God Bless the USA
Patriotism| 5 Comments »Independence Day 2009
In spite of everything that is currently happening in our country, the economy, losses of loved ones, homes and jobs, we still need to pause and reflect on what we DO have in our lives! As we celebrate the Fourth of July this week, let’s do so with a patriotic spirit of gratitude and faithfulness, and celebrate a land where we can still embrace our freedoms and liberties.
The United States–as a country and as a people–have joined together through countless tragedies, depressions and battles, and bounced back each time. We shall again, and it will take our "united-ness" to do it.
We are more than a geographic location on the globe.
We are a people of sheer determination.
We are a people of amazing inner drive.
We are a people of creativity and vision.
We are a people of boundless persistence.
We are a people of great faith.
And THAT is ALL worth celebrating this Independence Day!
"God Bless the USA"
If tomorrow all the things were gone
I’d worked for all my life,
And I had to start again
with just my children and my wife,
I’d thank my lucky stars
to be living here today,
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom
and they can’t take that away.
I’m proud to be an American
where at least I know I’m free,
And I won’t forget the men who died
who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you
and defend her still today,
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land
God Bless the USA.
-Lyrics by Lee Greenwood
Sheryl Roush
Proud American
Speaker and 12-time Author
Co-Author of the forthcoming book, Heart of a Military Woman, releasing Veteran’s Day, Nov. 2009
www.SparklePresentations.com
Time for an American Evolution
Holidays, Patriotism| 1 Comment »Time for an American Evolution
“The good news this July 4th is that we don’t need a revolution in this country. We’ve already had one. What is needed now is the American Evolution, where we the people realize we are the leaders we’ve been waiting for and restore the all-important missing ingredient in government of, by and for the people — the people.
“If fear has hijacked the American dream, we the people must higher-jack it. We must overgrow the fear-based state of emergency, and declare a love-based state of Emerge ‘n See instead. We must emerge from our fearful state of separation and see we are all in this together.
“Biology is now confirming what our spiritual teachers have been trying to get through our thick skulls for millennia: Life is not about survival of the fittest, but the thrival of the fittingest. Each of us is a remarkable community of 50 trillion cells, all working together in harmony. In the society beneath our skin, there is universal health care and full employment, truly no cell left behind. Unlike most human nations, the ‘nations’ of cells known as organs cooperate for the benefit of the entire organism. You rarely if ever read about the liver invading the pancreas and laying claim to the Islets of Langerhans.
“We declare our independence from the obsolete positions of left and right, and we come front and center to face the music and dance together. We see there are no sides, only angles … and when seen from the right angle, we are all on the same side.
“We declare our independence from the notion that we are better than or less than any other human being. Consider this: Each of us is totally unique, just like everyone else.”
Excerpts from Beyonda News: http://www.wakeuplaughing.com
Real Freedom
Holidays, Patriotism| No Comments »Real Freedom
Observing Independence Day may mean getting together for a family barbecue or taking an out-of-town trip, but no matter how you spend the day, Dr. Robin Smith says it’s important to remember what the day is really about. "People have lost loved ones so we can live in this free country," she says. There is also another, more personal, side to Independence Day that Dr. Robin says people sometimes forget: "Part of freedom is being safe to be who you are," she says.
In order to really appreciate your freedom this year, Dr. Robin suggests making Independence Day an up close and personal holiday—a time to exercise your idea of freedom. "What does it really mean for you to be free? For you to be liberated? For you to not just live in the land of the free, but for you to be a human being who is accessing it in your everyday life?" Dr. Robin asks. "What does it really look like for you to make good choices? Free choices that feed you body, feed your mind, feed your relationships?"
By embracing the meaning of independence and freedom and applying it to your own life this Fourth of July, Dr. Robin says you’ll become liberated in a new way. "Become who you were born to be, who you were destined to be—that is what it means to be free."
– Dr. Robin Smith, radio show on July 4, 2008, www.Oprah.com
Independence Day
Holidays, Patriotism, Stories| No Comments »Independence Day
In celebration of the United States’ Independence, we bring you this true story of five men who broke through their terror barrier and made a commitment to something huge.
The thirteen colonies (what would become the United States) were being taxed unfairly under Great Britain’s rule. Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston and Roger Sherman were the five men that stood up for the Colonist’s rights. They argued that Great Britain had no jurisdiction to tax the Colonies.
While all of the other Colonists felt that they were being treated unfairly, none of them were willing to say so, as their allegiance was still with the King of Great Britain. It was up to these five men to push for the rights of the Colonists. They met at the Virginia Convention and then again in Williamsburg to declare the Colonies independent. John Adams stood up for the resolution that: "these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.
When these five men met to draft the Declaration of Independence, there was no working process. They did not have someone to lead the meeting, take minutes or even guide them as to how the ideas should be presented. They were on their own to take control and put all of their thoughts into an organized form that could be presented to Congress. The committee decided on a general outline that the document needed to follow, and then appointed Thomas Jefferson to write the first draft. The weight of the 13 Colonies’ independence now rested on Jefferson’s shoulders. Jefferson only had 17 days to finish the first draft. He then got comments and revisions from the other committee members and wrote a second draft. The document titled "A Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress Assembled" was presented to Congress on June 28, 1776.
These men knew that what was put on this paper could have cost them their lives, did they not receive backup from Congress and the other Colonists. If the King of Great Britain wanted to, he could have had these men executed for encouraging the Colonists to go against his rule. They put themselves on the line in order to gain freedom for the rest of the Colonies.
On July 2, 1776 Congress and 12 of the 13 colonies approved General Lee’s Resolution for Independence, severing ties between the Colonies and Great Britain for good. The next day, John Adams wrote a letter to his wife predicting that July 2nd would soon become a great American holiday. Congress then began to look at the Declaration of Independence. After several days of debating, word changing, and some content adjustment, Congress approved the document on July 4, 1776.
Today America celebrates 232 years of independence and freedom. Because these men did not let fear stand in their way, because they did not hesitate to make the right choice, American Citizens now have the right to vote, the right to free speech, the right to practice any religion, the right to a fair trial, just to name a few.
–Paul Martinelli
Imagine what impact you could make, if you broke through your terror barrier. The endless amounts of people you could impact and differences you could make in the world are incredible!