Celebrating Our 250th Anniversary

 

 A Moment In Time

We all experience moments in life that stand out. Marriage, birth of a child, dream job - you name it, we all have them, and they're amazing, and we never forget them. But who of us today can say, "I was around to celebrate our nation's 100th, 125th, 150th anniversary?” None of us, because it's that rare and unique. Granted, some of us may have experienced our nation's bicentennial, but we were probably much younger than we are today and may not have fully understood the magnitude and meaning behind it all.

Two hundred fifty years is a long time, but that is how long it has been since a brave group of men put everything they had on the line to establish a nation like the world had never seen. A nation, I believe, is still the greatest nation this world has ever known.

Great Success Brings Great Challenges

Great Britain was the strongest nation at the time. Choosing to form a new nation that would be able to stand up against their tyranny was unimaginable, and yet it happened. Battle after battle, brave men fought against enormous adversity, some surviving and many losing their lives for a dream they believed in.

Even the penning of the Declaration of Independence brought infighting among our founding fathers. Intense adversity that could have wrecked the dream they shared to create a nation built on God and inalienable rights to its people for generations to come. It was Benjamin Franklin who stood up and addressed George Washington and the committee, reminding them how they had leaned on God when they first began their journey. He recommended they begin every meeting by praying to God for the needed wisdom and guidance for that day, so they did.

Stepping Past Fears To Create A Great Nation

Our history books are filled with the brave men and women who faced their own fears and doubts to help shape our nation. Individuals like George and Martha Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Ben Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, Rosa Parks, and Martin Lurthur King. Yet there are so many others worthy of being added to this list, and I'm certain they come to mind for each of you. However, the greatest takeaway is that they were all brought into this world by God to change American history for the better.

Proud To Be An American

At a time when so many vocally put this nation down, I'm not one of them. As a nation, have we gotten everything right? No, we haven't, but no other nation has either, nor has any human being, other than Jesus, who walked this earth - is walking it now - or will in the future. 

On the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America, I'm PROUD to be an American, and I always will be, and that's totally by choice. I hope you will consider doing the same.

God Bless America - The land that I love.

 The Meaning of Family

No one can deny that our biological family plays a significant role in shaping our lifelong mindset. But...what if we could experience a broader sense of family? A true God-inspired understanding that we are blessed to experience the many variations before us.

My Family

Growing up in a single-parent home with five other siblings wasn't always easy. But what was easy was allowing the love of our mother, our aunt (Tia), and our grandmother to pour into our lives. Their love and passion brought forth the uniqueness within each of us.

Had they not taught me that meaning. I would have never been able to raise two boys as a single mom. Regardless of the challenges of doing so Gods fingerprints were upon us and that only made me fall in love with God even more.

Our family has seen great highs and deep lows, as every family does. But our mother, aunt, and grandmother taught us to lean upon God to rise again after stumbling, falling, and crying, and that our greatest gift was to lean upon the strength of Jesus and understand our best days our before us.

Loving Additions

Walking through life and standing strong on your own is exactly what we are all capable of. Nevertheless, having someone by your side who is willing to accept the super-high, flow in the groove, and the hard lows is an added gift. My husband, aka Blue Eyes, grows stronger with every challenge we face and I can feel the strength God places in him to help me along. We both know the "family" God created was meant to be.

Those Around Us

God knew we would all need special souls to enter our lives in order to shape us and touch our hearts. They make you smile, let you cry, and encourage you to keep moving forward to fulfill the unique journey you alone were destined for. I call them life-long friends and I am grateful for each of them. 

Lean on Jesus and know that with Him you can do all things!

Love, 

Maria