Happy Independence Day!!!!

I am SO thankful to have been born in this country! I am SO proud to be an American!

We had a great Independence Day together yesterday! It was one of those days where you feel that even just breathing in the fresh air will physically help you! I don't know if it really does physically help but I know it does mentally and spiritually help! It was low 80's and breezy and just GORGEOUS. The sun felt brighter yesterday, the Carolina blue skies seemed blue-er. It was just gorgeous. I think that is my favorite temperature - 84 degrees with a breeze!!

I couldn't believe how easily we got around town - it seemed like there was even less traffic than on normal weekends! I think because the 4th was in the middle of the week or something. But literally we went down to CB and there was less traffic than last weekend when we went! Then at night, we drove downtown (and ended up turning right around after we got in the parking garage because we forgot Raymond's bottle) and we didn't hit any traffic there either! Maybe it's just because of where we live now? Or maybe with the windows open, we were just too focused on how beautiful it was, we didn't even realize if there were other cars or people around!?

Either way - it was gorgeous! We stayed outside the whole day - walking around the neighborhood with Lennox, driving around, sitting on the porch, sitting at the beach and pool. Then after Raymond went to sleep, Brandon and I watched a movie and when the fireworks started around 9 we took our drinks on the screened porch and sat and had our own private show of downtown fireworks. I still believe that the best fireworks EVER are Jefferson days laying on the hill as they shoot off right over you, but these were good too. The only thing missing was funnel cake or cotton candy! but it was cool to have our own show!

So anyway - how blessed I am. For everything. Thank God for all our soldiers throughout the generations and today, who have protected the freedom we all take for granted. Today I remember PopPop especially who invaded at Normandy and who had the only working radio the week after, that would help change the course of history for thousands in Europe and Billions in the world for generations to come. PopPop went to heaven on the 4th of July 1991. I am so proud to be the granddaughter of a true HERO and I'm so proud to be a Child of the most high God who blessed us with true freedom - the ability to be personally and spiritually FREE!

Thank God for the desire we have to be free. At the core of who we are, He has created us to be creatures who have the desire to have freedom of choice (free will). Thank God He is not a puppet master, but is a God who loves us enough to let us make our own decisions - and then turn those decisions around for good when they were the wrong decision! (Romans 8:28).

I am so blessed and so appreciative for everything I have been given. I pray that what America stands for will not fall and that this country will always be a guiding light to the world of the values that God has put in all of us!!!!