Celebrating Independence

Today is the 4th of July. It's the first one I've spent in the U.S.A. since 2005. Taylor and I have just spent the day with family while Wes is in Africa. Last weekend we spent a day with family doing mostly the same stuff. Parades, hamburgers, hotdogs, play time with cousins and fireworks. First there was Columbiana's big Liberty Day that we attended. Taylor loved the band that played downtown on stage and the candy from the parade, but the fireworks were a little too loud and a little too close for him.
Today there was a smaller celebration at my Aunt and Uncle's house. A neighborhood parade and food. Some fishing and a boat ride. Taylor is spending the night with his grandmother while I get a night off. :) I'm sitting here listening to fireworks all over the neighborhood. I feel a little like I'm in a war zone.





So how did you celebrate Independence Day? I pondered some of these things on the way home tonight. I was thinking that for some reason I didn't feel very "patriotic" today. I think the more I travel the world the less attached to my country I feel. Don't get me wrong I am very glad to be an American. If I had been born in another country most likely I wouldn't have the opportunities to travel like I do. I'm even in the Daughters of the American Revolution. You'd think I was the most patriotic person on the block.

It just seems ironic that last year on the 4th of July I was in Zimbabwe. Well if you've seen the news lately that's not the most democratic and free country in the world right now. I just spent the day leisurely eating, playing, riding a boat on the river (but complaining about gas prices) and hanging out with family. In Zimbabwe, the church we worked with last year has a military group camping out near there and church members lives are being threatened because they may have voted for the "opposition" or the guy not currently in charge. The inflation is like 200,000% or more by now I can't keep up with the daily changes. A month ago it took 400,000 Zim dollars to equal 1 US dollar. I am just in awe of how those people are surviving and getting along day by day when I take so many freedoms for granted.

Maybe I'm feeling a bit out of place because my husband is in another country or maybe it's that feeling that this world is not my home. I'm a "stranger in the world" (1 Peter 2:11). Whatever it is I'm not feeling like America is just the greatest nation on earth because that seems prideful, but rather I'm more thankful that I am free in Christ. Maybe that's what gets Zimbabweans through the day.