“I’m a history buff. I love studying the founding of our country. Through genealogy research I’ve discovered that my ancestors were part of the first colonists. Red, white, and blue flows through my veins. So I thought the Fourth of July week was a perfect time to share five reasons why I love America.
1. Our music beats all others because we’re the home of the unique Country genre. I do sing along and tap my toes with Blake Shelton or Thomas Rhett, but some of the song titles are quite creative:
“Her Teeth Were Stained, but Her Heart Was Pure”
“She Made Toothpicks Out of the Timber of My Heart”
“You Were Only a Splinter as I Slid Down the Bannister of Life”
“Billy Broke My Heart at Walgreen’s and I Cried All the Way to Sears”
2. America is not only the home of baseball and apple pie but crazy roadside attractions. Along the highways of the United States you can see rattlesnake ranches, gargantuan plastic dinosaurs, and museums to people unknown to most of its citizens. I’ve witnessed a plethora of these homeland treasures. Growing up I loved family vacations. Cruising with my family from my backseat perch, hair blowing in the wind, and playing travel games with my sister, my eyes would continually search roadside signs to alert my dad to any upcoming unique adventures. I’ve witnessed many amazing sites. Everyone should experience:
• the largest ball of twine
• the corn palace
• the tallest bottle of catsup
• the lady leg sundial
3. America’s landscape is varied with stunning nature and diverse terrain. We have expansive oceans, crystal lakes, towering mountains, arid deserts, vast beaches, amber-waving plains, and everything in between.
4. And boy howdy, do we possess the American spirit! I will forever remember what I witnessed on September 12, 2001. After 9-11, flags sold out at stores and adorned every front porch. No matter the adversity, we rise above it. We come together and rally in support of each other. The American spirit is part of the fabric that connects us.
5. I love the people—from small towns in the Midwest to large cities on the coasts, the people are different and interesting. Cowboys with their mud-spattered trucks and southern manners, northerners with their fun accents, West Coast surfers, and football fans with painted faces filling the stadiums each Saturday—these are our kindred citizens.
So on the 248th year of the independence of the United States of America, wave a flag, light some firecrackers, or go visit the Cadillac Ranch. But somewhere in your holiday take time to thank God for founding fathers who had a strong faith and were willing to sacrifice their lives so we could worship in freedom.”
