What Freedoms Are You Most Thankful For??

I felt like this was a fair question to ask myself as our nation celebrates July 4th. What this holiday means for each of us is a little different but the main focus is freedom. I am thankful that I have the freedom to ______________. What would you fill the blank with?

I have to say that one of the freedoms I am most thankful for is the freedom to practice my religion. To practice my spiritual relationship to God, the Creator, may be a better way to put it. I have not known what it is to NOT be able to worship and obey God freely, but I am aware that some people experience great persecution in other places.

My dad passed away in 2021 at 90 years old. Throughout his life, he often encouraged me to get more politically involved to which my response was a little less than what he would've liked to see. I guess I felt like I wouldn't be able to change "The Government" due to it's size and power. So that leads me to another thing I am thankful for. I am also highly thankful for the people who did not have that attitude and produced what this country was founded on. I'll ask you a question after I share a little bit of the Declaration of Independence.

"The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation."

"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.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, —That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.—Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government."

There's a lot to unpack in this, I won't get too into it, but I do want to bring out some highlights.

In the first paragraph, they were united, it says "unanimous". It shows that people were once connected by something, this "something" (control) became bad, bad enough they all agreed they needed to reformat. A clean slate, "to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them".

Above is the foundation for which America was going to be built? "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."

These truths are self identifiable, that we are all equal, by Divine design, and that Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are our rights.

How will these rights be secured for all? "That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,"

How do we, the governed keep this in check? "That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness"

"Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed." Discretion and wisdom dictates that we can't be divisive over trivial things, but they identified that people are inclined to suffer rather than righting what is wrong when they've become accustomed to it.

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism (Tyranny), it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.—Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government."

"when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."

I may not come across as the most patriotic citizen, but I love what the Declaration of Independence says. In part I see it as, the governed formed a government that committed to not being under the tyrannical rule that most had become accustomed to. Doing it differently to where if the government starts to get too far out of line, for too long, it is the governed right to oppose.

I've mentioned in prior posts why Embrace Farm does things the way we do. Our food security should never be placed in the hands of someone or something that doesn't have the same interests as the one consuming. Period.

The less we leave for tyrants to control, the better off we are. Whether that is motivated by being more accountable to God or just being better equipped to identify the hypocrisy and mismanagement that we are prone to adapt to, as stated in the Declaration of Independence.

I am thankful also that we have the foundation to lawfully operate in the private domain where we are free to align our interests. Whether we are connecting over Faith, Family, or Food, we have common interests in participating in the most nutrient dense experience we can have.

So what are you thankful for during this Independence Week? Leave your answers in the comments.

Embrace Farm wants to wish you and your family a safe and enjoyable time celebrating Independence Day. We would also like to specifically thank each Service Member (past or present) for protecting the many freedoms that we have access to every day.

Your local farmer,

Gordon