We wish for freedom.

Happy 4th of July and Independence Day! I personally love the 4th of July. It’s the one holiday where anyone and everyone can be patriotic, without judgement-instead of trying to be a cool hipster who opposes everything the government stands for.

Instead of viewing this holiday as an excuse to drink and not work, let’s take a look at what it really means to celebrate our independence.

Our freedom means young men and women giving up their best years to fight for a country that sometimes doesn’t support them, and even despises them upon their homecoming. Some return with physical and mental scars they care not talk about, memories they wished they could forget and feelings of regret for what they had to do.

Our freedom means wives and daughters seeing the leader of their home in uniform, packing up, saying goodbye for months on end, or maybe even forever.

It means moving on without that man during those months, continuing on with life and trying not to worry every second of every day that something might happen.

My freedom means attending a Veteran’s Church service and seeing men and women with crutches, missing limbs, wheelchair-but standing there praising the Lord. It’s humbling and continues to make me cry.

Our freedom comes with a high price-and if I’m honest, one I’m not sure that I’m willing to pay myself. I am thankful for the men and women of this country who are more selfless than I am-who have risked it all so that I can sit on my back porch, drink my coffee and write about them.

God-please-still bless America.