Learning to fly, but I ain't got wings: Freedom

It didn't look like much from the outside. Daddy had a day off work. We ate at our favorite bagel place for breakfast. We watched the parade and waved flags. The kids took a nap. We all swam at a friend's pool. Typical summer holiday, right? Except for the tears I shed as it all hit me getting out of the pool.

Today is America's Independence Day. A day we celebrate the freedom we fought for, and still fight to maintain. A freedom whose cost was and is not free. It came with a heavy price tag, paid in blood. And it was paid by those willing to lay down their lives knowing they would never enjoy the precious freedom they gave up everything for. And for this, I am ever grateful.

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."
-John 15:13

It's maybe a way for us to catch a small glimpse of understanding of what Jesus has done for us. But He wasn't a regular Joe trying to make the world a better place. He is God. And He stepped down from the very throne of heaven to lay His life down in our place, to pay our debt (Romans 3:23 & 6:23) Why? To give us freedom. He shed His blood for you and me so we could be set free from the bondage of sin. The King Himself set us free. And He didn't just set us free to enjoy BBQ's, baseball, parades and fireworks, although all of those things are totally awesome! He set us free to become part of His family. And not just by adopting us, but by fully grafting us in.

"The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ" -Romans 8:16-17

Today Zoe is an American citizen who celebrated her first Independence Day. Although she had a tragic beginning to her little life, God has written a new beginning for her. There will always be pain, loss and a gaping hole in her life of "what should have been." But we are beyond blessed that God knitted our family into her "what is."