Happy Thursday and Happy July! Today is my dad’s heavenly birthday and whenever he visited us, he and I would have breakfast at least once at the Waffle House. To honor Dad this morning, Hubby and I had our ‘All-American Breakfast’ in one of its booths, served by a great waitress, Sue, listening to the cadence of short-order orders and the clink of metal spatulas on a sizzling grill. The choreography and call-and-response between cooks and waitstaff always amazes me. This sign greeted us at the door and patriotic décor filled the small dining area.

I don’t know about you, but I love the crisp red, white, and blue that shows up in July, especially the bunting that swags porches and railings. That image of Americana and celebration stirs my heart. Wikipedia says Americana are artifacts related to the history, geography, folklore, and cultural heritage of the United States. Bunting and flags are definitely big ones for me.

But I wondered what made Waffle House ‘America’s Place.’ What is typical American cuisine? When Hubby and I were in Spain one of the things that surprised us was the food. While all of it was delicious, it was less varied than what we’re used to at home. It reminded me why the United States has been called the ‘melting pot’, though I don’t agree with that description. Melting, to me, implies the elements blend together and lose some of their unique substance. I think of us more as a stew or gumbo pot. We coalesce, coming together to create something new, but maintaining our individual properties.

I love our mix of cultures–the art, the music … and especially the food. “What’s for dinner?” Even in our small town and rural county, the answer can be Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, Soul food, low-country, Eastern Indian, Italian, Jerusalem Honduras, Jamaican, …The blend of spices, textures, and aromas never gets boring. The fact all those options are available is what makes it American to me, it’s not simply meatloaf over spanakopita. Though Dad would’ve taken the meatloaf.

Like many of you, as we approach our nation’s 250^th Anniversary I’m thinking of big and little things that make me proud to call the United States home.

I love our country’s vastness. Years ago, a friend traveled to Italy and invited two new acquaintances to visit back in the States. When they arrived, they had a list of ‘Things to Do’ in the maybe a week they were going to be here. It included seeing the Statue of Liberty, the Grand Canyon, Disney World, the ocean, and much more … and expected/assumed my friend would be driving them to all these places. They had no understanding of the breadth and width of the United States. Back home, these young ladies had the convenience of jumping on a train and going from one country to another in a matter of hours, but it takes 3-4 days to cross our country alone by train. What a tapestry of landscapes when we do.                                                                                                                                                                 

I love the diversity of faith practices and the opportunity to broaden my own because of them. Tomorrow evening, before our monthly prayer for peace gathering, I’ll have dinner with another Christian, a Muslim, and a member of the Baha’i faith. I know, it sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, ‘A Christian, a Muslim, and a Baha’i walked into a French deli …’ but how blessed are we as a nation that we can still gather in company, conversation, and prayer.

I’m probably one of the few people on the planet who hasn’t been glued to the World Cup, but I’ve caught videos from visitors from other countries offering their comments and perceptions of the United States. I think they like us! Visitors often ‘get’ what we love about our country, and sometimes remind us what we take for granted.

As one columnist observed, ‘If you want to hate America, read the news and listen to the leaders; if you want to love America meet the people.’ I say amen to that.

We witnessed our kindness in the numerous, creative ways towns across the United States welcomed and embraced these World Cup teams and fans. But we see it daily in the way we pull over out of respect when a funeral procession passes. We engage in it when we pay it forward at the drive-thru, or at the check-out when wallet of the person in front of us is a bit short. We’re there when the Boy Scouts are selling popcorn, the Brownies are selling cookies, or the Little League isn’t selling anything but their enthusiasm about going to the state play-offs and few dollars will help them get there. I saw it when Dad took his harmonica to a local assisted-living home and gave little concerts. Despite so much, we are a nation of individuals holding it together with kindness, courage, and hope.

What are the big and the simple things about the United States that make our country special to you?

This weekend ABC Disney is airing a 24-hour celebration of our 50 states–landscapes, cultures, and history.  I’ll be grabbing my popcorn and settling in. I hope you have a safe and wonderful 4^th of July weekend. See you on Monday