are people in this country who tear, burn, destroy, and demean the flag, what it stands for, and the people who fought for it. It is a sad day when people kneel out of disrespect for the flag. Not only do people disrespect the flag today, but they also disrespect, degrade, and demean our president. Yet, I have more respect for this president than I did the last. I think our President Trump is one of the best. Now, he is not perfect, but neither are we. However, you cannot deny all that he has done for our country no matter what the news says or tries to keep secret. You have to be careful of the news out there. Too many times the news focuses on all the bad and hides the good. My dad was listening to something yesterday, and I heard part of it. It recorded all the times different reporters and leaders talked of the "dark" times we are living in. You will never see the light if you are focusing on the dark. Instead of focusing on the president's faults and flaws (like we have) instead of respecting his position of authority and being thankful for his good character traits. 

(I'm sorry that point got a little long. It is just a pet peeve of mine. :)

6.) Simply, work hard.

This next point was added after my dad's message tonight. (You can watch the message on our Victory Springs Facebook page.) For the past couple of weeks in his Jeremiah study, he has been talking about the symptoms of a sick nation. One of the points was, the people had lost their shame. Then he gave many subpoints focusing on the word “shame”. Tonight, he talked about the point that it is a shame to be lazy. (Side note: my dad has always hated the three l's - littering, lying, and laziness.) There are people in our nation who are lazy and would rather protest when they should instead be busy working. It is a shame to be lazy, but sadly, we have many citizens who do not work hard. He said that they ask, "Where is my portion? Where are my rights?" instead of going out and working for those privileges. When men like John Smith came to Jamestown in the New World, John Smith said that those who did not work should not eat - a biblical principle by the way. John Smith recognized the importance of hard work. Back to that Great American Time Machine adventure😊, Patch the Pirate's crew had traveled back in time to visit great Americans on a mission to find the secret of America's greatness. One of the secrets to America's greatness was good, old-fashioned hard work. Hardworking men and women have made America great. Americans should be known as hard workers, not lazy people. Not only Americans but Christians around the world, too. As my preacher father said, "It's time to get back to work."

7.) Finally, but maybe not last or least of all, we can become godly women who raise the next generation right.

If every citizen was like you, what kind of country would this be? When I took a US History class in college, one of my assignments was to write six response papers. One of the papers was on the makings of a great lady. I wrote that some think it is being a feminist or standing for rights, but that does not make a great lady. A great woman is not someone who makes a big career for herself. To me, the great ladies of our day are the mothers who raise their children for God, the wives who stand beside their husbands, and the single ladies who devote their lives to serving God and being a blessing to others. These are the women I want to be like. 

To me, a great lady does her part in raising and influencing the next generation. In my paper, I wrote, "Women need to use their freedoms for the glory of God and for influencing the next generation. In truth, women play a great role in raising the next generation which is one of the roles God set up for women. Women need to recognize what an opportunity they have to be a blessing and influence others... Do you want to see a great lady? Look at the mom fighting for her kids, the wife supporting her husband, and the godly lady devoted to serving her Lord." Be one of those great ladies!

Let me finish by restating the question I asked earlier. If every citizen in the United States was like you, what would this country be like?

As one song says, "I Still Believe in America"  – it is a country worth fighting for. Let's do our part for the land we love!

Elisabeth Kristine