A 4th of July to Remember

To be honest, we celebrated the 4th on the 3rd...It was another hot day and we started it with a long trip to Potsdam. It was amazing mostly because Jenn and I got to stroll around the whole day and really get into some deep discussions about where we were in our marriage and what we want the future to be like.

I can truly say that I have never been bored walking with my gorgeous and sometimes sassy wife. It was insane how quickly all the time went by as we strolled through famous castles and walked through the old palace gardens. There is something about visiting places like Potsdam that seems to etch conversations in your mind.

I would say that our time in Potsdam was a vivid and redefining moment in our marriage. We had some serious talks about our roles within our little family and outside of it. It is something that we are realizing that we need to do when big changes come up and every time we do, our marriage is truly strengthened.

I think people envision marriage as something that will stay pretty constant and predictable. In my limited experience, I have learned quickly that this is quite untrue. It is a very dynamic and fast moving train that is hard to manage if you don't take the time to understand where it has been and where it is heading.

It is similar to the trains out here in Germany, you can plan all you want, but things happen and sometimes the train goes slower then you want it too. Other times it is right on time, but if you aren't ya end up missing it. This happens to me at least once a day out here.

Unlike the trains though, with the right amount of communication, you can get right back into the swing of things and still reach your desired destination on schedule.

While I have been out here in Germany on my internship I have read a biography on Thomas Jefferson and am now reading one on George Washington. America was "the great experiment" and it blew my mind that even Thomas Jefferson never expected that it would last that long. In his letters and journals it seemed as though he saw it only lasting a hundred years or less, but look at how far we have come? It hasn't been without arguments, pain, or failure.


It hasn't been without its black eyes or sad moment either. I am so proud to be an American. I am proud to be part of this dynamic experiment and know that there is a vital role that each and everyone of us play in it. Our forefathers never saw this as a task to complete, but rather as a movement to perpetuate. We have gone through many redefining moments as Americans just like Jenn and I have in our first couple years of marriage. The fight for freedom has never stopped and is as real now as it was during the revolution. Complacency, fear, and pessimism were foreign to the founding fathers especially when it was time to act.

So, I wonder...when is our time to act?

That is what I was thinking about during the fourth as fireworks blazed overhead and as the Star Spangled Banner sounded. I got the impression that maybe what we can do starts at home and perpetuates itself to all aspects of our lives. Maybe it is as simple as loving those who are closest to us and working with them side by side to promote love and resolve to do more. I hope that as we find ourselves surrounded by negativity and fear that we can stand up like Washington once did and keep pushing even when it seems futile.

As Abe Lincoln once said "My concern is not whether God is on my side; my concern is to be on God's side, for he is always right."

So, that is exactly where I feel my duty lies. I plan to always be on God's side no matter where everyone else is. That is the best way to show true patriotism as it requires all of the virtues that keep our country free and thriving; all of the virtues that our country was founded on.