America – it’s your birthday!

But your birthday, sweet land of Liberty, didn’t come without a very, very high price…..

234 years ago 56 men pledged together:

“For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor”.

John Adams and John Hancock said,

“We recognize no sovereign but God
and no king but Jesus!!”

Who were these 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Nine of the signers were immigrants, two were brothers and two were cousins. Did you know that one was even an orphan? The average age of a signer was 45. Benjamin Franklin was the oldest delegate at 70. The youngest signer was Thomas Lynch Jr. of South Carolina. He was 27.

And occupations? Fourteen were farmers, four were doctors, eighteen of the signers were merchants or businessmen. Twenty-two were lawyers – although William Hooper of North Carolina was “disbarred” when he spoke out against the king – and nine were judges. One had been the governor of Rhode Island. Forty-two signers had served in their colonial legislatures. New Jersey’s John Witherspoon was the only active clergyman to attend.

Were they educated men? Hardly a group of vagabonds – seven of the signers were educated at Harvard, four at Yale, four at William & Mary, and three at Princeton. Witherspoon was the president of Princeton, and George Wythe was a professor at William & Mary. In fact, Witherspooon’s students included Declaration scribe Thomas Jefferson.

But what happened to these 56 men after the signing?

The British captured five signers during the war. Thomas Heyward, Edward Rutledge and Arthur Middleton were captured at the Battle of Charleston in 1780. Richard Stockton of New Jersey never recovered from his incarceration at the hands of British Loyalists. He died five years after the signing. George Walton was wounded and captured at the Battle of Savannah.

Thomas McKean of Delaware wrote John Adams that he was “hunted like a fox by the enemy – compelled to remove my family five times in a few months.” Two of Abraham Clark’s sons were captured by the British during the war.

So what happened to these 56 after signing the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two of the 56 signers lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. Did you also know that Carter Braxton and Nelson, both of Virginia, lent large sums of their personal fortunes to support the war effort but were never repaid??

These men had security but they valued Liberty more.

Dw and I were talking and we really have no clue, in our world today about the sacrifices of our forefathers to make America a free nation. How many American’s even give a thought to our forefathers? How many even bother to fly an American flag?

How many of us could ever imagine giving large sums of our personal fortunes to gain {or protect} our freedom and then to never have it repaid?? Personally, I’m ashamed of my lack of appreciation for what these 56 heroes went through so that I could gather with my family and worship the only true, living God, freely this morning.

These men and their families understood the price for freedom and they paid it – in a really, huge way!

There is a brief page on the internet that so eloquently describes the lives of these 56 heroes. It is found here.

Yesterday we went to a neighboring town to walk in the parade with other Blue Star Moms and their families. Small town America. As our float walked the parade route, we carried pictures of our kids and were greeted by clapping, people standing and showing their appreciation for our sons and daughters serving our country. Most of us parents were brought to tears by their gracious kindness and show of appreciation. Not every city in America even will honor a military person or their family. How thankful we are for this neighboring small town not far from our home.

Sweet friends tell your kids about our forefathers. Talk as a family about their sacrifices. Remember. Remember the heroes who allow us so many freedoms. Then pray as a family for America. Pray that we will return to our Biblical foundation. Will you join our family in praying for the return of America to her Biblical heritage and foundation? Will you?

Blue Star Moms….

Jubilee’s first 4th of July as an American citizen – Yippee Jesus!!

Liberty handing out candy along the route.

Elizabeth decided a pinwheel would help make her a bit more festive…..

I regret I didn’t get a picture of the four littles….my two sets of twins all matchy-matchy…they were so cute…..

“In the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior. The Declaration of Independence laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity.”

John Quincy Adams

Happy Birthday America, Happy Birthday!!