I want to share some of my feelings about this country. But I’ve been struggling with how to go about it. Here are some little stories that may help.
A couple years ago, on a Tuesday morning, I had a couple things to pick up at the grocery store. As I started down the canned goods aisle, I saw something that, although I’d known it existed, I hadn’t really SEEN before. This grocery store was a 24-hr store, so they’d had all night to stock, straighten, and front the shelves. As I stood there looking at all that food, I remembered that there are places, have been times in history that this kind of abundance wasn’t available. Droughts and famine in diverse places, bread lines in so many countries. And here I stand looking at shelves and shelves of food! I realized that although my life wasn’t exactly what I wanted it to be, I was still truly blessed!
When the US pushed the Germans out of Italy at the end of WW2, shouts of “The Americans are coming! The Americans are coming!” rang through the streets. A GI picked up a hungry, dirty little Italian girl and gave her a chocolate Hershey bar. She’s now a US citizen, a grandmother (Nonna). While she says, “I’m Italian to the core, I’m an AMERICAN, and so grateful for it!”A while back, I saw a commercial. A group of people were in a poorly lit room. As the preacher closed their services, he very solemnly asked the tiny congregation to be careful as they left for home. The members of the congregation left one or two at a time, climbing the stairs of the storm cellar. Furtive looks were cast as they emerged and went their separate ways. How lucky are we that doesn’t happen here!
Once upon a time, there was a young man in a far-off country, a scholar of scripture. He realized that there were some serious discrepancies between what was written and what was being taught. He wrote his 95 concerns down, posted them.. and a price was placed upon his head. He died an outlaw, because he asked questions.
Over a century ago, there was an American boy whose neighborhood was in an uproar. All the churches were campaigning for congregation members. Ministers and preachers were arguing about what was and was not true, how each phrase of scripture was to be interpreted, and how that interpretation should be applied to our lives. This kid was sharp though.
He realized that if A was exactly NOT B.. then A and B couldn’t BOTH be true… one had to be wrong. He struggled with this question for.. probably months. Finally he stumbled on some really great advice- Ask God. Duh! If anyone knows the truth, He does! So the boy went to a private place, knelt and prayed. That kid came out of the woods knowing more about God and His work than the collective knowledge of all the scriptural scholars from the days of Jesus up to that time. Although he was eventually killed for it, he lived long enough to get so much done in bringing the truth about God to the people of the world… And it was able to happen because of the freedoms of this country.
He realized that if A was exactly NOT B.. then A and B couldn’t BOTH be true… one had to be wrong. He struggled with this question for.. probably months. Finally he stumbled on some really great advice- Ask God. Duh! If anyone knows the truth, He does! So the boy went to a private place, knelt and prayed. That kid came out of the woods knowing more about God and His work than the collective knowledge of all the scriptural scholars from the days of Jesus up to that time. Although he was eventually killed for it, he lived long enough to get so much done in bringing the truth about God to the people of the world… And it was able to happen because of the freedoms of this country.I know this country isn't perfect.. it's full of human beings, for crying out loud! But it's the best place on earth- The variety in cultures, geography, religions. The opportunities, and freedoms, the fairness and equality. This country really is the best place to live.
