I heard a story on the radio the other day. A man was visiting another country and a comment was made to him, 'You Americans have such a can-do spirit. If something needs to be done, you find a way."
What has happened to that great spirit? Where is our American ingenuity and strength? All I hear about lately is how we need to depend on the government to meet our every need and that we are too weak and helpless to do it on our own.
How depressing is that!?!
I don't want to hear that I am weak and need the government to take care of me. I want to hear that I am strong, capable, and with the right attitude, I can accomplish anything. Where is our pioneer spirit? When did we become a nation that is afraid of everything and anything that might be painful?
Don't tell me I can't do something. It really ticks me off. With God's help, I believe that the impossible can be accomplished and our country is living proof of that. This country was founded on the belief that our CREATOR gave us the spirit of freedom...that spirit that is deep in the heart of every man, woman and child...the spirit that LONGS to be free and will do what it takes to gain or keep that freedom.
Wanting hand outs isn't who we are! We are AMERICANS! This nation became great on the backs of hard work. I want to be proud of my country. I want to stand and say that I worked alongside others to make this country great. I don't want to stand alongside others in a line to get a hand-out. That is not only depressing, it is insulting and would cause me to have a total loss of self-respect. Is that what we want to become? Is that what we want to force others to become?
Obviously helping the underprivileged is a passion of mine, and I am an advocate for helping those who are truly in need. However, "helping' people does not mean stealing their self-respect by convincing them that they are incapable of taking care of themselves.
The "American Dream" is all about working hard and receiving the pay-off. That is what immigrants come here to achieve. Why? Because God has put inside us a need to work hard to be able to feel good about ourselves.
We are AMERICANS! Stand tall! Follow God's principles of working hard and giving generously but voluntarily to those who are in need. We are strong. We are capable. We have a long history of doing the impossible with God's help! With His guidance, we can continue to do great things and be a beacon of light in the world.
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive...and will heal their land." 2 Chron. 7:14
