Happy 4th of July, everyone! I am so excited for a chance to enjoy some rest and relaxation with friends and family this week...it's the stuff of memories...laid back summer smiles and lazy days of summer; sparklers with my sister's family and fireworks with friends...it just doesn't get any better! Here is today's Monday Moment with Mimi! Love and blessings! Shannon :-)
Hills and Patriotism
This has been such a wonderful week of the 4th! Since I love family, friends and fireworks, I can honestly say it was a wonderful Independence Day!
I began my July 4th morning early by attempting to run/walk at a local track. I may be slow and I admit I do walk on areas of the track when I am especially weary…but not the hills. Don’t get me wrong…there are days when I walk…like during my extended illness a few years ago or on my lazy days. But even on days like these, my goal has always been to run the hills. As a runner, it has become mental as much as physical. Don’t give up; don’t give in! I may walk the paths, but I will run the hills. This always leaves me with a feeling of accomplishment, small at best…but still a feeling of accomplishment!
On the 4th of July as I ran, I passed quite a few runners dressed in patriotic garb, and I was reminded of a day many, many years ago that I too proudly displayed a small flag on the leg of my jeans. It was displayed at the bottom of my pant leg and was very carefully stitched…
Sadly though, I tell you, that I stitched the small flag on upside down. I was expressing an unhappy feeling about our country and understood very little about the era I was living in—except how to sew on a flag.
That Saturday morning, I struck off on an adventure with my friends, until my Dad, a decorated WWII veteran, eyed me across the road. Or, shall I say, he eyed my faded jeans. Or, shall I say, he eagle-eyed the upside down flag on my jeans – my faded jeans—that I had so proudly sewn on just hours before.
After an intense lecture from my dad--Mr. J. A. Hill--on patriotism, flags, and respect, I must admit I was feeling rather checked. Since then I have never displayed, nor desired to display, our U.S. flag in such a manner.
What made it worse was that on that day I realized I couldn’t even tell my dad a good reason why I had worn the tiny flag in such an unpatriotic manner, other than “that’s what all the others were doing.”
Now to tie today’s tale together…Some 40 years later, I feel strongly that today we are in a place where some “things” of our country are truly upside down. But I also know wholeheartedly that God has blessed this land too much to give up, give in, and just walk the paths.
Instead we must run the hills for what we know to be Truth…put forth effort to correct and change…live out our convictions and beliefs. Running the hills--it's what my dad, Mr. Hill, taught me to do with his patriotism, his example, his passion, and his love for country! Happy Independence to you and yours! Anne
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