As I was out cutting hay recently, I was looking at the lush hayfields, the nice straight-rowed cornfields and the beautiful woods in the distance. I was in awe at how beautiful God, the creator, made this all. The Bible tells us that the creation declares God's glory. The longer I live, the more amazed I am at the handiwork of God. Only a truly loving God would have created such a beautiful world for mankind.
It was about that time that a large wild turkey flew out of the hay close to my hay cutter. When one of those big birds explode out of the tall hay next to the rear tire on my tractor, just in front of my discbine, it almost makes me jump out of the tractor seat. They are one huge bird. At times, cutting hay can be very exciting.
We usually are busy putting up second-crop hay around July 4, Independence Day. We always take time to look toward town on that evening, though, to watch the fireworks going off over the city – and the ones our neighbors put up also. It is a time to thank God and celebrate the birthday of America and thank Him for all the liberties and freedoms we have been blessed with.
It was on March 23, 1775, that Patrick Henry gave his famous speech in the Virginia House of Burgesses, in which he said, "Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"
The Founding Fathers of our country knew revolution would cost them their fortunes as well as their own lives. Many of them had their blood shed so that America would be a free nation. Why? So that they could worship and serve God as they felt He was leading them to do in freedom. They did not shed their blood so they could be rich or famous, or so they could live in all kinds of sinful pleasures. They knew if they honored God, He would honor them. The price they paid was very high. Today, we are privileged to enjoy the tremendous freedoms they purchased.
Down through the history of this country, many men and women have stood and fought to maintain the great freedoms and ideals that America has stood for. Even today, we have many in the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard and National Guard serving on the front lines to keep our country free and to protect us. We owe all of these defenders of freedom a great debt of gratitude for all they are doing for us back here on the home front. So I say to any service person reading this, “Thank you very much for all you go through for us back here.” Also, we say thank you very much to the many who have come back who are in Veterans Affairs hospitals and who live among us, some with serious disabilities they have suffered. We think of you often and remember you in our prayers.
We each need to be thankful to God and to them for the country we have today. We each need to worship and serve God as He leads us to. Not to get rich or famous, but to willingly do what He has called us to do. We have great liberties and freedoms today to use wisely – not for all kinds of sinful pleasures.
So as we work on the farm here and watch the fireworks, we will remember the great sacrifices our Founding Fathers paid and how the Lord honored and blessed them so that we could have a free country in which to serve Him.
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