Independence Day

It's been 8 months since my last post, apparently I lost my motivation to write, but I'm back....

First, it is Independence Day, a day of celebration for our country's indenpendence. As we gather around our family and friends to watch the fireworks, let us remember what this day means. It's not just a day for taking a boat ride, eating hotdogs, writing our name in the air with sparklers and watching the sky light up with color...it is a day to celebrate who we are as a nation.

America, we are the land of the free, the best country on earth. We take our freedoms for granted and forget how we got to be the place we are. I am blessed to be an American and love this beautiful land, but I have fears that she is slipping away. Our country is founded on Christian beliefs, and yet the Ten Commandments are not cherished as they once were.

Over the past several months our country has been hit by tornadoes, flooding, earthquakes and fires, and yet I don't know if people got the message. In the state that I live massive flooding hit on June 13th with over 1000 blocks were covered in water, including our downtown business district in Cedar Rapids. This was referred to as the 500 year flood as we have not endured this amount of flood in 500 years. We are strong, and we will overcome. We will rebuild our lives once again, but it will not be the same. Over these past weeks I have seen the strength and compassion of Americans. It is amazing to watch neighbors helping each other, to lend a hand or give a hug. No one was waiting for a hand out from the government, people picked up their feet and took matters into their own hands. We will survive and move on.

When I traveled the streets to see the devestation, my heart broke and my head looked up to the sky. Could this be a sign of the end times? Is God calling his children to come back to Him. He is a Shepard calling for his herd. It is time to allow God back into our lives, our homes, and our hearts.

May we all have a blessed Independence Day as we celebrate our country.