I hope you and yours have had a great July 4^th weekend. I wanted to take today to celebrate our fantastic USA and share a couple favorite pieces. The first is a tribute to those that serve and all we as American citizens should strive to do daily for each other. The other quote is why men and women serve this nation so that this past weekend we can relax and enjoy our families and Aunt Sally's baked beans. Happy Fourth of July! Look for more real estate investing news on Wednesday………

A Patriotic Creed by Edgar Guest

To serve my country day by day At any humble post I may; To honor and respect her flag, To live the traits of which I brag; To be American in deed As well as in my printed creed. To stand for truth and honest toil, To till my little patch of soil, And keep in mind the debt I owe To them who died that I might know My country, prosperous and free, And passed this heritage to me. I always must in trouble's hour Be guided by the men in power; For God and country I must live, My best for God and country give; No act of mine that men may scan Must shame the name American. To do my best and play my part, American in mind and heart; To serve the flag and bravely stand To guard the glory of my land; To be American in deed: God grant me strength to keep this creed!

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.

~Erma Bombeck