Joshua was sitting on my lap in Sacrament meeting today, flipping through the hymns, when we ended up on the Star Spangled Banner. We routinely sing the first verse, but not the second and third, and I really like the 3rd verse:
Oh, thus be it ever, when free men shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land
Praise the Pow’r that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust!”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
I took the opportunity to vote early this year and since I voted last week my mind has been turned to how blessed we are to live in the United States of America, this "heav'n-rescued land". I think of the founders and the faith they placed in God that he would grant them freedom, and then pursuing it at the peril of their lives. And God did grant them freedom. And also the wisdom they showed in producing documents detailing those freedoms and how they could/should be preserved.
And I marvel that more than 200 years later we are still free! I look around and see so many people who can't vote, or who's vote doesn't count, or who did vote, but then saw their country overthrown and returned to authoritarian rule. God has truly blessed this land and kept us free. I can see no other explanation for our great and continued blessings through civil war, world wars, terrorist attacks, the rise and fall of communism, and countless other situation than God's providence.
This year we have on the ballot a Mormon and a Catholic, and a Protestant and a Catholic, but we are not voting for them based on their religion. I hope that everyone will take the time to examine their own beliefs and then vote for the candidates that they believe will help achieve those goals. I voted for Mitt Romney because I believe he has the skills and leadership abilities needed to reach out to legislators from all parties and work together to solve the (huge) problems facing our country. I was pretty impressed with Obama four years ago, and think he cares deeply about our nation, but he hasn't been able to bring people together to solve the most pressing issues. And social security,the budget deficit, medicare, immigration, and a host of other issues can NOT be solved on a partisan basis. These problems require non-partisan solutions, solutions that bring us together as Americans to ensure that the country we turn over to our kids is as great as the one we received from our parents.I think Romney showed his ability to find solutions to pressing problems as the governor of Mass., as the head of the Olympics, and as the owner of a (very) successful business.
Whether or not you agree with me, I hope you vote! I hope this country means enough to you that you take the time to voice your opinion about its future.
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