At least I know I'm free

I know that Hannah is always scared to death that I will make her sing God Bless the USA any time we have a political holiday.  With all due respect to Lee Greenwood, I want to borrow a line from him today as we celebrate Independence Day.

At least I know I'm free.........

I'm proud for several things this morning:

A loving wife

Two great sons

Two great daughters in love (Hannah becomes official in 7 days)

Two awesome grandkids (Myles has been with us this week!)

A great church family

An awesome job

A beautiful home

but lets get down to the subject for today, freedom.

Most people don't really understand what freedom really means.  That is why we are in the shape that we are in today.  Rules and standards don't take away freedom, they define it.  Let me explain.

Laws are not here to restrict us, they are here to protect us.  Borders are not here to fence us in or others out.  Standards of Holiness that God set forth centuries ago don't make Him the bad guy, it shows us that He loves us enough to set us free to fail.  Before we start to argue Grace, let me also say that we are not to take advantage of His Goodness and continue to hang on to our pet sins and shortcomings, but He gives us "free will"  in our covenant relationship with Him to make right decisions without feeling that He is standing over us with a cattle prod or a giant eraser to zap us when we fail.

The key is ownership.  We have to be citizens of the Kingdom of God to enjoy the true benefits of His Grace.  By the same token, If people want to explore the greatness of America, they should go about it in a lawful manner.  The jailbreak rush over the border is not freedom, it is anarchy.

How can you really know you are free?  Go about it the right way.  Get your citizenship through the right channels.  Take some responsibility and form the right relationships.  When you do you will discover the true wonder that we call freedom.

Marriage and family

Salvation and Grace

Citizenship and Country

There is a price to pay for what we call freedom.  Is it worth it?  I say YES!!!!!!

In the flow,

Jack

Passages

A great philosopher once said "We may never pass this way again".  A lot has transpired in the time since I last blogged here.  In fact I went through several passwords and finally gave up before I confessed to the powers that be (Google of course) that I have no clue what my password is.  I will post a hint in this blog for myself that only I and my sister and brother would get so this wont happen again!

Here we are, almost a year later.  My apologies for not taking care of this blog.  It's not that I don't have anything to say (although you may disagree with me after you read this) or my sometimes poor internet skills (just ask Google or my web server, Fat Cow.com) or my desire to express myself (just ask anybody, no shortage of opinion here), but probably that awful four letter word.....TIME.

As I was cruising facebook one day I saw where a former student of mine was retiring from teaching.  She was admittedly from one of my earliest years of teaching, but still looks like she could be in her 20's or 30's and with the same sparkle in her eye that she had when I taught her.  My response was something like "how can you possibly retire?  Go back in that classroom and do another 20 years!"

It seems like only yesterday when we were all out there on that practice field (parking lot) or at band camp or at a football game and now?????  Some of my students have more grandkids than I do.

not you, Paige, that remark was for some of your classmates.

Which brings me now to current events.  My kids.

Kid #1, Christopher is as we speak finishing a family vacation at Myrtle Beach.  He and his lovely wife, Angie have two beautiful children.  Myles, who is now 5 and a pre-school graduate looks just like his dad (and therefore like me, don't you love the tie in to the beautiful remark?) and Emma, who is 20 months old and still looks at me like a calf at a new gate.  He is a customer service rep and a children's pastor.  I remember the first time he went to church camp and ended up going commando because Lew Nix, his counselor and Christopher couldn't locate everything in his suitcase.

Kid #2, Daniel just finished his Doctorate at Emory University in Physical Therapy.  He completed his education with a 4.0 average (Highest Honors) and is studying for his boards next month.  Also next month He is marrying Hannah Roesch, a beautful redheaded soon to be Elementary School teacher from Toccoa, Georgia.  He is also beginning a job search and together they are looking at houses in the Jefferson area.  It seems like only yesterday, Daniel was getting in trouble with Mary Williamson for disrupting Kindergarden.

Frances and I will be fine, no empty nest syndrome here.  We have plenty to keep us occupied, me with work, my music, my ministry, bowhunting, and my dogs and her with being my snowbunny super hot midlife crisis incredible drummer, gardener, sidekick, accountability partner, and soulmate.  As we prepare for Daniel and Hannah's wedding I remember when she came in the back door of Jefferson United Methodist church on that day in 1979 and took my breath away.

So my journey continues, from that place where the train City of New Orleans pulled out of in that famous song, (there's a hint for you) to a lazy morning on Runt's Private Drive.  Time is flying by and life couldn't get much richer.  To those of you who have played a part in this adventure, I say thanks and I love you, and stay in touch.  I promise to do better......really.....

In the flow, 

Jack