Our Family Travel Diary to Plymouth, MA a few years ago was monumental to say the least.  Hubby and I simply hope to fill our family’s lives with adventures and experiences.  The 81-foot tall granite monument we learned about in the movie Monumental was an inspiration to our family.  This monument left such an indelible mark on us that we had to experience it for ourselves!

The monumental national treasure is the National Monument to the Forefathers, located on a hilltop site on Allerton Street in Plymouth, MA.  The National Monument to the Forefathers commemorates the Mayflower Pilgrims‘ history, principles and beliefs for religious freedom.

On the main pedestal stands the heroic figure of Faith with her right hand pointing toward heaven and her left hand clutching the Bible. Upon Faith are seated figures emblematic of the principles upon which the Pilgrims founded this nation: Morality, Law, Education, and Liberty.

On each side of the figures are inscriptions that embody the pilgrims’ ideals for founding a prosperous nation.  We proceeded to teach the girls the meaning of each principle to our Christian faith. Under Morality, we found the inscriptions of Prophet and Evangelist.

As Christians, morality is doing what God says is right.  We rely on His word with the help of prophets (people gifted in revealing divine truth) and evangelists (people gifted in sharing the Good News about the Kingdom of God).  Under Law are Justice and Mercy.  No legal system can work properly without demonstrating there are consequences for disobedience but also healing in forgiveness.

Under Education are Youth and Wisdom. Education apart from wisdom is just an accumulation of knowledge.  We need to remind our children that education is important for the success of our nation and wisdom is understanding and application of knowledge.  Most importantly wisdom comes from God and not books.

Under Liberty stand Tyranny Overthrown and Peace.  This speaks of the forefathers who left an oppressive government to find peace in a new land founded on their faith. We teach our girls that having liberty brings peace but only when we remain within the bounds of morality and law. Without these bounds liberty can bread chaos.

The rear panel, which was not engraved until recently, contains a quote from Governor William Bradford’s famous history of Plymouth Plantation:

Thus out of small beginnings greater things have been produced by His hand that made all things of nothing and gives being to all things that are; and as one small candle may light a thousand, so the light here kindled hath shone unto many, yea in some sort to our whole nation; let the glorious name of Jehovah have all praise.

The story of the Mayflower’s Pilgrims’ as documented in the movie Monumental by Kirk Cameron serves to give an unseen and unheard perspective of America’s beginnings and her forefathers.  The true story taught us the  principles and beliefs of the Pilgrims as they set a strong foundation for civil, economic and religious liberty.

Our Family Travel Diary to Plymouth, MA was significant in teaching us about the Pilgrims, their principles and the faith that brought them to Plymouth, MA.  We were glad that our girls grasped the significance that faith in God plays in every area of not only their lives but the world around them as well.

Our Family Travel Diary to Plymouth, MA inspired and educated us in having a bit more understanding of how monumental our faith in God is.  Our Family Travel Diary to Plymouth, MA reinforced our intention as parents in raising our girls in the way they should go.  In our case, we are intentional in making sure that they grow with a faith in God that will withstand any test, trial and tribulation that comes their way.

What has been your favorite travel destination in 2023 so far?  Let’s be intentional in filling our lives with monumental adventures!  Bisous!