Hard to find the time to blog in July, busy but fun month, but I want to keep things updated for the girls books. A couple of weeks ago we had a meaningful patriotic FHE, we shared this letter with the family. This letter is to Sophie and Sage from President Bush, it was enclosed with their Certificate of Citizenship...
Dear Fellow American:
I am pleased to congratulate you on becoming a United States citizen. You are now a part of a great and blessed Nation. I know your family and friends are proud of you on this special day.
Americans are united across the generations by grand and enduring ideals. The grandest of these ideals is an unfolding promise that everyone belongs, that everyone deserves a chance, and that no insignificant person was ever born. Our country has never been united by blood or birth or soil. We are bound by principles that move us beyond our backgrounds, lift us above our interests, and teach us what it means to be citizens. Every citizen must uphold these principles. And every new citizen, by embracing these ideals, makes our country more, not less, American.
As you begin to participate fully in our democracy, remember that what you do is as important as anything government does. I ask you to serve your new Nation, beginning with your neighbor. I ask you to be citizens building communities of service and a Nation of character. Americans are generous and strong and decent not because we believe in ourselves, but because we hold beliefs beyond ourselves. When this spirit of citizenship is missing, no government program can replace it. When this spirit is present, no wrong can stand against it.
Welcome to the joy, responsibility, and freedom of American citizenship. God bless you, and God bless America.
Sincerely,
Dear Fellow American:
I am pleased to congratulate you on becoming a United States citizen. You are now a part of a great and blessed Nation. I know your family and friends are proud of you on this special day.
Americans are united across the generations by grand and enduring ideals. The grandest of these ideals is an unfolding promise that everyone belongs, that everyone deserves a chance, and that no insignificant person was ever born. Our country has never been united by blood or birth or soil. We are bound by principles that move us beyond our backgrounds, lift us above our interests, and teach us what it means to be citizens. Every citizen must uphold these principles. And every new citizen, by embracing these ideals, makes our country more, not less, American.
As you begin to participate fully in our democracy, remember that what you do is as important as anything government does. I ask you to serve your new Nation, beginning with your neighbor. I ask you to be citizens building communities of service and a Nation of character. Americans are generous and strong and decent not because we believe in ourselves, but because we hold beliefs beyond ourselves. When this spirit of citizenship is missing, no government program can replace it. When this spirit is present, no wrong can stand against it.
Welcome to the joy, responsibility, and freedom of American citizenship. God bless you, and God bless America.
Sincerely,
George W. Bush
I treasure this letter, brings tears to my eyes sometimes. I'm looking forward to sharing it with our girls again when they're older. I'm thankful they'll have all these opportunities! How blessed we are to live in this great nation under God, even through tough times. God bless America!
Celebrating Pioneer Day!
2 comments:
and you know we take it forgranted. we always say in our prayers how grateful we are but to read that letter and realize S&S and so many others were not blessed to be born in the greatest country of all time........THE USA, that letter should remind us all how blessed we are and to remember it. Thanks for sharing.
That is really awesome to realise every new citizen to the United States gets that great letter from President Bush. What an honor! I think it should be sent to everyone's homes to remind us born citizens what it means to be an American!
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