Friday was the Fourth of July, or Independence Day in the United States. It has been 249 years since this nation declared its independence and freedom for all citizens.
One of the guaranteed freedoms the founding fathers wanted for Americans was the ability to worship. In many European countries, the Catholic church had political power and restricted, or outlawed, any other faith. It's still the case today that some nations only allow Islam while others say the country's leader is to be worshiped.
Recently, Christians have been more maligned in American media and beliefs labeled as hate, but we thankfully have remained free to worship. With the current administration, some of the former oppression has reduced, but it still pops up in some areas.
Due to recent passage of some funding measures, I have seen comments on social media how our freedoms have been revoked and we're living in horrible times. Looking back in Christian history, believers were used as torches to light parties and killed in various ways for following God's Word. The only restrictions I've seen now in the US are to enter the country legally and less government funding for abortion providers.
On this weekend, I'm thankful for this time God has placed me to be used by Him. My lungs are still needing more suctioning, but I'm thankful for improvement and access to necessary supplies. No, everything isn't perfect in the United States, but no human institution will be.
Living the quad life, and seeing other countries, I am very thankful to be alive, active, and still able to live independently. Some of these may change in the future, but this weekend is a time to give thanks.
