A Prayer for My Country

"Andrews Sisters" perform for WW2 Veterans

There were no fireworks in my part of the world, due to extreme heat and fire danger. I watched a Capitol Fourth on PBS and was taken by the joy and happiness I saw in the thousands of Americans gathered near the Capitol and the various monuments to celebrate the birth of our nation.  Such sheer happiness on so many faces.  And I thought, if only the news had more of these happy faces, this great gathering of people all celebrating the gift that a good nation can be.  And this prayer is what came to my mind:

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May we always sing "God Bless America," and always remember to ask that God bless every other nation in the world, as well.

May we feel honored to pay taxes--our tithes--to help a good nation become better, to strengthen its schools and nurture its children.

May we take the time to understand our history, its rights and its wrongs, so that we may help steer our country into the best future possible.

May we understand that we did not create the natural abundance that is the land beneath the United States of America, that it is ours to care for and to protect, that once destroyed, it cannot be remade.

May we as a country lead by the good examples of our citizens, not by conflict 
or by strife.

May we never forget that our freedoms were purchased at great price, that we should remain humble at the memory of those who died for our bright future.

May we honor the men and women who serve in our armed forces. May we remember that we are never safe without them and be genuinely 
grateful for them.

May we love our country enough to recognize when it veers from human rights and core values. May we be strong enough to work to right the wrongs 
we see at home.

May we love our country with our hearts, minds, and souls; 
see it clearly; serve it truly.