Faithful Friday: Freedom

The "4th of July" embodies Americana. 

Watermelons and Sparklers.  Families and BBQ.  Fireworks and Patriotic Flags.  Freedom.

In this family, the holiday also means hot potato salad and my momma's birthday. 
And all the other red, white, and blue festivities that go with it.

This 4th in particular has me pondering a lot on freedom.

Tim worked a wreck involving the military most of Wednesday evening.  Due to a vehicle malfunction, a caravan of soldiers found one of their own trapped inside, after rolling from the wreck.  It was serious enough that the parkway was shut down for several hours.  As people grumbled and complained being stalled in traffic, those who fight for us were fighting for their lives.

The soldiers had just left lunch, headed home, ready for a holiday leave.  Time with friends and family.  Time to celebrate.  Risking their lives for our country's freedom, I'm sure none of them guessed how this day would end.  Especially the three young men taken to nearby hospitals.  One is in critical condition on this Independence day.

What's true about this life, this world, even here in the good ole' USA, is that nothing is forever.  Everything changes.  Things aren't guaranteed.  And in this life bad things happen to good people.  Every single day.

But the freedom that God provides is never ending.  The freedom that we can take our broken and be restored.  Every single time.  Blessed as we are in this land of the free, His freedom is given to all.

So on this day after our nation's birthday, I'm celebrating both worlds.  Happy to stand here and now in the home of the brave.  Grateful for the freedom of knowing where my forever home will be.

In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free.  Psalm 118:5

*Note- I've learned today that the solider mentioned above is paralyzed from injuries sustained in the wreck.  Please hold him and his family in your prayers.

*2015 update:  http://www.gofundme.com/vds3-org

Sweet Summer Saturday

Summertime...when you don't eat lunch until after 4:00 pm in the afternoon!
This came to mind yesterday, when running errands and the kids mentioned they were hungry. 

Life just moves at a slower pace in the summer.

Which also explains why I didn't get around to doing a Faithful Friday post yesterday either.  I'm so not being very faithful this summer.  Sigh...

My mind last night was on getting to Cinema on the Square before dark.  The town next to us was showing a movie outside on the old theatre.  The first theatre I ever remember going to as a kid.  A theatre that inspried one of my very first JOY posts. 

Though the movie last night was modern, Dispicable Me, there was a sense of nostalgia in the summer air.  It was a great family evening and such a wonderful community idea.  I'm looking forward to some of their other shows this season!

Today was spent at our first yard sale in years.  Normally I just give things away as I'm purging.  Honestly, I was surprised I even had enough to justify a sale but we had a good turnout.  Fun money for Florida!

The best part though was the unexpected end.

Wondering what time to shut down, my cousin glanced in the paper for the average times.  She noticed an ad of someone offering to collect yardsale leftovers for a charity they had, taking clothes and home goods to the needy in eastern Kentucky.  Since we didn't want to pack it back up and I prefer giving items away, it sounded like a wonderful plan. 

An hour or so later the sweetest little retirees showed up in my driveway, banana boxes in hand, ready to take our unwanted items to someone in need.  Such a reminder of how blessed we are.  Just hours a way people will treasure what we have discarded.  Glad to be able to help in this small way!

Showered, aloe applied from the rays that managed to peek through my sunscreen, I'm now snug under a blankie in the cool comfort of my living room.  As the boys snuck away for an afternoon of fishing, Tina and I are going to enjoy girl time with lots of movies and snacks.  Sweet summertime, indeed!