250 years is a long time.  All who were born in that year have been personally forgotten.  Some are remembered via writings or historical accounts.  But nobody from that time is KNOWN by any kind of firsthand or even second-hand knowledge.  It is all history!  On a personal level, 250 years is a long time.

250 years is a short time in the scope of human history, we have been around briefly.  I walked through a building on the banks of the Thames River in London that was built in 1078.  The British were building buildings 950 years ago!  We are a young nation by European standards.  But why stick to Europe.  Egypt dynasties were around for quite a while.  China’s been there since ancient times.  The Roman Empire lasted as a political entity for about 1500 years, if Wikipedia is to be trusted.

And so a Happy Birthday is in order, but it is a birthday that ought to be tempered by two realities.  We are not the oldest and most mature of cultures.  I say this to be sure to keep us humble.  We need to stay humble before I add the second statement.  Because the second reality is that we are the most affluent and most free culture on the planet.  I am grateful for this beautiful place.  We can travel for days and never encounter an armed checkpoint.  We have a couple of oceans we can visit without leaving our country.  We still have freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of assembly.

I know there are plenty of fears surrounding our nation regardless of your political persuasion.  Every citizen has a list of things they would like to see changed.  But it’s poor form to insult someone on their birthday!  And so it is good to come together to celebrate 250 years of this amazing nation.  I’ve travelled to many places, but Merica remains my home.  She is beautiful.  She is still free.  And she doesn’t quite act her age.  I love this nation.  I am thankful for so many who have sacrificed incredibly so that we can be celebrating 250 years this week!  God has been good to us far beyond what we have deserved.  We are not the promised land.  But we are indeed a place of great blessings!

Happy Birthday, Merica!