Free for All

Happy Independence Day! (See ideas to celebrate in the Kids & others blog).

We are doubly blessed to have certain freedoms because of our relationship with Jesus and more freedoms because we live in the United States of America.

Being a perpetual list maker, (things to do,things to buy, things to clean out, cook, redo, etc.)I made a list of freedoms we have that we probably take for granted without realizing how different our lives would be without them.

Most of these are"Freedom of Choice" issues which are free for all!!

We are free to choose:

-our work, our place to live

-our attitudes(The Bible has some things to say about this, however)

-how we use our resources-time, energy and money *more on this

-our thoughts-we are free to make up or change our minds

-who or what we serve and love

-what we read, watch, hear, even eat and drink (again, the Bible also guides us here)

-what we wear (we don't have to cover ourselves with burkas, veils, etc.--we could if we wanted)

-where we travel

-our words-what we say or choose not to say (even more important sometimes!)

-our feelings, to some extent (we choose what to think about and how to feel about it)

-our actions--or lack thereof -

-another direction, we can always have a new start with forgiveness in Jesus

While all these freedoms are"free for all", freedom is never free.

The rights/priviledges we enjoy and even abuse came at a great cost--Jesus gave his life to give us our freedom from death/sin/guilt and many people in our country gave their lives/energy/time to allow us many of the other freedoms we have.

Here is my question for us--what are we doing with all these freedoms? Are we using them to release ourselves and others from some type of bondage, or are we abusing our freedom to choose and making choices that are actually enslaving us and others?

What are you "enslaved" to ? What aspect of your life causes you to feel defeated? For some of us, it may be cluttered rooms, spending habits, disorganized paperwork, food/weight/health issues, relationship challenges, financial difficulties, time and energy shortages. Sometimes,we feel so defeated and overwhelmed we don't know how to get ourselves "free". The real kicker that makes us feel even worse is that we know our bondage is mostly our own doing--that some of our choices landed ourselves in this mess!!

I just got back from my Mom's. My sister was there from Washington,D.C.. When my Mom moved to her home 12 years ago, she had to move a bunch of boxes belonging to my sister,who has a tough time getting rid of things. We looked though some of the boxes last week, and she decided she could let go of old college notes, textbooks, etc. that had been boxed up for 30 years! I asked her if her life had been enriched at all by those boxes that had been sitting there all this time, and she admitted that they had not. She did find 3 or 4 things she wanted to take back to D.C., but since she couldn't bring herself to go through the boxes and deal with their contents earlier, she missed out on using those things. While this was very hard for her, she said an interesting thing. She said, "I feel free letting some of this go!" Then she cried because she said she had a room at their home that if she had gone through boxes and gotten rid of things, her daughter could have used it for a play room for friends coming over.

Jesus said that He came to give us life, and to give us an abundant life, (Not in terms of stuff!)

He also came to make us free--we always have a new start!

Pick one of the things keeping you in bondage and resolve to start breaking free with Jesus' help! Ask for wisdom, and break your problem into steps. Just start with one or two small changes--then keep going!

Clean out one drawer a day, throw away old newspapers/magazines(recycle), file some important papers, make those appointments you need to make, start moving more, get rid of junk food, drink more water, forgive someone, forgive yourself, change a lousy attitude, let go of a grievance--you see where this is going. Choose one or two things and get going in the direction you want to go--your choices determine your days!! And, you are "free" to choose!! (Not always, I know--we have some constraints because of others who need us and other obligations)

My sister felt empowered by throwing away some things, and thinks she'll go home and do more--when we get ourselves moving in the right direction, even little steps take us farther than we thought we could go! You have to let go of the old to make room for the new!

Celebrate your freedoms--make those choices that will set you free!