07/04/2026
INDEPENDENCE DAY
4th of July
As we celebrate 250 years of American independence, we are reminded that the strength of this nation has never rested solely in Washington, D.C.
It has always rested in the hearts of its people.
For 250 years, America has never been defined by a building in our nation's capital. It has been defined by ordinary citizens, the parents who taught their children right from wrong, the neighbors who cared enough to get involved, the communities that solved problems together, and the men and women who understood that freedom is not merely a gift to enjoy, but a responsibility to protect.
America's story has been written around kitchen tables.
It is around those tables that families pass down their values, where difficult conversations take place, where children learn the meaning of faith, freedom, sacrifice, and personal responsibility. It is around those tables that ordinary Americans decide they are no longer willing to sit on the sidelines.
As we gather with family and friends this Independence Day weekend, let us celebrate the extraordinary blessings of living in the greatest nation on earth. Let us remember the courage of those who pledged "their Lives, their Fortunes and their sacred Honor" so that future generations could live free.
When the Constitutional Convention concluded in 1787, Benjamin Franklin was asked what form of government had been created. His famous reply was:
"A republic, if you can keep it."
Those words are just as relevant today as they were years ago.
The freedoms we enjoy are never guaranteed for the next generation.
They must be taught, defended, and passed on. Every generation has been entrusted with preserving liberty, and now that responsibility belongs to us.
So enjoy this special celebration of America's 250th birthday. Celebrate the fireworks, the family gatherings, the parades, and the incredible blessings of freedom.
Then on Monday, let us rededicate ourselves to the same timeless principles that inspired our Founders, faith, liberty, personal responsibility, limited government, and the courage to stand for what is right.
We are not simply celebrating the last 250 years.
We are helping write the story of the next 250.
Happy Independence Day, and may God continue to bless the United States of America.
-copied from a neighbor
