Independence Day: July 4, 2011

Independence Day July 4, 2011

Good Morning, my dear brothers and sisters, and Happy Independence Day. Today we are truly ONE NATION UNDER GOD and I love it, don't you?

America, One Nation Under God, from its fields of rich earth, filled with lots of good things to eat, from its mountains filled with beautiful trees and lots and lots of wildlife, with fresh springs feeding into streams, then into creeks and into mighty rivers and then our oceans, filled with lots of fish and such to eat.

America, One Nation Under God, where large cities have been built, and small towns still strive, where Andy can still be sheriff after all these years. From factories that build cars and trucks to offices that house doctors and nurses, you get the picture or at least you should.

America, One Nation Under God, where folks of all sizes and colors have come together to live. Sort of reminds me of that song I learned in Bible School... Red and Yellow, Black and White, they are special in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world. And you can find God's children from all over the world, calling America home. I am one of those kids.

America, One Nation Under God, who has blessed us well. We could survive on what God has given this country and would not need to bring in anything from other countries if we cared to do that. We would also have enough left over to help other countries who either don't have things or would sooner fight each other than learn to grow food.

America, a country that only could be built by God, but needed so many men and women to keep us free.

America, on this Independence Day, 2011, I would like to say thank you to all those who have served in our military from the beginning. Brave men and women who fought in battle or supported those who did. Like my daddy, who did not go into the military, but gave up his teaching job during WW2 to make tires for airplanes. Some people say today that our veterans are getting few and far between, and that is not so, in fact we have many veterans some of whom have lost their arms and/or legs fighting in the wars we are in right now. Some of them are just 18 years old! Some our in their 90's or older.

America, One Nation Under God, and I wish to thank God this day for my personal freedom, for God, through our Lord Jesus, gave me that, and NO ONE, I SAID NO ONE CAN TAKE IT AWAY.

America, One Nation Under God, and today I want to thank all of the fine men and women of today's Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marines and Navy. I wish to thank the fine men and women of our reserve units... The 28th, and the 193rd and others from this area.

America, One Nation Under God, and today I would like to thank all of those people who work to support those warriors of America. Let me start with the families of our military, and then move on to those who work hard on the military bases. Like those in our area... Those who work and study at the Army War College in Carlisle, Pa. And those who work at the Army and Navy supply depots in our area, and also those who work and train at Fort Indiantown Gap. I also want to thank the men and women who work at Military Hospitals all over the country. And I want to thank my grandson Daniel Lehman who is heading to sea in our United States Navy and thank ladies like Sharon Saylor and Dolores Lehman who refer to each other as Navy and Air Force. Both retired, but Dolores calls Sharon, Navy, as she is a Navy veteran, and she calls my wife, Air Force, as Dolores served our country in the Air Force and then the 193rd.

America, One Nation Under God, where a few, just a few of the people who are free because of God and all of our military want to have the name God removed from our Pledge to our Flag. Just a few... Folks look back up over the list... If it were not for God there would be no America, if it were not for the men and women of our militaries over the years we might be speaking another language, MIGHT? Might nothing, we would be.

America, One Nation Under God, where each day hundreds of people are trying to sneak in and others are trying to kill us out of rage for what we have, and have protected, and yes, what we give away to others...

America, One Nation Under God, only in America where a young Army Major named David would stop by our home on his way from Carlisle to Fort Indiantown Gap to say thank you to us for helping the needy, and to say thank you to me for things he learned in Vacation Bible School where I met this Major. And while he was here for those few short minutes he grabbed heavy bags of salt and filled our water softener.

AMERICA, ONE NATION UNDER GOD! Do you appreciate what we have today? Look around you today, look past the burger or hotdog on the grill or your soda or beer in your hand, look past those sports teams and NASCAR drivers, look past that golf course, and just look around, and the next time you see a man or lady in uniform make an effort to shake their hand and say "THANK YOU" and maybe if you are in an eating place you would buy them lunch...

AMERICA, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, look around you today, and maybe just right now take time to say... THANK YOU GOD FOR AMERICA AND THANK YOU GOD FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE PROTECTED IT... And please remember the police and firefighters who keep us safe on the home front and those Merchant Marines who transport the goods to our warriors...

AMERICA, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, Where you can STILL PRAY OUT LOUD, even when some people want to change it to a silent prayer. Say it with me, please... THANK YOU, FATHER!!!

AMERICA, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, Stand up for her. Or if you don't like it, I invite you to leave. No one is holding you back, get out if you don't like it, and I dare you to find a place better.

And after you have been to any other country in the world, please write and tell me if it is better or if not, I invite you back to America, One Nation Under God.

AMERICA, ONE NATION UNDER GOD... YESTERDAY AND TODAY AND FOREVER, AS LONG AS WE STAY ONE NATION UNDER GOD. For when the time comes we trash God too much, no military, not even the best of the best, our United States Military will be able to protect us from the "WRATH OF GOD" and I think we get close to that on some days.

AMERICA, ONE NATION UNDER GOD... I LOVE YOU LORD, I LOVE YOU JESUS, AND I LOVE YOU AMERICA... and I love all of you...

Pastor Daniel W. Lehman, Independence Day, 2011

And yes, you may use it if you want, it is up to you...