Flag of Glory©

Flag of Glory©

A Limerick A Day to Keep You On Your Way©

There once flew a glorious flag so high.

Tyranny, we will no longer comply.

Called old Glory.

Freedom’s story.

American Liberty, never die.

Every country around the world has a national flag.  My national flag is the United States of America.  I love and defend my flag for what it represents: Freedom over Tyranny.

By 1775 Britain’s Monarch Rule by King George III had been imposing overbearing taxes and intrusions into the colonies using militia forces. The colonists had enough!  No longer would they be subject to a tyrant. The American Spirit of freedom was birthed.

On June 14, 1777 the Star and Stripes became the official flag of America. It  represented the first thirteen colonies fighting against  tyranny.  Seven red stripes and six white  totaling  13.  The color red was used for valor,  white for purity,  and blue for justice.

Our celebration of July 4 is to never forget the 1776 Declaration of Independence from Great Britain and all its forms tyranny.  Patriots everywhere fly their flags at parades, on their homes, vehicles and some towns on telephone poles. Today the American Flag represents the fifty states that make up the United States of America.  Our beautiful flag has never lost its symbol of freedom over tyranny.  The entire world knows this.  It is why many people around the world want to live in America.

Before America’s official flag of today,  with fifty stars for each state,  there was a flag called Old Glory.  It received its notoriety from William Driver.  At thirteen William ran away from his Salem, Massachusetts home to become a cabin boy on a large sailing ship. By 1824 Driver,  who was still  a young man of twenty three, was commander of his own ship, the Charles Doggett. His mother, with the help of some Salem women admirers,  gave him a hand sewn American Flag with 24 stars on it as a birthday present. Hoisting it on his ship he named it Old Glory, the symbol of freedom over tyranny. Driver travelled all over the world flying his flag until retiring in 1837. After retiring from the sea, Driver settled in Tennessee where he continued to fly his flag. He became a salesperson for many Nashville businesses and served in his local church. When the Civil War broke out in 1860 Driver hid his flag to keep it from being destroyed. Tennessee was a Confederate state but Driver was a Unionist. The Confederates came to his door demanding the flag but he had hidden it by sewing it inside a quilt. Nashville fell and was occupied by the Unionist Army. Driver gave his flag to them to be draped over the capital building. The flag is now displayed in the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. 

When I read the story of the flag called Old Glory I am reminded of the tyranny Jesus endured for the Glory of God.  The tyrant of that time was Herod the Great. That government also interfered in religious freedom, much like our current government.   One of America’s founding beliefs is religious freedom.  The writings of the Bible are crafted into every facet of our Declaration of Independence, and ten years later the Constitution. We base our three branches of government, Legislative, Executive, and Judicial on Biblical Scriptures.  Never let anyone tell you otherwise.  It will always be necessary every generation be taught the original writings of our great American History, especially the Founding Fathers.  They rightly understood without Divine Intervention and living out the principles of biblical teachings all peoples eventually destroy themselves.  Let’s not let that happen to America.

 Pray this prayer with me.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for loving all people.  Thank you for loving America. We ask You , to open our minds and hearts to the role America plays for freedom for all as we remember we are great only because of Your hand upon us.  Forgive us for forgetting You and taking our blessings for granted. Grant us wisdom to govern ourselves and this beautiful land we live in. Help us love the Scriptures from where all wisdom and knowledge comes from. In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Written by Paula Ann Kochanek

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