Seeing a flag waving in the breeze brings a lump to my throat

and a tear to my eye.

Freedom. It comes with a price.

It was many years ago that I first felt the bigger than words gratitude.

Sitting there in the auditorium of the small elementary school in the Catskills

French toast days always meant singing God Bless America.

And I sang with the others watching the flag before me.

Only a very young girl at the time

Only knowing that I was grateful

To be living in the land of the free.

Wide-eyed and innocent my life unfolded seemingly without notice

Graduate, teach first graders, and then

adopt two of the sweetest girls from Russia.

Fourth of July memories of their citizenship.

A little hand waving her flag back and forth

Two small feet standing on the pavement at the Dulles airport.

Citizenship.

Freedom came with a price

but realizing today more than ever that it was the price He paid

that gives us true freedom to be all we were created to be.

Earthly citizenship pales beside this.

Our journey on earth quickly passes giving us mini glimpses here and there

of a country afar off

a place

a Person

Embraced in the Arms of the One who shed His blood for us

And continues to call to us

that freedom comes with a price.

Freedom that demands a response.

A little hand waving that flag

Small feet touching the ground

My child-like heart opening to the reality of what true freedom really means.

Freedom comes with responsibility.

And as I watch the red, white and blue, wave gently in the breeze

I know that I must give my all

So that others might be free too.

Will you join me?