The Fourth of July...My Second Most Favorite Holiday

My second favorite holiday after Christmas is The Fourth of July. I attribute this to the fact that growing up, my birthday on July 9 and The Fourth of July were always combined into a cookout in our backyard with the whole family. It was complete with burgers and hotdogs, volleyball and tetherball (only it was with a tennis ball...still very fun), sparklers and ice cream cake. I have always loved this holiday and as I've gotten older, I've come to realize it's significance beyond just a fun summer holiday that is close to my birthday.

I love love love The Fourth of July. I love the family time, the burgers, the fireworks with the kids and my parents. But I love this Country more than the fun of the holiday and that's what makes this holiday my second favorite after Christmas. I think that we have lost sight of what this holiday is truly all about. Then again, I think we have lost sight of what most holidays are about these days...Christmas is more about the presents than about the birth of Christ, New Year's is more about partying that the blessing of a new year and a fresh start, Easter is more about hunting for eggs and eating candy than the resurrection of Christ after he willingly and selflessly died for our sins on the cross, Memorial Day is more about a day off from work and the start to summer than about remembering those brave men and women who so valiantly and sacrificially gave their lives so that we can have the freedoms that we have, Thanksgiving is more about football and how much turkey we can eat than about those brave few who came to this country for religious freedom and then dedicated a day to giving thanks to God above for their freedom to worship Him, and we're back to Christmas. The Fourth of July is truly a celebration of not only our Country's birth but of those who so willingly stuck their necks out to declare independence from England despite any personal danger that may come their way for doing so. Brave men these were. Incredibly brave. We as American citizens are the luckiest people on the planet to live in a country that is free in so many ways. Free to worship any way we want. Free to speak our minds whenever and wherever we want. Free to vote for whomever we want. Free to do any job that we strive to do. Free to live anywhere we want. Free to live however we want. Free to go to school and learn as much as we want. Free free free. I know that I take this for granted all too often and I wish that I didn't.

It's not hard to figure out why we have come to take our freedoms for granted. I mean, there's really no one in my generation that has had to live through religious persecution for instance. For the most part, we can't even imagine someone being persecuted for believing in whomever they want to because in today's society, anything goes and must be tolerated. I often think of those living in other countries where worshipping Jesus Christ has to be done in secret...China, Indonesia, anywhere in the Middle East for the most part, North Vietnam, and the list goes on. I've sat in Sunday services at church many times and have suddenly thought of those in other parts of the world that risk their lives to meet with other Christians and learn about Jesus and worship Him. And, here I sit in a comfy, air-conditioned building with other believers and we sing out loud and raise our hands and learn about Jesus without any fear at all. What must it be like for those who don't have this luxury, this freedom.

There's also no one in my generation who has never been allowed to vote freely in an election. We don't risk our lives by the votes we cast on Election Day. I know that our Country has faulted in this area in the past but we have come past that and any American citizen over the age of 18 can freely vote for whomever they choose on Election Day. I think of those in other countries who cast their ballot and then are terrorized for voting the way they did. I am so thankful that we can walk into a voting place on Election Day and not have any fear whatsoever to cast our ballot for whomever we chose. We are so free here that we don't even know how free we are.

My generation has also never had to think about speaking their mind and finding themselves in jail because of their opinions. We can say whatever we choose without fear because we have the freedom to do so. I can't even imagine not being able to freely speak for fear of being arrested. Can you even imagine that? It boggles my mind to think that there are those living in our world who have to muzzle themselves for personal protection and preservation. Truly, we don't know how great we have it.

My generation is not free from the experience of war however. I think, though, that my generation has an "out-of-sight, out-of-mind" mentality when it comes to the wars we are fighting. And all too often, we have become war-weary and bored. We lose sight of why we are fighting and we are often all too willing to just throw in the towel. One walk through a busy airport will remind anyone in an instant that these wars are very real and that there are real soldiers, men and women, who are fighting for us whether we are behind them and their mission or not. They fight for our freedom to think either way. While WE may forget why we are fighting, THEY never do and they carry on day after day and night after night for us, for our protection, for our preservation, and even for those who can't fight for themselves. To say we owe them is the understatement of the century, the millenium, of all time. These are truly great Americans who are heroes in every way but in humility, don't consider themselves as such. How amazing that there are still those even today who love this Country enough to give anything, even their lives, to protect everything that She stands for. It's remarkable.

So what started out as a kid as a love of a super fun summer holiday has turned into an appreciation of all that this holiday represents. I don't want to take this holiday for granted ever again. I don't want to take my freedoms for granted anymore. I am thankful beyond words to those who laid down their lives for my freedom and for those who continue the fight today. I am thankful to God who ultimately gave me my American home. Mostly though, I'm thankful that I can worship Him anywhere, anytime, and that He paid the ultimate price for my complete and total freedom from sin. The Fourth of July is a great reminder of our American heritage and an excellent opportunity to celebrate God's blessings on us and this great Land.