It's July 4!! Puppies and diamonds for everyone!!!

I will admit I've never had strong feelings about July 4 before.  Well, with two exceptions.  One year we got to bring a puppy home from our annual 4th of July family celebration.  That was awesome!  Kevin also proposed to me on July 4.  That was really awesome!  If he'd given me a puppy along with the proposal that would have been really, really awesome.  But I digress....  Clearly neither of those two events--awesome as they were--had anything to do with the actual spirit behind July 4, which is, of course, to celebrate the independence of this great nation (and it is great!!) and all the blessings thereof.  Then yesterday morning happened.  It had been quite a week for the nation, I think.  Lots of emotions running high after Wednesday's news both in Texas and in DC.  No matter which side of the issues you sit on there is certainly lots to pray about.  So our anthem in church that morning, Heal Our Land, was more than fitting.  And following the anthem (and sermon, etc.) our church also recognized the various individuals and teams serving on mission trips this summer.  The crowd at the altar was overwhelming and, as we prayed over them, I could not help but start to cry.  As a youth director mission trips were part of my job.  I never considered myself particularly passionate about mission work, which is okay.  We all have different spiritual gifts.  But plan them, execute them and serve on them I did.  And I can say with full confidence that I have never, never, never done a mission project, whether a day or a week, that did not change my life in some way.  So while mission trips and July 4 don't seem to go much together either they have everything to do with each other!  What better way do we have to celebrate the freedom and independence of our citizenship than to reach out as God's hands and feet and put healing into action?  We are free to share our faith, to share our resources, to share our lives with one another.  Whatever the issues are, God sits with the people on both sides of them.  I don't know when I'll get the chance to serve on a mission trip again.  The kids are so young right now (and there are so many of them!), but I will get out there again some day.  And if you've never done it or even if it's just been a while find an opportunity and go for it.  We praise you, God, for the freedom from sin we find in you and the freedoms we enjoy in this nation.  Let us not waste the opportunity to exercise those freedoms and step out in faith to be Your Healing in this land.  Amen!  XOXO....Kelly