We Should Be Grateful
Fellow Americans,
Another Independence Day has come and gone, with fireworks, barbecues, family, and friends. God has blessed our country abundantly and we should enjoy our blessings. But to enjoy them we must know them. To do that we must learn our history, specifically the history of our founding and the sacrifices made by our forefathers.
The Pilgrims came to the New World for the freedom to live and worship as they chose, not as they were ordered by the King of England. So they risked everything they had, including their own lives, to make a new start in a new place far away from the control of the king. But their safe passage was not guaranteed. On the open seas, they were at the mercy of the weather, illness, and Pirates. Many Pilgrims died on the transport ships coming here. Many more died of exposure after they arrived. Life was hard, especially in the beginning. But they persevered and eventually prospered, thanks to God’s blessings and their own hard work.
As the colonies grew, so did their desire for independence from England. But the English colonies were swarming with “red coats.” King George’s troops were stationed in the colonies to patrol the streets and maintain law and order. Mostly they collected taxes for the king and spied on the colonists. As the king imposed increasingly higher taxes on the colonists and forced stricter laws on them, their desire for insurrection grew. Eventually they risked their lives and fortunes to fight the greatest army and navy of their time, knowing that if they lost they would be executed.
The Revolutionary War was not popular with all of the colonists. Many believed it was impossible to defeat England. Others felt loyalty to England and didn’t mind the overbearing king. But as tensions grew, so did the rebellious behavior of the colonists and the violence against them. The Revolutionary War officially began on April 19, 1775, with the battles of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. After eight bloody years of fighting, through the grace of God, the rag-tag Continental Army led by General George Washington defeated King George’s mighty military and secured liberty for the colonies. With their newly won liberty our framers created the Constitution, which protects the God-given rights we enjoy today.
I wrote this article as a reminder to Americans that freedom isn’t free. Let us reflect on our founding and the sacrifices of those patriots whose blood, sweat, and tears secured the liberty we often take for granted. Let us also thank our military troops, law enforcement officers, and citizen patriots who are willing to lay down their lives for our freedom. Most of all let us thank God for his protection and blessings, without which we are nothing.
Read The Indispensables by Patrick K. O’Donnell and The Adversaries by Ned Ryun to learn about the true heroism and bravery of our forefathers. May God continue to bless you and the United States of America!
Dan Landi
Kidder, MO
