I'm Proud to be an American

I got off work today and raced to the polls, making it there right at 6 pm.  With the new time change, it is already getting dark.  I don't like this new time - at all.  But that's enough griping and complaining.  I am so thankful for freedom.  I am so proud to be an American where each person's vote counts.  Each person, regardless of how rich or poor, if they live in a rural area or urban area, no matter their skin color, religion, creed, or sex, if they are meat eaters or vegetarians, if they cheer for LSU or Alabama, each person's vote counts.  Each American citizen gets one vote and has the opportunity to exercise their civic duty in order to make their voice heard on issues that mean something to them.  It astounds me that there are some that don't exercise this privilege.

At our little polling place in the country, they pull the fire trucks out of the barn and open the local volunteer fire department to the public for polling.

The ladies working the precinct are always so friendly.  They have ziploc bags of homemade cookies laid out on the table and a big magnalite pot of something that smelled really good cooking on the stove.  I asked them how voter turnout was and they said it was HUGE.  That is a good thing.  They directed me into one of the four voting booths and I pulled the curtain behind me and cast my vote.

What a blessing it is to be an American!  As I think back in Bible times, the Israelites didn't have a say in their governance while they were in bondage under Egyptian rule.  In Jesus' time they didn't have a real voice as the Romans or corrupt Jewish rulers ruled over them.  But we have a voice and when our side wins or our side loses, there is a peaceful transition of power.  There are not military coups or overthrows of government in the middle of the night.  We don't live in some banana republic.  This weekend we'll celebrate veteran's day and will be able to honor those who served our country, preserving our right to vote, among others.  I am thankful for their service.

Win or lose, the sun will rise in the eastern sky and we'll wake up and go to work in the morning, come home in the evening and sit around the supper table, holding hands with family members and give thanks for our food, our family and for the opportunity to live in the greatest country in the world.  Does our country have problems?  Sure.  Are we perfect?  Of course not.  Freedom is a blessing though, and I'm proud to be an American!