Monday, November 17, 2008

Congress met in D.C.for the first time 208 years ago today; Why was the Preamble of the Constitution written?

From Vicki:

On November 17, 1800, Congress met in Washington, D.C. for the first time. Commemorate the day by reading your Constitution. Oh, and I came along 154 years later on the same date! Thanks, Mom and Dad :)

The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

This is a beautifully brief, yet powerful explanation for the Constitution. It reminds me of the basic questions to be answered in any news story: who, what, when, where, and why. The founding fathers knew this document for a new country was not for the elite or by the elite. This was for the people and created by we the people, not merely for that period of time, for the future as well.

Our liberties hinge on this document. What a huge responsibility we have to protect these precious freedoms established for us in the 18th century. As a family's history is passed down from generation to generation, so we must pass our American history forward by word of mouth, writing, and living it if we are to maintain our democratic republic as was envisioned then.

I should make a list of the thoughts I have for this blog and try to get to them as they feel right. The military, inheritance, posterity, freedom, prejudice, family, and many more...Mark Twain said one of the best legacies we can leave is our writing. Of course, Mark Twain and others have a lot to say about authors' works as well! For that very reason, I don't even pretend to be an author!

Take time today to pray for our military families, especially those who will be apart during Thanksgiving next week. We have so much to be thankful for.

God Bless America!

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