This past Monday we as a nation celebrated The 4th of July, Independence Day. There were barbecues, games, festivities and fireworks. I can only speak for myself when I say that the meaning of all the excitement has escaped me. That is until Sunday, when my husband gave a small history lesson at church as an introduction to his sermon that morning. I have a vague recollection from my high school days about the history of our country and the founding of this great nation. I remember that Columbus discovered America in 1492 but after that sadly things get a little foggy. What can I say it’s been, well, a lot of years since my high school days and unfortunately at the time I didn’t care. Now that I’m older, I have an appreciation for what our founding fathers went through as they fought and some even died for the freedoms we now posses. Others have done the hard work so that I can live in a country that is free. And for that, I’m am eternally grateful.
Here is the first and last verses from our National Anthem
United States of America
The Star Spangled Banner
Oh, say! can you see by the dawn’s early light 
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming;
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there:
Oh, say! does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust”:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
On Sept. 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key peered through clearing smoke to see an enormous flag flying proudly after a 25-hour British bombardment of Baltimore’s Fort McHenry. Key was inspired to write a poem, which was later set to music. Even before “The Star-Spangled Banner” became our national anthem, it helped transform the garrison flag with the same name into a major national symbol of patriotism and identity. The flag has had a colorful history, from its origins in a government contract through its sojourn with several generations of a Baltimore family to its eventual donation to the Smithsonian Institution. www.francisscottkey.com
Many blessing to you and yours during this season of our Independence .
P.S. A I took all of the fireworks pictures at our local Weldon Spring 4th of July celebration this year and the flag image is from my 365 project last year.
