This is my Song

We went to church today. As one of Dave's favorite blogs stated, on holidays at church, anything goes. http://stuffchristianslike.net/ (see blog #251, July 3)
I was prepared for all the regal patriotic splendor of an independence day service - God Bless America, honoring veterans, a sermon about how all the founding fathers were Christians, etc.
While I do pray that God continues to bless America, and I do pray for and honor our veterans, after living abroad, I feel differently today than I used to. This is a great country, and it has been blessed by God, and I am proud to be an American, but I know better than to think that this is the 'best' country in the world, or a 'Christian country' or the only 'land of the free and home of the brave'. Lots of countries have dedicated veterans and honored heroes who fight for freedom and showcased bravery. Every country deserves freedom and democracy and peace.
So, I felt blessed to sing this song for the first time:

This is my song, O God of all the nations,
a song of peace for lands afar and mine;
this is my home, the country where my heart is;
here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine:
but other hearts in other lands are beating
with hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

My country's skies are bluer than the ocean,
and sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine;
but other lands have sunlight too, and clover,
and skies are everywhere as blue as mine:
O hear my song, thou God of all the nations,
a song of peace for their land and for mine.

This is my song, O God of all the nations,
a prayer that peace transcends in every place;
and yet I pray for my beloved country --
the reassurance of continued grace:
Lord, help us find our one-ness in the Savior,
in spite of differences of age and race.

May truth and freedom come to every nation;
may peace abound where strife has raged so long;
that each may seek to love and build together,
a world united, righting every wrong;
a world united in its love for freedom,
proclaiming peace together in one song.

This is my prayer, O Lord of all earth's kingdoms,
thy kingdom come, on earth, thy will be done;
let Christ be lifted up 'til all shall serve him,
and hearts united, learn to live as one:
O hear my prayer, thou God of all the nations,
myself I give thee -- let thy will be done.

I am a proud citizen of the earth, and an even prouder citizen of America. The continent, not just the country.