As we gather with family and friends for this Independence Day celebration, we remind ourselves that freedom is a valuable and precious gift worth fighting for.
There are many current anxieties, frustrations and feelings of despondency as our July 4th, 2023 celebrations take place. However, we would be well served to remember that we alone control our responses to events around us.
We can choose to put aside all of the challenges and issues that seem beyond our control, and we can gather in joyful fellowship with our family and friends to celebrate the reason our forefathers defeated tyranny.
We Americans come from solid stock.
We carry in our DNA a fortitude of individual identity that is not dependent on government for affirmation or permission. We are the beneficiaries of those who believed in stubborn independence. What takes place at your picnic, gathering or assembly of fellowship is your independent choice.
I am reminded of an article written more than two decades ago, that still rings true to this day.
“An American credo, By Don Feder”:
I am an American. I was conceived at Plymouth, born in Lexington and Concord, and reached maturity at Philadelphia.
I went through the fires of Shiloh, Gualdacanal, the Chosin Resovoir, Khe Sanh and a thousand other battlefields, and emerged rededicated to the ideals on which America was founded.
I am an American. Ever ready to defend my liberty and independence, to make any sacrifice and bear any burden – still, I seek no quarrel.
I march to the sound of the guns out of necessity alone. I fight not for glory or territory, or to make others bend to my will, but to vindicate my rights and preserve my freedom.
I am an American. I’m proud of my past. Words like Valley Forge, Gettysburg Address and Pearl Harbor — names like Washington, Jackson, Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt — make my blood stir.
Glancing behind me, I see generations of men and women who labored and struggled, lived and died to let me stand where I am today — who cleared the land, planted the crops, built the factories, raised the cities and made the discoveries that created a civilization which all the silent, suffering ranks of slaves, serfs and subjects who came before them could never imagine.
I am an American. While recognizing the errors that were made in nation-building (has a nation ever been built exclusively on light?), I proclaim America’s past glorious indeed, a boon to humanity, and consider myself among the blessed of the earth to share this nation’s destiny.
I am an American. Liberty is my birthright. To speak my mind, choose my leaders and legislators, defend my home and family, and worship the Creator in my fashion — these are not privileges, but G od-given rights. Governments can respect or deny them; they cannot change them.
I am an American. I have no rulers. Those who make, interpret and enforce our laws are servants. When they no longer recognize that verity, their authority loses legitimacy.
I am an American. My rights are a sacred trust to be exercised in the cause of justice and virtue. They are not the playthings of a spoiled child or mechanisms of self-indulgence.
I am an American. English is my language. Our ancestors arrived on these shores speaking everything from Chinese to Yiddish. It was English that united us, that allowed us to overcome age-old antagonisms.
From the Mayflower Compact to the latest piece of legislation introduced in Congress, our history and heritage are written in the tongue of the Magna Carta and the King James Bible.
I am an American. I have no distinctive race, religion or ethnicity. I am black, white, yellow, brown and red — Catholic, Protestant, Jew and Hindu. I came here from the hamlets of Old England, the bogs of Ireland, Napoli’s sunny shore, the Pale of Settlement and the villages of Vietnam. American isn’t a color or creed, but a state of mind.
I am an American. I welcome immigrants who are here to work and build, who identify with our past and ideals, who were spiritual Americans before they landed. Broken English is fine, as long as faith remains unbroken. An American speaks with the heart as much as the lips.
I am an American. My ism is Americanism. I reject all dogmas and ideologies. Collectivism, racism, militarism and imperialism have no place here. The rot that’s eaten away at the soul of so many nations and cultures must be fiercely resisted.
I am an American. I recognize only one loyalty higher than allegiance to our flag — faith in God. I acknowledge that America and God, the physical and the spiritual, are inseparable. America was founded by people of faith and grew to greatness by His grace. I pray that we will always be the instruments of His will.
I am an American. I weep over the fact that American history is no longer taught in our schools. In its place is a worldly, cynical skepticism inculcated by authors and educators at war with our basic values.
I am an American. I cringe at the collection of connivers, cowards, clowns and quacks that passes for our political leadership. I wonder that so many of my compatriots have no idea what America means and show no gratitude for the blessings that are theirs.
I am an American. My ranks grow thin; the night closes in. Whether I will be the last of my kind or the vanguard of their resurgence, only time will tell.”
