Country Roads

It will soon be time to celebrate another Independence Day, July 4th, the birthday of our country, the United States of America!

It would take a giant birthday cake to hold our country’s 247 candles.

When we think of America’s most patriotic songs, some of the songs that come to mind are of course the “National Anthem,” “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “This Is My Country,” “America,” “God Bless the USA” and “Yankee Doodle.”

My father’s favorite patriotic song was “God Bless America,” and as the church’s song leader, at every patriotic holiday he would lead the congregation in singing it with such meaning. The history of this special song began in 1938 when Hitler’s fascism was threating to take over Europe, leading to a war. Irving Berlin, a famous Jewish song writer, was moved to create a song fitting his love for the country he called home. He remembered a song he had started to compose years ago but never used and stored it away in a trunk. Pulling the pages out of the trunk, he began adding to what would later be known as America’s second national anthem. It quickly became an overnight hit and almost everyone soon learned this one verse song, “God Bless America.”

It was first brought before the public the eve of Armistice Day 1938, on a famous radio show by singer Kate Smith, when she bellowed out the meaningful words to “God Bless America.”

Today, as we face some challenging times for our country, and bringing all together once again in support of America, the words of this song still rings true as we ask our Creator to please once again bless America.

“God Bless America, land that I love. Stand beside her and guide her through the night with a light from above. From the mountains to the prairies, to the oceans white with foam. God Bless America my home sweet home. God Bless America my home sweet home.”