You know I don't like getting political on AR. So I will keep this to a minimum. But did anyone else see that piece on CBS this morning yesterday about Patriotism? It seems one of our political candidate's thinks that Patriotism gets in the way of democracy. This coming from a person who admits on National Television to attending and participating in flag burning ceremonies, and admits he will not stand with hand over heart pledge to our flag, or participate in our National Anthem, but would rather hear "I'd like to teach the world to sing" instead. I have one thing to say about this. If you don't love our country, if you don't honor it, and value it as the greatest country in the world, if you don't feel moved at the sacrifices of all those who have risked or given their lives to protect it......there's a big airplane nearby wherever you are, and I will personally pay for your one-way ticket to whatever country you'd rather live in. I never thought in my lifetime there could come a time when we could even consider electing a president who will not even pledge allegiance to our flag! I respect everyone's right to vote for their choice, and normally I would remain silent. But this I just cannot accept without saying so in the only way I know how.

Ever since I was a child, I have always been so proud to be an American. From as far back as I remember, I have been moved to tears when I hear our National Anthem, or see a Veteran's Memorial Service. When I graduated high school Valedictorian of my class, my speech was a poem. It was written by Jack Hyles, a pastor and chancellor of the college I attended later that year. I typed it onto red and blue construction paper (yes..typed it! Remember those?) and glued it together making a card. Our National Anthem played softly in the background while I quoted it with all of the emotion and feeling I could muster in my heart at the tender age of 16 fighting back my tears long enough to make it to the end.  I still have it- pictured above with my cap & gown.

I am still so proud to say it out loud. If you feel the need today to feel patriotic, read aloud with me.......

I LOVE AMERICA

I love Thanksgiving when we pray

And July 4^th and Labor Day

with picnics, ants and hungry flies,

and barbeques and hot French fries,

with cokes and chips and apple pies

beneath some hazy, lazy skies...

I Love America.

I love Miami's royal palm

that oozes forth a healing balm

beside the ocean's quiet calm...

I Love America.

I love Betsy Ross and Orville Wright

and dear Ben Franklin's flying kite

and Thomas Jefferson's mighty quill

the Alamo, and Bunker Hill

and Paul Revere's great midnight ride

and Wilbur Wright's successful glide....

I Love America.

I love airplanes in the skies

and baseball when the umpire cries,

"Play Ball" as thousands quietly rise

to turn their moistened sober eyes

toward waving flag that proudly flies

I Love America.

I love the park in the sweet, cool breeze,

and dairy queen, and taste freeze

and cotton candy at the zoo

and corny dogs and Big Mac's too,

and Burger Kings, and shopping malls

and hockey pucks, and basketballs,

and Mississippi's cotton fields

and Holland Michigan's spinning wheels

monotonous Midwestern plains

Florida's sun, Seattle's rains

Atlanta's lovely dogwood trails,

and Santa Fe's long clicking rails

I love the rocky mountain peaks

beneath a sky which mutely speaks...

I Love America.

I love Disney World, and Disney Land

and Georgia's fertile blood red sand

The Mississippi and Rio Grande

Wisconsin's cheese and dairy land.

I love McDonalds vanilla shakes,

and Minnesota's thousand lakes

the royal gorges mighty yawn

a sleepy Alabama dawn

The harvest moon that shineth on....

I Love America.

I'd love to gaze at Yellowstone

while licking on an ice cream cone

and Howard Johnsons Motor Lodge

and Ford, and Chevrolet, and Dodge

I love the stately Empire State

and San Francisco's Golden Gate

I love St. Louis' friendly arch

the Statue of Liberty's burning torch

the Washington Monuments prickly goad

and Colorado's Trail Ridge Road...

I Love America.

I love "My Country Tis of Thee"

Oh blessed land of liberty

Long may our glorious land be bright

With freedom's wondrous holy light

Protect us by the matchless might....

I Love America.

I love to stand with hand o'er heart

And think of those who did their part

Who left a mom a lone Gold Star

Whose bodies rest ‘neath fields afar....

I Love America.

I love New England's rolling farms,

it's quaint décor and blushing charms

I love azalea's freshened blooms

East Texas roses sparkling plumes

I love it when our church choir sings

and know the peace that worship brings...

I LOVE AMERICA!!!