America Today Recession Or Renewal? What An Amazing Opportunity To Dream

A young dynamic leader once said, "America ask not what your Country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." John F Kennedy was young and had a vision he dreamed of a new America.

Today, is perhaps one of the greatest times in not only America's history and the world as a whole. What is truly important to us as a people?

There was a time when the greatest possession people had, was love and the love of others. The greatest legacy of value they could leave was one of service, love and selflessness by serving others of pure heart. Family was a high value, one we have talked about with anyone we met and yes, there was a time when you would engage complete strangers and open your hearts to them with pure joy. Status was gauged by love and service not "Things".

Americans were people of all faith's & ethnicity, backgrounds and stories, not labels or agendas. America is something great, the people of America have made it great and today we have the chance to realign our true values and show why America is truly the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Right now you turn on the TV or open the paper and your automatically immersed into the doom and gloom of a global recession. Stocks are falling, the housing market is bust, and credit is a commodity. Today, with elections in a few short days all focus is on how the government can get your money back and your valued "things". People are out of work, they are filing for bankruptcy and they are losing hope. I believe we are in the greatest times of our lives; this is not a recession but a renewal of what really matters.

Families are relying on each other as they are charting their way through these uncertain times. People who always relied upon bigger and better things or fancy work titles to determine their value or self worth are being forced to let go. As they let go they are seeing family and strangers with open arms there to love them as they are, not whom they felt they must be.

No matter your situation you will be ok. Can you enjoy living in a $400,000 home making only $40,000 a year because the bankers convinced you that you could and it was the American dream? There was a time when people were happy to have any home as long as that home provided shelter and warmth for what they treasured most, their family and friends. Americans bought what they could with cash and if they couldn't afford the items with cash they did without and realized it was just a item with no real value or happiness.

We got out of control, fancy commercials and ad's convinced us that happiness was achieved thorough the right things, clothes, cars, homes, and money. Now, that you have lost most of that have you learned what real happiness is from?

We are in historic and exciting times, which will show future generations what we are made of and what truly matters. People today are forging new relationships with family members they haven't seen and rely upon for support and love. Strangers are helping strangers and not looking for anything in return. Parents are finding a new relationship with their children not based on shopping and material objects.

Parents are raising their kids again because they lost their job and they are learning who their children really are. These are amazing times because they have forced us to look at what really matters. People matter, and showing pure love for all you can is what matters and is what this country was found on. Today's renewals are amazing and look at what is happening in History, and stand up and be counted.

Today we have the first black, African American, President. Now the words of Martin Luther King Jr.s historic speech "I have a dream",are being realized.

We have replaced hate with acceptance; we have replaced the value of material goods with love for helping those in need. We are taking the best of our past and putting them into practice, and together we will come out stronger! We are letting go of greed because we see what the true value is in greed and it is not a value we hold dear.

We saw the political ads from all sides and as the great ad campaign gurus know they only put up what they think matters to you. Take a stand and be counted because I have yet to see a ad that talks about family, education, poverty; things that at the end of the day truly matter. Do not lose sight of what really matters. The financial roller coaster will steady out and I guarantee we all will be stronger in the end and value will be placed back to our true values.

Remember the service men serving our great country across this world. You do not have to agree with why they are there in the first place however let them do their job. Iraq has almost become forgotten this election because people care more about their money rather than those wearing a uniform bearing our great flag. They stood and were counted when their country asked them to. They have done what many people felt was impossible.

Iraqis who never knew the word "love" or the word "free" are starting to feel the effects and embrace it. Many of our young men and women died for this and they deserve the honor of seeing this completed. Many died in a place called Vietnam and when pressure became to much America left and Vietnam fell, for those who were left we let them down.

When our flag flies in the sky and you take a brief second to even notice it, remember those serving overseas. Remember those who have gave the ultimate sacrifice and have done the impossible. These are our heroes who have taken the values of "love" & "honor" and "duty" to another country and through their selfless acts have shown strangers a new hope.

Regardless of your views of the war, remember those serving are not there for the money, they are not their for oil, they are not there for themselves. They are there because they have taken America's highest ideals and stood up and were counted. They are protecting us, they are protecting their families, protecting strangers, serving their brother and sister next to them and doing it because at the end of the day it matters. Let them finish, America is a beacon of hope, and these men and women have carried that torch so as American's stand up for them and be counted let them finish and restore peace and show love.

Today is a Renewal for America. I see experts on TV talking about how families should prepare and weather this storm. What they say is great and then I over hear people who have nothing. They refute what they heard because those appearing on TV are Rich so it is easy for them to say these things. Well America, I am in the same boat as so many today.

I have had to move in with my parents because of financial issues. I am working and my father has been out of work completely for a few weeks now. My money is being used to pay for the necessities for my parents and myself. It has been getting rough the last few months with bills piling up and trying to support all that I love. During this time all I could do is work and try and get caught up and then another bill would pop up, another car repair. During this time I became miserable and felt like a failure to all that I love.

Then events happened and I realized what really matters. This was a renewal for myself. Today, it is complete uncertainty. I may lose my car, I am behind on all my credit cards, my parent's house may end up in foreclosure, and I am 100% happy. I have found a new love of what is important. These are all things and they don't matter. I lose my car I will be fine. We lose the house and have to find a small place to live we will be fine. If it takes me the rest of my life to finally pay back my credit card debts, I will be fine.

They are not what matters; These are not the things Americans have shed their blood to protect. I have love and as my parents have always taught me everyone is family, no strangers and; at the end of the day love everyone and serve them unselfishly.

We have been cleaning out things and have been letting them go and giving them to those who are in real need. As we have done this we see how fortunate we are. I have spent more time giving to others and supporting my parents as my Dad searches for a job daily. I have watched my Mom as she regains strength from her surgery and always has a smile on her face. I listen to my parent's stories of what they treasured most.

My father who's family was well off and gave their money freely to those in need and paid and physically built churches around Northern Oklahoma.

My mom who's family never had much but always welcomed in strangers and provided them a place to live while they got back on their feet. Still to this day I cannot tell you which of all my Cousins and Aunt's and Uncles are actually blood relatives because there was no distinction.

I remember my families allowing Russian foreign exchange students live with us for months at a time. My father who being raised in the late 50's and 60's would have never dreamed of a Russian being part of our family because of the hate we breaded during this time.

My family held service to others above themselves. As we keep letting go of things that once seemed so important and open our hearts in arms to those who really need we see what really matters. As we love unbiased all those around us, and not judge, we learn what so many have shed their blood protecting.

America, this is a renewal. This is a historical occasion and time in history when the world will take notice as we Americans stand to be counted for what really matters. Look around you and see what you truly have to be thankful for.

Look around and see what really matters and then give what you can and show love to a complete stranger. When we all do this we will create the America so many have fled to feel and be apart of. And remember the greatest quote of all, "the greatest of these is LOVE"