"Does America Still Inspire You?"

On this Independence Day I suppose it was appropriate that I started thinking during my bike ride this morning about this question, "DOES AMERICA STILL INSPIRE ME?" The more I thought about it , the more I began to recall specific inspirational moments that I have had over the years. But then I also began to think about all the garbage that gets carelessly tossed around that seems to significantly clutter the landscape and in some cases even alters it forever.
I'm not much impressed with all the political garbage that I see and hear tossed into our landscape. For me, for the time being at least, politics is an exercise in futility because after hearing all the negative rhetoric during the Republican primaries, I find it very difficult to believe any of them. And its probably only going to get worse as we wind down toward the November election. I am certainly not inspired to run out to vote but I know I will because I deeply appreciate the opportunity to do so.
I've not lived a really long time but I guess 70 years isn't exactly a newcomer either. I have lived long enough to see so much that is disappointing and sometimes disheartening to me as an American. And I can see no positive reason to air all that out and further contaminate my own back yard. So, I'm back to my original question, "DOES AMERICA STILL INSPIRE ME?"
Our English word "inspire" is of Latin derivation and it means to "to influence, to prompt, as creative action or thought; to stir or animate; to cause or arouse as thought or feeling." In New Testament Greek the word "inspiro" means "God breathed or breathed out by God." Now there's a definition I can really sink my teeth into. I may be over-reaching a bit here, but I think in some way God may be behind virtually all true inspiration. We know that is true of the Scriptures and we know it is true of many people who were inspired/prompted by Him to take radical action. I'm not saying that God causes every action or thought of every person who has ever been aroused to do whatever. What I do believe is that in some truly pure way, INSPIRATION is a an act of God.
I vividly recall my first morning after I arrived at Great Lakes Naval Training Center in 1960 to begin my career as a newly minted sailor. That first morning was a shocker. We were up at 5:00 am, showered, shaved and dressed by 5:45 to march to the mess hall for breakfast. I went through the chow line, carried my two boiled eggs, baked navy beans and cornbread to sit with my unit and was struck with the reality that I couldn't go home and put my feet under my mom's table. During the night I had heard a few guys crying in the dark and it made me sad for them. Now, as I sat looking at this very strange breakfast, I began to wonder if I had made a huge mistake. Then in a sudden burst of "inspiration" I realized that I was not the first guy to sit in the very seat I now occupied and if they could make it, I could too. That got me through boot camp.
When I was eventually assigned to the USS MT MCKINLEY (AGC 7), I went through much the same deal as I stood there at Pier 4 in Norfolk, Va with my seabag lying on the dock at my feet. I had never seen a ship close up before and it was a bit unnerving for a country boy from the Kentucky backwoods. But I looked up at the American flag flying from the mast and it just seemed to comfort me and reassure me that I will be just fine. And I was.
A few years ago we drove from Dallas to Orlando for a vacation with our kids. After spending the night in Mobile, Al we decided to visit Battleship Park to see the USS ALABAMA (BB-60) before continuing our trip to Florida. I took Gabe and Alyssa down to the galley of that special monument and we sat at the tables where the sailors ate all their meals. I told them to appreciate that they aren't the first two people who ever sat on those little round stools, holding their metal trays with their thumbs folded over the lip of the tray to keep it from sliding off into the floor. It was an "inspiring" moment for me and I hope for them too.
I am inspired by the Wounded Warriors who struggle to re-invent their lives and try to put their lives back together in some reasonable way. I am inspired every year on 9/11 by remembering that night in San Antonio, Texas with thousands of other Americans gathered at the Mercado where 8 blood mobiles were lined up to accommodate the tens of thousands who had shown up to give blood. I am inspired by the millions of people of all ages who do great things for the good of others. Wow, I could go on and on.
"DOES AMERICA STILL INSPIRE ME?" ABSOLUTELY, RIGHT TO THE CORE OF MY BEING!
We Americans are a strange mixture of backgrounds, expectations, nationalities and social, political and religious persuasions. We live on small family farms and ranches, in big city high rise apartments, sprawling estates, senior citizen homes etc., but when the absolute necessity arises, we are always ONE.
So, keep on speaking your own mind on any issue you choose to address and allow your neighbor to do the same without angry threats. Please don't allow the preachers, politicians and news pundits poison what is good about America in your own spirit. If I've learned anything worthwhile in my 70 years, it is this - PEOPLE ARE NEVER THE ENEMY but make no mistake we are threatened every day by an enemy that has already been defeated. Jesus took care of that for all of us and that's finally what really matters. At least, that's how I feel about it. HALLELUJAH!