I can still picture myself as an extremely timid second grader, standing on front porches with a stack of red, white, and blue bumper stickers that said, “1776★1976.”

Thomas Elementary had recruited us to help raise money for playground equipment, and apparently the strategy was to send sweet-faced second graders door-to-door armed with patriotic merchandise and confidence. I remember trying to convince neighbors that the celebration wouldn’t be complete without this Bicentennial bumper sticker for the low price of two dollars. Looking back, that was probably the first of many times I’ve broken out in a cold sweat on my upper lip trying to close a sale.

But the real stunner is realizing that was fifty years ago.

Fifty!

Which means here we are at the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. The Semiquincentennial. Let’s just call it “Bicentennial Plus 50,” because honestly, that feels more over-the-top grand.

The Freedom We Inherited

The Fourth of July has always been my favorite holiday, and the older I get, the more I understand why. It celebrates the three things that matter most to me: faith, family, and freedom.

There’s something powerful about studying history—not just to understand where you belong in the world, but to understand why the world is the way it is and why we are the beneficiaries of sacrifices we did not personally make.

When I read about the Founding Fathers, the pilgrims, the pioneers, explorers, courageous women, immigrants, soldiers, statesmen, and ordinary people who built lives out of almost nothing, I feel immense gratitude. These were people driven by faith, by hope, and by the dream of a better life for their families. They sought for the safety and freedom to worship, to work, to own land, to vote, to build, to dream, and to have some measure of control over their destiny.

And most days, I take those blessings completely for granted. I’ve even–heaven forgive me–been overwhelmed by them.

President Abraham Lincoln once referred to America as “the last best hope of earth.” He also spoke of the almost divine nature of this nation’s founding, saying that the Declaration of Independence gave liberty “not alone to the people of this country, but hope to the world for all future time.” So moving. Because whether the country or its citizens have lived up to the ideals perfectly or not, the ideals themselves have shaped the world.

Why I Love Americana

I also love this season because it is peak Americana, and I am unapologetically obsessed with every red-white-and-blue bit of it.

If you ever come to my home, you’ll notice patriotism painted into my walls year-round. I love the picnics, fireworks, parades, flags and bunting, hot air balloons, freedom runs, patriotic country music (I’ve created a playlist if you need it), neighborhood celebrations, morning devotionals, the Pledge of Allegiance, craft fairs, lawn chairs, sparklers, and children running barefoot through the grass covered in watermelon juice and sunscreen.

There’s something so right about millions of people stepping outside together in celebration. We sit shoulder-to-shoulder with our neighbors. We watch the sky light up. We take photos. We memorialize. We remember we belong to something grander than our daily comings and goings.

And in a world that feels increasingly divided and digital, that matters more than ever.

I also think some of my deepest gratitude stems from friendships with people who were not born here. Hearing their stories has helped me better understand the freedoms I’ve lived under constantly . . . without even noticing.

Make This Fourth of July Count

So this year, can I leave you with two challenges? Don’t worry, they’re easy and fun.

First: learn more about the founding of this country. Read the biographies. Study their sacrifices. Watch a documentary. Understand the people and the inspired principles that guided them.

Second: do something to make this 250th Fourth of July extra meaningful. If you can’t think of how, write me back. I’ve got way too many ideas to implement myself.

I’m writing this post in May on purpose. You have two full months to plan something memorable. Spark ideas. Sway hearts. Create traditions your children and grandchildren will still remember fifty years from now when they’re visiting loved ones at the tricentennial saying, “I can hardly believe that was half a century ago.”

God bless America!

Roxanne

P.S. And if your family has meaningful Fourth of July traditions, please share with me. I may still be able to fit it in. ;)