Happy 4th of July – 2014

Happy 4th of July!!!

I hope everyone will enjoy this longer weekend, but we all should remember what this holiday represents.

The picture above was taken in Iraq where my brother was deployed a few years back.  He was able to fly it just for a few minutes and then had to take it down.  That’s a sure target over there.  He then sent it to me for a keep sake.  The picture below shows him folding the flag.

I was listening to the radio the other day and the song “America the Beautiful” was being sung by Ray Charles.  His version gives me chill bumps and you can listen to it at YouTube.  These beautiful words represent our wonderful nation and what it stands for.

America The Beautiful by Katharine Lee Bates 

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!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet,
Whose stern impassion’d stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America! God mend thine ev’ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life!
America! America! May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev’ry gain divine!

O Beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam,
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

God Bless America,

Tammy