Our Great Country

The Fourth of July has always resonated with me as a day to celebrate the birth of our amazing country. It’s more than just delicious barbeques and awe-inspiring fireworks. This national holiday embodies a splendid day in which we can let our patriotism show for all to see. It’s the day that our forefathers who helped develop this great nation gave us the gift of freedom.

Sometimes, we may take these freedoms for granted, but we shouldn’t.

Freedom of speech is perhaps the freedom that comes to mind for most. It constitutes one of the pillars upon which our country is founded. But there are so many more, such as freedom of religion, freedom to travel and see the rest of the world, and even the freedom to vote for the candidate of our choice. There are also smaller freedoms that we take for granted, such as the right to unique hair styles, to dress as we wish, to date whom we choose, and even to eat the foods that we like.

The Statue of Liberty is a well-known universal symbol of freedom. Sculptor Frederick-Auguste Bartholdi first created a plaster model of the project and then completed the actual sculpture, which was officially dedicated to the United States of America in 1886. The statue, from the base of the pedestal to the tip of its crown, is 305 feet 6 inches and weighs a staggering 225 tons. That’s big! I feel that the gigantic size of the statue correlates to the enormity of our freedoms.

In my action-adventure book Saving the Statue of Liberty, John Jenkins and Team Liberty return for their second mission. Together, they work together to uncover clues and solve puzzles at Liberty State Park and Ellis Island as they race against Team Mischief to save the universal freedom from harm.

The book’s message goes beyond the overarching themes of patriotism and protecting our freedom. It also highlights the importance of accepting and forgiving others as well as demonstrating how ordinary people can rise to be heroes when necessary.

Happy Fourth of July! I hope everyone takes a moment to give thanks for our many freedoms.

---

About the author: Andrea Jo Rodgers holds a clinical doctorate in physical therapy and has worked as a physical therapist for 25 years. She has been a volunteer EMT for over 30 years and has responded to more than 7,500 first aid and fire calls. She lives on the east coast with her husband, two children, and their Dachshund.  At Heaven’s Edge: True Stories of Faith and Rescue and its sequel, On Heaven’s Doorstep: God’s Help in Times of Crisis-True Stories from a First Responder (Harvest House Publishers), are collections of true inspirational stories from her early years as a volunteer EMT with her local first aid squad. Her middle grade adventure novels, Saving Mount Rushmore: Saint Michael the Archangel Academy, Mission 1 and Saving the Statue of Liberty: Saint Michael the Archangel Academy, Mission 2 (Anaiah Press) are fun, yet educational books that teach faith, courage, patriotism, and friendship.

To learn more about Andrea's true inspirational stories, visit her website!

Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay