Music Monday: “God bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood
by: Debbie Waltz
It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is coming up so soon. These past few weeks have gone by so quickly, personally and professionally. With the release of our special needs anthology, Room At The Table: Encouraging Stories From Special Needs Families, I almost forgot about The American Christian Fiction Writer’s conference this weekend. Not only that, but my mother accompanied my dad on a work trip to California- leaving me and Mia (my friend and PA) to take care of Holly, our dog.
It was a wonderful experience for me-quite reminiscent of living on my own in an apartment. It reminded me of how independent I truly am and what I’m truly capable of. Those short periods allowed me to work on the manuscript peacefully without someone always coming down the stairs. My parents didn’t have to worry because they trusted I was in capable hands. Mom could rest and relax, focusing only on herself for once, resting her mind and body.
The dog, of course, moped around the first floor half the time. After that, Holly switched between the role of sadness and protector, waiting for my parents to return.
Since I missed Veterans Day on Friday, I thought I’d share a paraphrase of something I heard on Sunday. Granted, it probably won’t have the same impact because I don’t remember his exact words; but it stuck with me enough that I had to text myself a reminder.
He said this: He served in the armed forces (in some capacity, I don’t remember.) As a result, people come up to him, thanking him for his service and saying what he does is “remarkable.” He says he’s just an ordinary person using the gifts and talents God gave him to serve. Just like Jesus and his disciples.
God chose ordinary people. They had jobs as fishermen and tax collectors etc.; they didn’t become extraordinary until they left their jobs and said “yes” to the calling Jesus had for them.
Please take a moment and think about it for a second.
As Christians, we are God’s ambassadors. Jesus commissions each one of us to go out and share God’s love in a broken world; it doesn’t always have to be through our words that we testify to God’s grace and love, but through our actions as well. Remember what Matthew 5:16 says:
“in the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Let’s take a moment to thank the people that have protected and continue to protect our freedoms- sometimes paying the ultimate sacrifice.
To listen to “God bless the USA”, here it is:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYvUmhqa104
Thank you Debbie for this writing!