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Back several years ago, as I looked over by the bathroom sink, I noticed that Madeline was brushing her teeth and doing something with a cell phone at the same time. As she stood there looking at me with foam from the toothpaste oozing down her chin, I lost no time telling her to put that thing away while she brushed her teeth.  In just a bit she explained the reason for the phone in her hand—she was timing herself!  Sounds like her trips to the dentist had an impact on her desire for continued good oral hygiene.

That same evening as the girls were getting ready to go to Vacation Bible School to see what kind of mischief Willie (their favorite puppet) would stir up, Addy made her grand appearance wearing an item of clothing that Madeline recognized.  The look on Madeline’s face grew more sullen when she learned that her mother had handed the clothing down to Addy.  Madeline’s displeasure became even more intense as she stated that she could still wear the outfit and she was going to tell her mother!  Thankfully the drama soon passed and all was well between them.

Those two girls have grown a lot since then.  In a few weeks Madeline will be twelve and Addy ten, so the things they do are a bit more grown up now.  But with two and a half year old Raegan in our lives, we never know what will happen next!  I still don’t know the story behind the picture of her that her mother posted yesterday with what appeared to be lipstick all over her lips and on a good portion of her face!!

If we will pay attention, we will see that children do some interesting and cute things—and sometimes even some shocking things!  It is priceless to watch them grow up and begin to experience the ups and downs of life.  I am thankful for all those little girls that bring so much joy to our lives.  I am also thankful for the freedoms that they have in this nation and the privileges that they get to enjoy.  Too often we take such blessings for granted; we would do well to pay attention to the many ways that God has blessed us in this nation.

As we celebrate our nation’s independence, we must pay attention to the needs of our country.  Rather than only complaining about our national needs and concerns, we need to call out to God asking for His forgiveness and intervention.  We need to pay more attention to the direction that our national leaders are leading us in.  And we need to pay attention to the lack of reliance upon God that is growing rapidly in our land. 

Our nation has been greatly blessed by God and tremendously used by Him for centuries.  Now we stand in need of spiritual renewal and it is imperative that we pay attention to what is taking place across our land, and ask God to help us to once again become a nation that loves, honors, and pleases Him.  Even though it was written thousands of years ago, we cannot afford to neglect the guidance of 2 Chronicles 7:14:  “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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (New International Version). There has never been a time when America needed to heed those words more than we do today.  If we will obey those words, blessings await, but if we continue to fail to do so, destruction is over the horizon.  If we really pay attention we will see that our nation’s greatest need is for spiritual awakening to permeate the hearts of people all across this land.