Holiday Celebration

After Christmas, the next holiday I miss being in the United States for is the fourth of July. This year, we spent the afternoon with another American family that lives about an hour away. We had a lot of fun wtih them having a cookout and a watermelon!!! We all managed to find something red, white and blue to wear. After we got home, I looked on the television at our one American channel to see if maybe they would have fireworks from somewhere in the United States televised. The kids were so disappointed when we realized they weren't going to show any. Of course, I don't know if it was more the fact that they thought I was NOT going to fix popcorn if they weren't going to show the fireworks or just not being able to see fireworks! I decided to look on the internet and at least maybe find fireworks from last year. To my amazement, I found the Macy's hour-long celebration in New York City on a website LIVE for FREE!!! We were all so excited! It made our day complete! During the fireworks, patriotic music was being played. Before each song would be played, they would say on the screen what song was going to be played. One of Lee's history chapters that we recently finished for school, was about songs the North and the South played during the Civil War. It was exciting for me to see his face light up when he recognized what song was going to be played and especially when he would say if the song had been used for the North or the South. Even Caleb sat in my lap and didn't move for about twenty minutes. I think that was the first time he had ever seen fireworks!
What a blessing to have been born and raised in a free country. After having lived in a different country for 11 years, that blessing is more real to me now than ever. However, God has given us the unique ability to be able to share the true freedom of His saving power with people who live in countries without the liberties that we enjoy in the United States. As Randy preached in church Sunday night, he read John 8:36 which says, "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." There is no greater blessing or gift in life than receiving God's Son to make us truly free. The people with whom we share the Gospel will never have the ability to have or experience the freedoms we as Americans have, but what a greater blessing they will receive when they experience the freedom that only Christ can offer. May God continue to use us for His glory!!!