What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?

What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?
Remember: "When God closes a door, He always opens a window!" You never know what might be out there waiting for you!

Friday, July 3, 2020

Freedom Isn't Free



"God Bless the U.S.A." by Lee Greenwood and the USAF

Some thoughts for the 4th of July. We have so much to be thankful for. We live in a free country, and we've been blessed beyond measure.

We have clothes on our backs, food in our stomachs, and a roof over our head...we have the freedom to stand and salute the flag, because so many fought and died for us so that we could live here in freedom. Or we have the freedom to kneel and not salute if that is what we think we should do, because we don't believe in what our flag represents. We have that right to make that choice because we live in freedom...because so many died so we could have that freedom...kind of ironic, isn't it?

We have the freedom to work, play, pray. Freedom to pursue our dreams, attend the colleges of our choice, freedom to worship, freedom to live in safety and peace. Or we have the freedom to protest when we don't like the way things are done so that we can make a point.

But all of our freedoms could so easily be lost if we don't realize the value of what we have.
On this 4th of July, Independence Day, May we take the time to be thankful for these freedoms and recognize what is at stake here. There is no greater country in the world than America. Even with all our problems, we still have the freedom to choose how and where we will live.

For those who don't appreciate what you have here, perhaps a trip to places around the world where others are wishing they could live in America would help. Go to Africa, Somalia, China, Venezuela, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, just to name a few.
Spend time in the jungles, deserts, war torn lands where thousands of people are starving and dying everyday from government imposed sanctions against their own people. Spend a day in an African village where children are dying for lack of water and food, living in a mud hut in the middle of the heat of the desert, naked and swollen from famine. Then come back here and tell us we shouldn't celebrate our freedoms or that America is not a good place to live.

But let me just make this one suggestion, until you have experienced what it would be like to live in a country where there are no such freedoms, and where people are dying for just a drink of water and would
gladly come and eat the crumbs from under your table just so they could survive, please don't put down our nation. Please don't bite the very hands that have been feeding you and taking care of you since the day you breathed your first breath.

Please don't be so ready to destroy what so many have fought long and hard to protect for the sake of millions who do appreciate it...Take a moment to be thankful you were born in America, where at least you are free.

It could so easily have been you who was born in that mud hut in Africa, or that jungle in Asia or South America. It could so easily have been you who was shot down in a war ravaged village in the middle of the desert.

I, for one, am extremely thankful to be an American. I pray we never lose these freedoms that we have taken for granted and taken advantage of. We are so blessed beyond measure...even the poorest people of America are better off than many people in this world.
So count your blessings and thank God that you live in the U.S.A.


Postscript: I wrote the above this afternoon on my Facebook page, after reading someone's tirade about how we should not celebrate the 4th of July, and how ashamed we should be of our country.  The worst part of this is that the person who wrote it is someone who has had a life of great "privilege" and has been blessed more than many...but that person does not attribute that blessing to God...no, that person doesn't believe in God. That person lives in a home that was literally a gift, paid for by the hard work of generations of people who did not take their freedom so much for granted. People who would always stand for the National Anthem, and were proud to be Americans.  But this person believes there are far better countries than America in which to live. However, that person has never, to my knowledge, traveled outside of the eastern seaboard of the United States. If they had, they never would say these things about America being so terrible a place to live in. They would be kissing the very ground they were given to live on, debt free and paid for. My heart breaks to read the kind of hatred and vitriol coming out of the mouth of one so blessed. But this person thinks we are the problem. We are the ones filled with hatred.  

What is really sad is this person is just an example of what so many of that generation seem to think and feel. They are blinded to the truth of what is truly an injustice in our society today. But I don't want to go there and cause further division.

I pray for healing of our nation, our people, our hearts.  However, as most of us here already know, there can be no healing in our nation until there is first repentance in our hearts.  I know we all have our own personal issues and feelings about what is right and what is wrong with our nation today. But God gave us a way to heal our land.  It is found in 

2 Chronicles 7:13-15

13 "When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, 
or send pestilence among My people, 
14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, 
and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, 
and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 
15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place."


I know we've all read that verse many times, or have heard it preached upon often...but it is the only remedy for our current situation in our land. My prayer is that we will all think about these things during our Independence Day celebrations this weekend, and as we celebrate our freedom, let us humbly pray and seek God's face, repent of our own wrong-doings, and be a part of the healing and not a part of the division.  At least that's my prayer for me.  

Have a blessed and wonderful 4th of July weekend! Even if we can't be together with everyone we'd like to be with, try to do something special to celebrate our freedom!  



29 comments:

  1. Pamela, this is so incredibly moving, my friend, and just the words I needed to read right now. Yes, may we all be part of the healing, and not of the division. Like you, I cannot fathom how people cannot realize that they live in the most unique and free country in the world, where every opportunity is open to them to thrive. May all this violence and mayhem we've experienced awaken the sleeping giant, which I believe, is the vast majority of Americans. Let God's grace shine, and let freedom ring!
    Blessings!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Martha. It is so easy to slip into the anger at how people are behaving, etc., and then I feel like I become a part of the problem. We just really need to focus on prayer more than ever. That is what I am trying to remind myself to do. Just keep praying. There is so much going on around us these days. Between the virus and the other stuff I won't mention...we just need to pray. Yes, "Let God's grace shine and let freedom ring!" Amen!

