"Our fathers' God, to thee,
—S.F. Smith, 1832, lyrics to the patriotic hymn: "My Country, 'Tis of Thee"
Author of liberty,
To thee we sing:
Long may our land be bright
With freedom's holy light;
Protect us by thy might,
Great God, our King."
Happy Fourth, dear reader-friends!
Did you grow up singing this song in grade school, perhaps? And standing for the Pledge of Allegiance, as well as saying the "Lord's Prayer"? I certainly did, and loved that my classmates and I learned all the verses to this amazingly rich hymn of our country.
What a joyful, happy day to celebrate all that God has done in our beautiful country, America...for more than two hundred years! He led our great-great-great-grandfathers and grandmothers to come to this shining land, yearning for the freedom to live their lives as they pleased, and to worship freely, as well.
Are you proud to be an American--one nation, under God?
My family and I wish you and yours a most inspiring Fourth!
- Bev Lewis
