The 4th of July, a.k.a. Independence Day, is just two days away and very difficult to celebrate in the United Kingdom. Just think about that for a second and you’ll understand why. We have missed this bit of Americana for the past four years, but we do love what God has called us to do here, so we’re not complaining.

Last night I heard “The Star-Spangled Banner” sung by an American church choir in our small town of Pontypridd, South Wales. Since I organized the event, I already knew that there would be two choirs—a Gospel choir from the Atlanta area and the Pontypridd Male Voice Choir—and that the audience would be singing the national anthems for America and Wales. It was the first time I have ever attempted to sing the Welsh Anthem, “Land of My Fathers,” in Welsh and it was also the first time I have heard my national anthem in the United Kingdom.

What I didn’t expect was the emotional response that surfaced from within. I almost lost it. Seriously. Having grown up in the Deep South and having served my country voluntarily during the Vietnam War, I have always been deeply patriotic at the display of the nation’s flag at American football events, school functions, parades, and other special occasions where the National Anthem was sung with hands over hearts or salutes by uniformed military personnel. We have now lived on foreign soil for over four years, so perhaps it’s just that I never hear the anthem or see the flag in our new home.

To top things off, the Welsh choir performed Elvis Presley’s version of American Trilogy that begins with the words of “Dixie” and then transitions through two more songs: “All My Trials, Lord” and “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” By the end of the concert, I was an emotional, patriotic wreck—in a good way—and it reminded me just how much my American heritage means to me.

Have a great Fourth of July celebration!