Happy Birthday America

by Peggy Cunningham

On July 4th, I will wear my flag sweater. I am old—119 in dog years. But I’m not as old as my country, the United States of America. This year my country will be 235 years old and we will celebrate at my house with a big party.

I can wear my flag sweater because it will be winter in July. I live with my parents in South America. The seasons are opposite here, which means while it is summer in the United States it is winter in South America.

I am Kelsey Lee, Shih Tzu, girl dog, born 1994, in Florida, USA. (My special birth papers say so.) I am almost 17 years old in people years, which is old for a dog. I am proud to be an OLD American dog.

Our country has a special birthday paper too, called the Declaration of Independence, signed on July 4, 1776 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  We celebrate our nation’s birthday every year on July 4. The declaration announced our freedom for the 13 colonies from the mother country of Great Britain.

The colonies wanted to form their own country and make their own laws. They wanted to be free! The signing of The Declaration of Independence was the beginning of America’s fight to be a free and independent nation. It wasn’t easy to become a free nation. Our country fought a war and many people lost their lives. The soldiers who died for our country’s freedom are heroes.

Every year on July 4th, we have a special picnic at my house to celebrate America’s birthday. I love that party with all the hotdogs, fireworks, and ice cream. I wear my flag sweater. It is red, white, and blue, with stars and stripes.

Our country’s flag is the most important symbol of our freedom. Our forefathers, or the founders of our country, decided to make a new flag. George Washington (our first president, remember…) asked Betsy Ross to sew the first flag. Betsy could sew better than anyone and her husband had died in the war. Betsy Ross was happy to sew the first flag.

The flag would be red, white, and blue, with stars and stripes. The color red would be for victory, white for purity, and blue for loyalty. The stars would represent each state and the stripes  would represent the 13 colonies that became our first states.

Everyone celebrated America’s first birthday party on July 4, 1777. The sky of Philadelphia lit up with bonfires. Candles glowed in the windows of every home and store. Church bells rang out and even cannons were shot from ships. After that people all across America celebrated the birth of our country every year on July 4th.

Many of the men who wrote The Declaration of Independence prayed for guidance from God as they served our country. In my house we always pray for our country and our leaders. The Bible says, “Giving thanks always for all things unto God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Let’s always thank God for our great country and ask Him to bless The United States of America.

Read Ephesians 5:20

I thank God for my country, birthday parties, and of course, my flag sweater!

Peggy Cunningham and her husband have served as missionaries in Bolivia, S.A. since 1981. Rumi Rancho, founded in 1999 by the Cunninghams, is their home and ministry base where they work among the Quechua people.

Situated in a rural area of the Cochabamba valley, the Cunninghams minister to Quechua children and adults in their home and churches. God has raised up Rumi Rancho to help them teach practical skills to children while reaching them for Christ. Their desire is to give them hope for eternity by teaching them God’s Word, as well as equipping them for a better life while here on earth.

Peggy has written 13 children’s books.  RUMI RANCHO TAILS is a series of nine picture books about the animals that have lived at Rumi Rancho. PEGTALES  from Rumi Rancho is her latest published series. It is a series of four books and a collection of true stories of her childhood, which include biblical truths.

www.peggyjcunningham.com

www.rumirancho.com