Retired Magistrate here: I am an American and a Magadonian. Never give in and never give up. Happy Independence Day.
100% with you!
God bless America!
Land of the free.
Magadonian here also. Wonderful post Mr. Feder
Just beautiful 🥰
Wow
Don Feder
Brings back memories
I lived in Boston for 30 yrs
Don was a well known
writer there . He worked for the local fish wrapper
Good man
“I am an American. Liberty is my birthright.”
Don Feder captures the essence of being American, a beautiful crede. Thanks for sharing about who Don Feder was.
Amanda Grace: Word from the Lord: Trusting in the Lord’s Navigation and Following His Guidance
for Us & the Nation – YouTube
Resetting the Nation | Tim Sheets – YouTube
Hebrews 12: 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
“The churches of America do not exist by the grace of the State; the churches of America are not mere citizens of the State. The churches of America exist apart; they have their own vantage point, their own authority. Religion is its own realm; it makes its own claims.
We establish no religion in this country, nor will we ever. We command no worship. We mandate no belief. But we poison our society when we remove its theological underpinnings. We court corruption when we leave it bereft of belief. All are free to believe or not to believe; all are free to practice a faith or not. But those who believe must be free to speak of and act on their belief, to apply moral teaching to public questions.
Without God, there is no virtue, because there’s no prompting of the conscience. Without God, we’re mired in the material, that flat world that tells us only what the senses perceive. Without God, there is a coarsening of the society. And without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure. If we ever forget that we’re one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under. May God keep you, and we — may we, all of us, keep God.” –Real President Ronald Reagan – Remarks at an Ecumenical Prayer Breakfast in Dallas
EVERLASTING COVENANT
THE GREAT RETURN (rumble.com)–Julie Green:
Psalm 24:
7 Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle!
9 Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
he is the King of glory!
Selah
Yes and Amen, Lord Jesus!
Rest in the Vine: The Prophetic Word–July 4, 2023
AMEN Gipper!!!!!!!!!!
Amen, Sundance. The rich legacy of our heritage with all of our Heroes, Patriots, Innovators, Explorers, Charities, Scholars, Artists, Scientists, Healers, Champions, Educators, Religious Leaders,Tradesmen, Farmers, Moms, Dads, and all the regular folk who come to help their neighbors or have a cheerful word for a stranger who make up our past, present, and future makes me full of pride and awe when I think of the magnificence of this. There will always be Evil in the world and we certainly are inundated with these entities that surround us and are among us today. We are a nation in peril because of this. But with God by our side, there is nothing that can stop us from fighting to live Free, as it is in our DNA and in our blood. NOTHING can separate us from this, and that is what has and always will make us a great people and a great nation. God Bless America and all those who have fought for our country and who have given us the freedom we enjoy today. May we always honor their memory and live to make them proud.
Right now I am sitting in Philadelphia, the cradle of Liberty and the home of The Declaration of Independence, and can see very few flags flying anywhere. Too much talk and not enough “action”.
Wasn’t there another mass shooting in Philly ?? They are seeing the WRONG kind of action…
BLM tranny killed 5. doesnt fit the narrative.
Agreed! Too much talk. Again……LETS ROLL!
Wow, that is an epic credo, it says so much of what I and I suspect most all Treepers and MAGAdonians believe and feel in our bones.
May we be the vanguard of the resurgence of the true spirit of Americanism.
So blessed to have this Last Refuge as an intellectual armory to fortify and uplift us in that endeavor.
God Bless America, President Donald Trump, CTH and all our beloved Treepers!!
Happy Independence Day! Shalom!
Bless you, David.
Thank You! Love.
I look forward to these types of posts. Thank you. I am wondering what happened to the previous 4th July post by Menagerie, as I had come on so I could send it to others. (Read it much earlier when it first was up in the early a.m.)
I would like to know as well. 🙏🇺🇸
Menagerie took it down after it went over the top political flame war, as reported by others.
I do recall quite often she has asked those posting on her threads to keep things civil, and locking the thread when some refused to abide.
Often those were religious and holiday observance threads, things she wished to be treated without political venom, and all too often she has had to step in to settle things down; I rather imagine she wasn’t up for such nonsense today, quite possibly as she wasn’t going to be around all day to police it due to holiday commitments.
What a shame. That was a terrific post. And on a special day for your patriots.
you can find a copy cached at google
Late afternoon yesterday Menagerie posted an update in bold text to say the thread was now closed for comments
because an increasing number of commenters were turning the July 4 thread into a presidential politics thread and she said we already have one of those.