      Delete
  2. Well stated. I am struggling to understand the craziness of all of this. We are so blessed in this country. Beyond amazing. I really think as Christians we really need to step up our prayer lives. Thank you for your courage.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Sandy. We all need to do our part to pray and to stand strong for our nation or we are going to lose these freedoms we love so much.

      Delete
  3. I am so with you on this, Pamela.

    Be encouraged. I am a normal, average person and I see it too. We are not alone. 😊

    Enjoy your 4th a d the rockets' red glare!

    🎆🎇🎆🎇

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Those are four little fireworks at the end. Not sure if you can see them.

      Delete
    2. I wrote a post called Yuri about how God is the only answer to what we see happening in our country. Not sure if you saw it. It's third or forth down from the most recent post.

      Delete
    3. I love your "rockets red glare". I will go look at your post. I'm a bit behind in reading lately. Sorry. But yes, God IS the only answer for our world today. Sad that so many don't believe it.

      Delete
  4. I pray daily (multiple times) for the hate and violence to end and for this country to come back to God. I am truly scared about what is happening to the USA. We are losing her unless all Patriots get out and vote against that happening. Great post, Pam.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are so right, Terri. We must pray and we must vote for our freedoms to remain. I believe we are truly at a pivotal point in our nation. So much depends on this next election. Pray, pray pray.

      Delete
  5. Here is an Amen and a second Amen to what you write here. I know I am blessed to live in the USA, a land founded, as the history of the time shows, on love of God and on freedom for all. We must keep fighting to keep it. The cancel culture is the opposite of freedom.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Terra. Yes, we are blessed to live in a country founded upon the love of God and freedom for all. Yes, our country has had serious flaws and issues, but even with all the warts and bruises, we are still the best place in the world, and we'd better keep fighting to keep it. Prayer is the best place to start. Thank you so much.

      Delete
  6. Amen! I never thought to see the things that are going on now, or hear the hatred for our country spewed out by it's own citizens.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is heartbreaking. Kind of like watching a very spoiled child throwing a temper tantrum and breaking their favorite toys because they can't have their way. Unfortunately, when we told to "spare the rod", we definitely "spoiled the child". We need to pray for our country every single day. Thank you.

      Delete
  7. A wonderful tribute to your country. Happy 4th of July.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Penny. Our country may have lots of issues, but we should be very thankful to live here regardless. We are blessed beyond measure and I don't take that for granted.

      Delete
  8. I am and always have been so proud to be an American and those that dont love this country need to go to another and see how blessed we really are. Happy 4th!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Linda. Yes, I agree with you so much. If they had to live one day in some other places they'd be begging to come back here immediately. Sadly, so many have had to go and fight in these other countries, and the only way they get to come home is in a flag-draped casket. But they died to keep us free and to try and free others who are trapped in a horrible place. May we never forget.

      Delete
  9. Wishing you a very Happy Fourth of July, my friend. smiles

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Linda. And wishing you and yours the same. (((hugs)))

      Delete
  10. Amen! Your words echo my heart perfectly! I wish everyone could see how blessed we really are here in America!

    God bless you for sharing this incredible message! Blessings to you and yours on this Independence Day!

    I just became a new follower of your lovely site! Net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh... and great minds think alike! I featured the Lee Greenwood video in my 4th of July blog post too! What an incredible tribute that song is to our beautiful country!

      https://itsawonderfulmovie.blogspot.com/2020/07/happy-4th-of-july-weekend-celebrate.html

      God Bless the USA!!!

      Delete
  11. Words of wisdom for certain. I live in Canada and am so thankful for my country and also for our neighbours to the south. There is no other country which I would rather share a border with.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Ruth. Yes, I believe we are both blessed to be where we are. God has been so good to us.

      Delete
  12. Thank you, Pam, for sharing this heart-felt post. With my interests, as well as educational background, I treasure the freedoms we have and the price that was paid for those freedom. I feel like weeping, as I watch our freedoms slowly being taken away.

    Blessings to you and your family on this Independence Day!

    Love and blessings!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Kim. We all feel like weeping, but then I read something from someone who should know better and they want to put down our great nation, and I am ready to stand back up and fight. We can't let them take away our country without a fight. I will start my "fight" on my knees, praying first of all, to the God Who watches over our great nation. May He continue to bless and keep our country strong.

      Delete
  13. May God continue to use you and yours to build His kingdom. What you say here is very well-put and will give people a lot to think about. Peace and blessings.

    ReplyDelete
  14. No, it isn't free and everyone of us has an obligation to fight to keep it. You fight for what you value. Happy 4th! Happy 5th.. Happy rest of the year and hopefully a better year to come.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting here today. I would love for you to sign my guestbook and let me know you stopped by. I always enjoy reading your comments and words of encouragement! May you be blessed as you go on your way. Please come back and visit again soon.