America 250

Happy 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. And happy semiquincentennial birthday of the United States of America. Both are true.

As you know, the signing of the Declaration of Independence was a pivotal milestone for the USA. It turned 13 travelling colonies into a united nation under many “states”. 

It gave them political severance from the State of Great Britain and the ability to make treaties, form alliances, and wage war.

Yesterday, my dad told me, “We overestimate what we can do in 1 year, and underestimate what we can build in 10 years.”

It’s sort of remarkable that in only 250 years, we were able to turn a massive expanse of uncharted territory into a highly advanced culture characterized by diverse race, ethnicity, culture, geography, and most importantly, religion.

While 250 years sounds like a long time, it’s merely a blink of an eye in human history; only 1/2000th of the time humans have spent on Earth.

I wonder what the world will look like in 250 years. Will we be multi-planetary? What will happen with Artificial Intelligence? Will the United States of America even exist anymore?

What do you think it will look like?

Here’s a prayer for today:

You appeared as a Mother of hope and unity.
As we celebrate 250 years of our nation,
We turn to you as beloved children and ask you to intercede for us with your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Pray for us, loving Mother,
That God may pour out the Holy Spirit upon our nation and all the Americas—
Upon our families and loved ones—
So that, by God’s grace,
We may continue to build a nation rooted in truth, justice, and love.
May the Holy Spirit teach us to reflect rather than blame,
Replace division with unity,
Grant wisdom to our leaders,
And kindle compassion for the poor and suffering.

Happy 250th birthday of the USA folks. Go see some fireworks, eat some yummy food, pray, and hang out with family!