-Going to Church wherever and whenever I want
-openly Sharing the Gospel
-owning multiple versions of the Bible
-Speaking against our government
-sharing opinions openly
-voting
-choosing to homeschool
-personally choosing how and where my children get treated medically
-reading news from around the world
-having more than 2 children if I desire
-appealing to our rights and constitution
-a less broken than other places, justice system
-a police system that a large majority of the time is set in place to help
-choosing to leave the country when I want
-hope that where I’m born is not where I must stay
These are just a few things I can claim the right and gift of in America. These are just a few things that not everyone around the world can claim as their rights even though some in other countries can claim a few of these. We read a lot about believers from around the world. We also know America is not perfect nor is the history of our military spotless, but I would be remiss to not be thankful every morning for that list and so many more things…that by the grace of God, he has used men and women to hold those freedoms steady. Men and women who felt their lives were a small sacrifice for me and my children. We are a home that is quick to call out the sins of our country and those in authority and in positions which should be honorable without ever allowing ourselves to be ignorant of the enormous gift growing up in the land of the free and the home of the brave is. In the Lords wisdom, he chose this place for me to be born and gave me my time and boundary in which I would exist. He is wise and I will trust Him fully.
America is not without its faults, it has come a long way and there is always, always places to further heal and fix, yet there are no perfect countries. I am, however, a citizen of a perfect heavenly kingdom, even before Im an American. The ruler of that kingdom, God, is in himself perfect. It is his standard that makes me realize all the world is broken and in need of him.
And even still, I am grateful to every life that was sacrificed so I could wake up every morning and live here, in this physical place. Its never wrong to count your blessings…even if everything is not perfect.
What is wrong is to have the right to grumble openly about everything and not even realize that that in itself is the gift held for you by another person’s sacrifice.
There are always things to be thankful for.
So, Thank you to the fallen and thank you to the families who live with the void your brave ones have left. The Lord is truly close to the broken hearted. Today and everyday. Trust in Him alone. For even our nation will fail you at times, but faith in Christ will give you freedom, the truest freedom we can have, freedom from our sin which separates us from the only true perfect God…and that freedom will be for eternity.
Happy Memorial Day
-W
the pender place 