HOW TO HEAL OUR LAND (2 OF 2)
by Tony Thomas
Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14
This content is part of a series.
How to Heal Our Land (2 of 2)
Series: God Bless America ... Again
Tony Thomas
2 Chronicles 7:14
One of my favorite verses my Dad had me memorize as a child comes from 2 Chronicles 7:
14 If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
I learned to love America in the seventh grade. It began in Mr. Hiram Sapp's Civics class. Mr. Sapp loved America! He also loved how our three branches of government work - a fact that absolutely drives me up a wall! But Mr. Sapp painstakingly enunciated the differences that existed between the United States and every other country in the world.
A second thing that helped me learn to love America happened during the summer between seventh and eighth grade. My Dad took our family overseas for three months. For the first time in my short life my freedoms were not recognized or guaranteed by other countries. Three months later, I felt altogether different about America. Like Dorothy, in the Wizard of Oz, ''There's no place like home!''
At the age of twelve I made some conscious decisions. 1) I would no longer complain about laws that were necessary for a civilized community to function. After all, the USA is about me! It's about us. 2) I decided to learn about my responsibilities as a citizen. All of us have responsibilities, even twelve-year-olds. And 3), I vowed to never show any shame about being patriotic.
When the National Anthem is played, I enthusiastically participate stand, place my hand over my heart, and sing (if the singer is especially good I listen - but I sing more times than not!). It bothers me that it's legal to burn the flag. I think it's hypocritical to withhold respect but still insist on your personal liberty.
Christie and I were two of thirteen adults who spent the summer of 1973 in Chile, South America. We saw things that summer ...
Series: God Bless America ... Again
Tony Thomas
2 Chronicles 7:14
One of my favorite verses my Dad had me memorize as a child comes from 2 Chronicles 7:
14 If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
I learned to love America in the seventh grade. It began in Mr. Hiram Sapp's Civics class. Mr. Sapp loved America! He also loved how our three branches of government work - a fact that absolutely drives me up a wall! But Mr. Sapp painstakingly enunciated the differences that existed between the United States and every other country in the world.
A second thing that helped me learn to love America happened during the summer between seventh and eighth grade. My Dad took our family overseas for three months. For the first time in my short life my freedoms were not recognized or guaranteed by other countries. Three months later, I felt altogether different about America. Like Dorothy, in the Wizard of Oz, ''There's no place like home!''
At the age of twelve I made some conscious decisions. 1) I would no longer complain about laws that were necessary for a civilized community to function. After all, the USA is about me! It's about us. 2) I decided to learn about my responsibilities as a citizen. All of us have responsibilities, even twelve-year-olds. And 3), I vowed to never show any shame about being patriotic.
When the National Anthem is played, I enthusiastically participate stand, place my hand over my heart, and sing (if the singer is especially good I listen - but I sing more times than not!). It bothers me that it's legal to burn the flag. I think it's hypocritical to withhold respect but still insist on your personal liberty.
Christie and I were two of thirteen adults who spent the summer of 1973 in Chile, South America. We saw things that summer ...
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