A Reflection for the Fourth of July



For me, the Fourth of July was about fireworks and picnics as a young child. However, as I grew older, I learned the true purpose of celebrating Independence Day. I learned that it is about celebrating our freedoms and the responsibilities we have as a result of those freedoms. I learned that it is about being grateful to God for all that He has given us – our lives, our families, our faith, and so much more. It is about appreciating those gifts and using them to know, love, and serve God with our whole mind, our whole soul, and our whole strength.  After all, what good are our freedoms if they are not used for the ultimate purpose for which they were created?

Each new day is a gift God gives us to use and develop our gifts to the fullest. While each day may not be perfect, He continues to love me, despite my imperfections. Today I am thanking God for my freedom to worship Him in my vocation as a wife, mother, and writer. I am holding up my life – as imperfect, but as beautiful as it is (because He is at the center), and returning it to God as my gift to Him.

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