See You At the Pole 2011

{Somehow, I wrote this post and then forgot to publish it!  So, it is late, but better late than never, right?}

See You at the Pole is an annual event that I even remember from when I was in high school.  I remember the Christian kids at my high school inviting me to come to the flag pole on a particular morning to 'pray' - which I had never done and, had I admitted it, would have said that I thought it was weird.  One time though, I went out of curiosity and felt oddly drawn yet strangely out of place at the same time.  Sadly, I didn't go back...

This year, the youth pastor at our church organized an after event on See you at the Pole day for our youth service and it inspired me to get our homeschool group (or as many as possible!) together at our church flagpole - to join together and pray.  We had a nice sized group meet at our pole on 441for prayer and were joined by our youth pastor - we prayed for our nation, our state, our city, our community, our schools, our church and each other.  Here are some pictures from the day, minus the 2 photographers!

This time, I was able to participate without feeling odd or out of place and it was a welcome change.  The After Event was a great success, with lots of visitors from schools around town, including some of our homeschool friends!  God is doing great things and greater things are yet to come!  Did you participate in See You at the Pole?

Free Indeed

Yesterday, we heard a powerful and life changing message at church from our Pastor.  Here are my thoughts that I took home from the sermon - so appropriate for the 4th of July.

Freedom is what we are celebrating this weekend.  My neighbors behind me have had a non-stop party all weekend - starting Friday afternoon.  They are probably celebrating their freedoms as an American, the same as the rest of us.  However, are they truly FREE?  Are we? 

The Bible says:

         "If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed."  John 8:36

Free INDEED is better than just being free.

In this same passage of scripture, the disciples had the gall to say that they had never been in bondage to any man - even though they were, at that time alone, subject to Caesar and Rome, not to mention that countless other times they had been in bondage through the years.  They had a deception of freedom that wasn't freedom indeed.

         "If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed."  John 8:36

As an opposite example, how is it that victims in the Holocaust Concentration Camps were reported to show a sense of freedom - in spite of the terror, the horrific abuse, the bars?

Americans take pride in recognizing our freedom financially, politically and physically, yet fail to see that we are not free indeed. 

         "If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed."  John 8:36

We are not necessarily free emotionally and, most of all, spiritually.  Many, maybe even my neighbors, are not free from the bondages of alcohol, drugs, etc. yet they celebrate freedom.  It is better to be free indeed! 

        "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."  John 8:32

I pray today that, as you celebrate with family and friends, eat, watch fireworks, cookout, etc., that you will ponder true freedom.  I pray that if you are not free indeed that you will learn the truth that will make you free and have a better reason to celebrate - better even than the great country that we are a part of and the foundation we have beneath us.  We can't let the amazing freedoms that we share as a nation prevent us from experiencing this true freedom!

Happy 4th of July everyone!