Life usually doesn’t fit into nice neat little lists, but that doesn’t keep me from trying. Welcome to my Tuesday 10, where I try to fit the messiness of life into a list of ten. I really love this country. My heritage goes deep. I'm part Native American, and part English immigrant, but one way or another my family was here from the very beginning of this great nation. I've always been patriotic, as anyone that knows me well at all can tell you. Here are ten things I love about this wonderful land we live in.
1. The Bill of Rights is pretty awesome. Owning guns and being able to read the free press are WIN scenarios any way you slice it.
2. Captain America. I don't believe that requires any further explanation.
3. Charity; people all across the board like to point fingers and gripe about everything from entitlement, perceived socialism, welfare, deficits, and stinginess, but facts are facts. The U.S.A. Is the most charitable country on the Earth both inside and outside its borders. Whatever side of the political aisle you find yourself on, next time you want to gripe about charity, you would do well to remember that once upon a time that word actually meant LOVE and not HANDOUT.
4. Creativity; thinking and doing are appreciated in a myriad of ways. We aren't the only creative culture around, but we manage it with a sense of style that is uniquely American.
5. Freedom of Expression; some people choose to exercise this particular freedom like bone-headed-nincompoops, but that is their prerogative. For every flag burning moron out there, there are an army of sensible artists ready to wow us with their beautiful minds.
6. Protection; if you come to my house and threaten the life of my family, I will kill you, and it will be legal.
7. Natural Beauty; this is a remarkably beautiful place. I can drive less than an hour from my home and see sights that take my breath away.
8. Military; we have the most powerful armed forces in the world, and it's made up entirely of volunteers.
9. Capitalism; for the most part I decide where my money goes. Do I want to buy seventy bags of Corn Chips? That would be ridiculous, but if I want to I can...or I can buy a pile of ground beef and grill burgers for my family. Not everyone handles this freedom responsibly, and plenty of people wish they had a little more wealth to be (ir)responsible for/with; but if you have it, it's yours to do with as you please, or as your conscience dictates.
10. Worship; I've been reading a lot of stories lately about churches in my movement facing violent persecution around the world. I can sleep easy knowing no one is going to come into my home and attack me for my faith...but if they do I can always fall back on number 6 (Kidding! Kind of.)