Thankful thought of the day - Today I am thankful for the 1st Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; ......

I'm so thankful that I live in the land of the free. That We the People means each and everyone of us. It means that I have the right to worship the way I want. To attend the church of my choice. To believe in my God. I cannot imagine living in a war torn country that does not provide these freedoms. Freedom of religion is not about a building we go to a few times a week. It is our God given right to believe. To practice our faith and know that we have the liberty to do so. Many wars have been fought to protect our freedom and many lives have been lost. Many veterans live with memories too horrific for us to ever comprehend. Many come home with shattered lives, wounded bodies, broken dreams and mental anguish. The price they pay is extremely high. And they would do it over and over again just to protect our rights, our freedoms, our lives.

Young men gladly sign up and leave family and friends behind. Some come back with celebrations and jubilation. Some come back brokenhearted and some don't come back at all. I thank God for the men and women who give of themselves daily, who lay their lives on the line in ways I can never imagine, just so I can sleep in peace at night.

Today as I practice my God given right to the freedom of religion, I will thank Him for those proud men and women. I thank Him for our veterans who have fought on foreign soil or in our own country to insure we are free. I thank Him for the men and women that still fight today to protect those same freedoms and I thank Him for those that will proudly serve in the future to insure our rights to be one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.