Note, when Menagerie had initially posted her July 4 thread she requested that comments not veer into today’s politics (people should go to the presidential thread for that). I did not see a flame war, just that as time went on more commenters were turning it into regular political talk.
Menagerie wanted the July 4 post to be about contemplating what it meant to be an American and for revisting the words of the founding documents of our country. I’m paraphrasing, hope I captured it correctly.
It seemed people didn’t notice her “closed for comments” update and kept commenting though most of the final few comments looked to be nonpolitical to me, more celebratory July 4 and some historical notes.
Perhaps there isn’t a way to close commenting without removing the whole thread?? –that’s my guess. Anyway about an hour after closing the thread for comments the July 4 post/thread was removed.
.
.
.
The July 4 thread was a moving, special post. Many posters added historical bits of pre-revolutionary and revolutionary war time that I hadn’t known –like about the John Dunlap broadsides –the first printing of the Declaration of Independence. Others shared moving comments about being American or celebrating our country’s anniversary.
I had hoped to return annually to reread Menagerie’s magnificent, unique July 4 post. Perhaps one day it will return as part of CTH’ s archives.
If I may….
The focus was/is Independence Day and what that means and why its glorious and not what’s wrong with America.
Do you spend all day on Christmas day grousing about all the sin in the world?
Happy Independence Day because for thousands of years there was no independence!
?
I was replying to Deborah D’s question asking why Menagerie’s wonderful July 4 post/thread from yesterday had disappeared. Her thread was all about celebrating independence.
No grousing in my reply to Deborah D at all. Where did you get that from?
The opposite –much appreciation for Menagerie and fellow Treepers who’s appreciation of American independence was/is so moving.
monticello, I reread your comment and perhaps you were not talking about me, but about the nature of some comments on the July 4 thread?
If so then yes I noticed that too —-mixed in with the wonderful appreciative, celebratory comments on the July 4 thread were what I’d agree were “grousing” comments.
Some I suspect were trolls who regularly show up whenever Treepers are too happy or celebrating.
Yes I was commenting on what happened yesterday. I should have spoken more plainly or expanded a bit. Have a nice day Sunrei
We should never forget……………
“Beloved, be quick to repent of your pride and relinquish the need to be in control.
Why make Me wait and delay My Divine Deliverance and wonder-working Power to perform Miracles in the midst of you, because you have chosen to rather explore and exhaust all other man-made ideas and quick fix solutions?”
“When will you let go of human intellect and understanding, and Look to Me alone?“
I am American! Are all of you! If so, Let’s Roll. We have all we need. If God is with us, who can be against us. Let’s Roll.
https://www.theologyofwork.org/old-testament/ezra-nehemiah-esther/nehemiah/restoration-of-the-wall-of-jerusalem-nehemiah-11-773/
I found an excellent commentary this morning regarding Nehemiahs return to Jerusalem in order to rebuild the wall surrounding the Temple.
I found this to be a good lesson for all Treepers and other patriots to consider as we seek to rebuild this republic. As, we have been told, “Rebuilding this republic is no easy task.”
While the foundations have not been destroyed, yet; we have opportunity. If we fail, we may find ourselves to be without hope.
“If the foundation be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
I hope you take the time to read the above link and its content.
Peace be with you all!
Independence Day Explained with Paul Harvey- Our Lives, Our Fortunes, Our sacred Honor
Excellent! Thank you for posting, and hope you had a great Independence Day!
Heavenly Father, our country needs You.
We have turned away from You and evil
forces are pervading our land. Pour Your
Holy Spirit on us. Open our eyes and ears to
the evil around us. Raise up leaders who
love and follow You. Give us courage to
speak up so that we can once again live as
one nation under God. Unite us. Protect us.
Forgive us. We ask all this in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Amen, amen.
Love this.
I just wanted to say, my sons came to visit. They are veterans in their mid 30’s and they love setting off fireworks. We had quite the display. People all around us were setting them off also. But ours were the biggest and best. It was glorious.
Before the show started my sons read the Declaration of Independence out load with much respect and reverence.
All is NOT lost.
The Star Spangled Banner as you’ve never heard it…
This needs to be shown in History classes. Good for Home School for sure. Great post, thank you! Hope you had a great Independence Day!