Singing for His blessings, not searching for His will

As I woke up this Fourth of July morning, the sun was shining brightly on my new Kentucky home. There's not a cloud in the sky, the air is crisp and rather than the normal muggy days of summer, the temperature seems more like early fall.

I could not help but think of the way I have been personally blessed over the last few months: My wife and I were able to move to a new house – I can't help but love the creek that runs through our back yard! – in what we believe is a beautiful neighborhood. She has been granted a professional opportunity that she has been pursuing several years, as well.

My youngest daughter received the 110 Percent Award for her classwork in her old school, Shelby East, and is excited about a new band opportunity she will be having at her new one, Anderson County.

I have also been inspired in other ways, not the least of which was someone sharing that knowing my struggle with hearing loss and the wonder of cochlear implants has been a blessing to them. That one really was a bit of a surprise.

There have been so many blessings that serve to remind me how wonderful it is to live in the United States of America. I really wonder if most, if any, of the things I have just listed would be possible anywhere else on the earth.

At the same time, though, I am troubled by the direction of our country.

And troubled is really an understatement.

Last night, I had the privilege to attend a Minor League Baseball game at Louisville Slugger Field. The hometown Bats were taking on the Indianapolis Indians in another installment of the rivalry they have had for over 30 years. It kind of mirrors the one their parent clubs, the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates had when I was growing up in the 1970s and has resurfaced in the last few seasons.

The game got out of hand and the Indians went on to an easy victory. And speaking of “out of hand” I was quite upset with myself as I did not haul in a foul ball I should have caught.

But as I was waiting for the game to mercifully end and the fireworks to begin, I started thinking about some of the ironies of the July 4 holiday tradition.

In the middle of the seventh inning, in what has become a diamond tradition since Sept. 11, 2001, the public address announcer asked for all to rise during the singing of “God Bless America.”

To say the sell-out crowd sang with gusto is major understatement.

But a review of recent news says our country's actions are even louder and more forceful than anything Kate Smith could have ever sung.

Consider the Supreme Court's ruling on employer-funded medical insurance. It's probably not possible to not know about this one. The craft store Hobby Lobby and another corporation argued that the mandate to provide birth control with prescription drugs that have been linked to causing abortions violated their deeply-held Christian values. The corporation did not challenge providing the 16 actual contraceptives as mandated by the Affordable Care Act.

While the 5-4 court decision was a victory, I am troubled that we even got to the point in our country when someone could be violating a law – as the executives of the corporations named in the case would be doing – by holding fast to their faith.

For that matter, how did we get to a point where abortion – taking the life of a baby, no matter how you look at it – is considered a contraceptive and a choice in reproductive health. Just because the Supreme Court ruled that abortion should be legal in 1973 doesn't make it right or moral.

Of course there are many saying the ruling in favor of Hobby Lobby limits a woman's choice. Wrong.

All the ruling says is that the closely-held corporation does not have to provide the government-mandated benefits if they violate the owner's religious beliefs.

It does not say that someone cannot have an abortion. It's just not incumbent on the employer to pay for it. It's called personal responsibility.

The next day, a judge struck down a judge struck down Kentucky's ban on gay marriage. It's not that we didn't see this coming. I have believed for many years the pro-gay marriage forces would eventually win in the courts.

What is troubling is that we have gotten away from biblical values, which clearly teach that such a lifestyle is sin. Of course, the Bible also says that lying, drunkenness and divorce, which I have gone through, are also sins.

I believe that Jesus' admonition to a woman who had been married five times is pertinent when he said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”

In other words, loving and respecting a person does not equal condoning behavior.

But back to baseball and the Fourth of July.

We sing God Bless America loudly, but do we really mean it? Does America ask for God's blessings without submitting to his will?

I think the answer is obvious. And I wonder how much longer He will continue to show His favor on our country.