Gratitude Journal, Day 231: Good morning, Lord.

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea! ........

How thankful I am to be living here, in America. Yes, we have our problems. But thank God, thank God, we're FREE.

My country, 'tis of Thee,
Sweet Land of Liberty
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims' pride,
From every mountain side
Let Freedom ring. ........

How thankful I am that there were those who believed in a better way, who fought, who died, who started a brand new land where all could pursue their rights to life, liberty and happiness. From the American Revolution to the present time, let us not forget the price paid for that freedom: our men and women in uniform currently serving; the Veteran, who has been there, in peacetime and in war; and especially, especially the Fallen.

I'm proud to be an American
where at least I know I'm free,
And I won't forget the men who died
who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you
and defend her still today,
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A. ........

How thankful I am for the right to worship my God. In other lands, believers are being slaughtered just because they believe. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored,
He has loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword
His truth is marching on.

Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
His truth is marching on. ........

While we gather for parades and picnics, hot dogs and hamburgers and wait for the fireworks to light up the night sky, let our hearts never fail to be stirred when we hear ...

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 thru 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?

God bless America and her people. We need You. AMEN.