Our past history shapes our present history, and it’s politics, so I like to take advantage of opportunities to look back, think about where we’ve been, and where we find ourselves now, and how the two intersect.

I was reminded that today commemorates the great battle in 1890 at Wounded Knee in South Dakota when the Army massacred many Indians, like Slavery, this is one of those difficult to comprehend, dark bits of our history. In fact it’s one of those things that we as a Nation should bow our heads before God and repent of, and I would say most Americans do regret moments like this in our history.  It is hard to understand them living in the present…we weren’t there, we weren’t affected by the thinking of the time, it’s easy to judge looking back, but I wonder what it was like to be there?

It is an experience that we have learned from, I hope. I have always been fascinated by the “wild west”, it’s history and it’s beauty. Having grown up on the East Coast, it was a blessing to marry a man who grew up in the west for many reasons, among them the opportunity to visit and drive the many beautiful highways and bi-ways of Colorado, Arizona, the Dakotas, Utah, and more….but in those travels, I found myself discovering  things that I never knew existed, from the splendor of the mountains, to vast expanses of red, to wide open spaces where you could see the horizon from any direction, and then the more difficult discoveries, like Indian Reservations…why do we still need them? It seems so strange to me, one of the places that the past intersects with the present, and then seems to just stop.  Reminders of where we have been, and where never to go again.

Funny, I was just thinking about this blog, and what I want to do with it now that the election is over, and was thinking that I wanted to make it a positive blog, avoid all the negative press, any negative stories, just write about the good, the happy….but that wouldn’t be real.  I still want to find the good in things, and will do my best to add “positive spin” when I can, but for today, this is what’s been tumbling through my mind.

It might not be a bad idea to read  Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee; An Indian History of the American West, I have one of the first editions that was published.

While I continue to re-think the direction I want to take this blog (I’m not sure I’m interested in posting about the latest political controversy, or “he said-she said” type posts anymore), I thought it good to take some time this week to remember what a great Nation we really are. You hear truckloads of negatives every day when you turn on the news, so maybe this should be a place to come to hear something positive.

For today, I’d like to share a daily reading that I received from “In Touch” by Charles Stanley, a popular preacher, focusing on what is good about America … in fact, some of the things that we hear negative press on are mentioned in a different light, I hope you enjoy:

God has certainly blessed the United States. He’s extended His hand of provision across this great nation. Yet, how often do we fail to thank Him?

As most Americans prepare to celebrate our independence next week, it’s fitting to take a moment and offer thanks to God. He’s provided so abundantly for us. Think about how God has blessed us in the following areas:

First, our godly heritage. History shows that many of the men who signed our Constitution were Christians. This country was founded on biblical principles and a Christ-centered interpretation of justice, fairness, and equal opportunity.

Second, He’s blessed us with natural resources. Just think about the blessings God’s placed at our feet: ore, minerals, oil, forests, lakes, pastures, farmlands, and more. He’s provided what we need for ourselves and enough to care for other countries around the world.

Third, we should appreciate our economy. The free enterprise we enjoy in America is a remarkable blessing. We excel in innovations because we’re at liberty to follow our passions.

Finally, God has placed us in a free country. You should thank God for the election process and the freedom to personally impact the direction of this nation. It’s an amazing blessing that’s completely foreign in many parts of the world.

This weekend, slow down a bit and look around. Try to intentionally notice the Lord’s blessings in your life. What do you need to thank Him for?