July 4, 1776 marks the day America declared its independence from Great Britain. Thomas Jefferson wrote the famous declaration which includes these familiar words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” And thus began the American Experiment, which produced the freest, most prosperous nation in the history of the world, and made the American Dream attainable to anyone who aspires to achieve it. Our Pledge of Allegiance holds the key to the American experience: we are “one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” So you see, it’s not our independence that makes this country great, but our dependence – our dependence on God and on each other.

Mother’s Day recently passed and Father’s Day is just around the corner. These holidays prompt us to reflect on family. What does a healthy family look like? Proverbs 17:6 tells us: “Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.” Now, grandparents agree with this verse wholeheartedly, as do us parents. But what about our young children? Luckily, this verse doesn’t tell us that siblings have to be proud of each other! We’re only human after all. Family is messy, and as Jerry Seinfeld said, “there’s no such thing as fun for the whole family.” Family is chaos, noise, busyness, competition, frustration, laughter, tears, and … love, like no other. Family is a blessing.