“You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4th, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness.” – Erma Bombeck

 

Happy 4th of July! Traditionally this has been a day to celebrate our nation with flag-waving parades and picnics and neighborhood BBQ’s. We fly our flag and display the red, white and blue on everything from napkins, plates and picnic blankets to the shirts and hats we wear. All across our nation, fireworks light up the night sky and the air fills with songs to celebrate living in America. It’s a day to enjoy and teach our kids why we observe America’s birthday.

 

Love of Country

For the most part, kids don’t need to be taught to love their parents. We see it in the faces of babies nuzzling into daddy’s neck when he holds them, or a toddler tucking behind mommy’s skirt clinging tightly to her when well-meaning folks come a little too close. That trusting love is God-given, deeply implanted in our heart to cherish and enjoy.

But some things children need to be taught. Like love of country. This is not a given as much as it once was.

Growing up, most of my childhood was spent in countries where freedom was not so incredibly lavished on every member of society. If you were born into a certain class or in a particular neighborhood your liberty and opportunity for education was limited at best.

Coming to America in high school, I saw the marked differences! I began to appreciate the beauty of this country that my mother cherished. She was born in southeast Asia and saw the goodness in America. Those who fought against the evil of World War II. She loved this country for its freedom of religion, freedom of self-expression, and the opportunity to change what was wrong. Where all voices are given the chance to be heard and the opportunity to work and make a better life for yourself.

 

Freedom

This freedom we have and take for granted is truly incredible. But we risk losing this outlook if we don’t bother to preserve it. That begins with celebrating what we have. That is why we moms need to teach our children to love and value America. Soon enough they will be bombarded on all sides, being told that our nation is a terrible dark place…and always was.

As culture grows more cynical, we are pressured to believe the worst things about our country. Loud voices that twist history and insist there is nothing good in America are draining this next generation of hope and stealing their dreams for the future.

It is tragic, especially for kids in hard places, to take away any hope of opportunities to make life better. To teach children who are in good situations that their family is part of the corruption, maybe even the cause of it.

We can and should be teaching our children they have a future. They are part of something good and they can make a difference. Start your kids out with love—love of God, love of family, love of country. These structures are what we build our future upon.

 

Remember

America wasn’t some brute force born out of greed and corruption. We announced our birth as a nation with a declaration that had its roots in Scripture, that all men are created equal and America stands for that.

Remind yourselves and teach your kids. Tell the story of Betsy Ross and the first flag. Read—or better yet, recite—the Longfellow poem about Paul Revere’s ride. Learn why the Liberty Bell was inscribed with a Bible verse and how it is a symbol for our nation.

Kids love birthdays, so let’s let them have fun celebrating America’s. This is truly a country whose very idea we must celebrate! Because when you don’t love something, in time you are bound to lose it.

 

 

“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.”  Philippians 4:8 (MSG)