My girls and their swim team…Inspiring grateful Americans!
A few months ago, a German television station came to do a series on our family for all of their European stations. The days they aired the show our European numbers for our website were through the roof and suddenly I was being friend requested from all over Europe! It was incredibly exciting!
Shortly thereafter, I received an email from a new friend in Switzerland who was German. She encouraged me in her letter as she was a child psychologist and was inspired by our family. She also worked with families of soldiers and seemed to interpret my patriotism and pro-military stance in a way very different than I intended.
So let me be clear to all my new European friends.
I am an American Patriot. I love my country fiercely and I make ABSOLUTELY NO APOLOGIES FOR THAT. I think beyond a shadow of a doubt that my country is the best and greatest in the world and the brightest hope this earth has for solid leadership and protection. And I sincerely pray that each of you carries this same sentiment towards your own nation. I hope you love your country as devoutly as I love mine. I have been raised on a solid diet of American Exceptionalism and I hope you feel that your country is exceptional as well.
That doesn’t mean I do not see my country’s faults, mistakes, or missteps. It doesn’t mean I don’t love people of all nations, creeds, and faiths…even those who are diametrically opposed to America and to my God. My God teaches me I am to love even my enemies and do good to every human and reach out to anyone in need.
[bctt tweet=”And being pro-military does NOT MAKE ME PRO-WAR…but I am PRO-WARRIOR!”]
And being pro-military does not make me pro-war. I will support my military no matter the administration and no matter whether I agree with the war, the cause, or the orders our men in uniform are given. They have chosen to serve for a mere pittance of the cost of their willing sacrifice and these men and women in uniform deserve our utmost respect. The cost of PTSD, physical casualties and lingering disabilities is simply too high for us not to continually give encouragement, support, and service to those who have served on our behalf that we may enjoy the freedoms, opportunities and securities that they have given us. I will never accept that war is good, but our WARRIORS ARE GOOD and deserving of our utmost respect. Pro-military does not mean pro-war…but pro-WARRIOR I am for sure.
[bctt tweet=” I will never accept that war is good, but our WARRIORS are good!”]
I speak highly of my country because I love her. I revere my military because I love those men and women in uniform. Our team has developed an entire charity towards Inspiring Grateful Americans because we believe that we can build a better nation by strengthening families. When we encourage families by showcasing the cost of their freedoms because of the sacrifice of those serving in our military, we simultaneously strengthen those families. I make no apologies for any of the above and I sincerely hope my European friends can be inspired to love their nation as I do mine. I pray every one of our men and women in uniform has God’s divine protection as we all fight our common enemy the terrorists. I believe that every country is better when its citizens are moved by love of family and love of fellow countrymen. And when every citizen loves, prays for, and serves their nation in the capacity the Good Lord intended that individual to do, we all win. American or not.
So to my German psychologist friend living in Switzerland and helping families and soldiers, I hope you see where I am coming from. I’m praying for you in your service of those suffering through the aftermath of war. I am praying for the children and families you serve and I sincerely thank you for bringing these questions up to me so that I can clarify and I sincerely hope you love your country, your military men and women, and your purpose in serving all of them as much as I do mine. May God bless us all and grant us wisdom, power, and peace over our enemies. Until the Prince of Peace returns.
Michelle Wiginton says
Well said Lyette! I second all of that…while fervently praying for all our Christian brothers and sisters around the world. The Lord, in His wisdom and perfect plan, has placed each one of us where we are planted…to do good, serve Him and others where we are. May all of our strong towers, our Christian warriors, rise up in faith, prayer and praise to shout from the mountaintops of His faithfulness, might, power and love!