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Kelsey Lee Cunningham
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Incase you missed Kelsey's story in The Voice of Grace and Truth, I'm posting it today.
In memory of the best furry little girl ever!
Happy Birthday America
On July 4th, I will wear my flag sweater.
I am old, 126 in dog years, but I’m not as old as my country, the United States
of America. This year, on its birthday, my country will be 235 years old and we
will celebrate at my house with a big party. I can wear my flag sweater because
where I live it will be winter in July, that’s because I live in South America,
where my parents work. The seasons are opposite here, which means while it is
summer in the United States it is winter in South America.
I was born in the USA; it says so on my
special papers. They say I am Kelsey Lee, Shih Tzu, girl dog, born in 1994, in
Florida. I am 18 years old in people years, even that is old for a dog. I am proud to be an OLD American dog.
Our country has a special birthday paper
too. It is called the Declaration of Independence, signed on July 4, 1776 in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On that date our nation was born, July 4th is its
birthday. This paper announced that the 13 colonies wanted freedom from the
mother country of Great Britain. The colonies wanted to form their own country
and make their own laws; they wanted to be free. The signing of The Declaration
of Independence was the beginning of America’s fight to be a free and
independent nation. It wasn’t easy to become a free nation. There was a war and
many people lost their lives, they were heroes because they died for our
country.
Every year on July 4th, we have a special
picnic at my house to celebrate America’s birthday. I love that party with all
the hotdogs, fireworks and ice cream. I wear my flag sweater, it is red, white,
and blue, with stars and stripes, and it even looks like a flag. Our flag is
our most important symbol of our freedom. When our country was just beginning
our forefathers, the founders of our country, decided to make a new flag.
George Washington, our first president, asked Betsy Ross to sew the first flag.
He was told she could sew better than anyone and that her husband was a soldier
who died in the war; he was a hero. Betsy Ross was happy to sew the first flag.
It was decided that the flag would be red,
white, and blue, with stars and stripes.
The color red would be for victory, white for purity, and blue for
loyalty. The stars would be for each state and the stripes for the 13 colonies
that became the first 13 states.
One year later, on July 4, 1777, the sky
of Philadelphia was lit up with bonfires and candles were glowing in all the
windows of the homes and stores. Church bells rang out and even cannons were
shot from ships. It was America’s first birthday party. After that people all
across America celebrated the birth of our country every year on July 4th.
Many of the men who wrote The Declaration of Independence prayed for
guidance from God as they served our country. In my house we always pray for
our country and our leaders. The Bible says in Ephesians 5:20 “Giving thanks
always for all things unto God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ.” Let’s always thank God for our country and ask Him to bless The United
States of America.
"Red Sweater Girls"
You may be gone from my side,
but you'll always be in my heart!
"God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in heaven,
and if it takes my dog being there, then I believe he'll be there." Billy Graham