Well, today is the 4th of July and I'd like to talk about the Declaration of Independance.
Oh, please. I'm kidding.
I would like to talk about FREEDOM, however.
You know I love to laugh, right? I know a lot of you come over and visit me cuz I can easily laugh at myself. But sometimes I gotta be serious. Ya know...gotta get real.
To be honest, if I were funny every day it wouldn't be real. And it would feel a lot like High School. Like the time I actually got up in front of Miss Prices's class and sang the George Thorogood classic,
"I gotta little change in my pocket goin' jinalingaling
Wanna call you on the telephone baby - a give you a ring.
But each time we talk I get the same ole thing
Always no huggy, no kissy, till I getta weddin' ring.
My honey, my baby. Don't put my love upon no shelf.
She said don't hand me no lies and keep yo' hands to yo' self."
Cause I thought it was important to make them laugh. And then I grew up. And realized that isn't why people like you at all. They like you best when you are the most real.
Man, I'm glad I learned that lesson.
So today, on this INDEPENDANCE DAY, I just wanted to ask you a quick question. A question about Freedom.
Here goes...
What are you free from?
Want me to go first?
Okay...I'm free from depression.
And feeling inadequate as a woman because of that stinkin' ole' infertility.
I'm free from saying "yes" when I'd rather say "no."
And I'm free from running myself ragged to have 30 friends - when the few that I have are really good for me and are just enough.
I'm free from comparing myself to other women and feeling like I don't measure up.
I'm free from comparing my marriage to other people's and just relishing in the fact that it. is. really. good.
I'm finally free to forgive.
And I'm free to forget - if I want to forget. Or remember - if I want to remember. Whatever. I don't beat myself for either.
I'm free to pray. With boldness.
And sing. With abandon.
I'm free to post whatever I want on this here blog. And you are free to read it. Or not. Whatever. Don't beat yourself up for either.
And so today, I can say that Freedom is a really good thing.
Really good.
It's the opposite of bondage in absolutely every way. Just try it and you'll see.
What are you free from today?
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33 comments:
What a beautiful post.
It leaves me with a question to really think about.
I am glad you are free of so many things.
Are you happy?
I am free from an abusive marriage, and a crushing depression.
Great post.
WOW! What a question. I celebrate with you all the things that you are free from and I pray that I will take some time to reflect what my freedom means to me. I just want to give a shout out to all our military (present and past) and just THANK THEM ALL for their willingness to sacrifice so I can have freedoms.
Y'all have a great Independence Day.
"Free from the law, oh happy condition..."
Honestly, this is the first thing He brought to mind when you asked, "What are you free from?" I'm gettin' all Sunday go-to meetin' up in here and it's a good time.
"Once for all, oh, sinner receive it, once for all, oh, brother believe it; cling to the cross, the burden will fall, Christ hath redeemed us once for all."
It really is as easy as that. Yet we try to make it so difficult at times, and that's what the world sees...and finds fault.
Today I am thankful to be free...as an American AND a child of God. It's not always popular to blog about our beliefs, I know...but it's Truth and I just gotta cling to what I know.
Happy 4th. Much love to y'all!
What a great post!
I want to tell you what I am free to.... I am free to serve my Father, I am free to love with passion, I am free to play with my grandchildren, I am free to have as many Bibles as I want, I am free to have more food than I need or deserve on my table, I am free to give up all the negative things that haunted me in the past because they are being carried by the God who loves me beyond my understanding, I am free to gather my family and friends around me to celebrate freedom.
Just want you to know this is the absolutely best freedom statement I have ever read! Blessings, marlene
LOVE this post! You're right, it is sometimes hard to talk about your faith, and our blogs are a perfect avenue for speaking out about what our faith means to us. When I talk about my Christianity at work, I can tell when it makes people uncomfortable. Sometimes it is right to talk about it, sometimes you just have to quietly live it so that people will see Jesus shine through your actions. What a great perspective you have about your freedoms...one of things I am free of is worry. Knowing that God has a plan for my life and the lives of my children gives me peace, and allows me the freedom to pray and know that HIS will be done, no matter what. I love Romans 8:28...one of my fave verses. To answer your questions, my first night back to work was a little rough (I was orienting a new nurse and having PMS...not a good combination). But I survived, and so did my patients. I'm glad to know "smartly" is now a word. And I love your blog! Thanks for leaving me some comment love!
This is brilliant!
Everyone is probably tired of hearing it, but I'm not tired of saying it: "We are cancer free and now chemo free at our house." Praise God!
To Angela, who commented before me, I am sure no one would ever be tired of hearing that you are cancer free and chemo free at your house. Praise God for that.
For myself, I am free from the a bad marriage (God saved my husband and now it is good). I am free from feeling inadequate as a woman ( I now have a beautiful daughter). I am free to read this wonderful post by an exceptional woman, Melissa Lee. I am free to celebrate this day of independence with family and friends. I am free, like Melissa Lee, to have a few very special friends, who love me unconditionally, and forget about worriing about the rest.
Thank you Melissa Lee. You are awesome.
Well, my husband took my kids camping this weekend for FIVE DAYS and I am free to eat at home ... or not. I am free to go out ... or not. I am free to walk around naked ... but THANK GOD not! I am free to miss the noise and chaos that defines the Lemoine family ...or not.
And while all of this is great, short term, I am free to look forward to when they come home ... although soon thereafter will wish that they would go again...
Enjoy your celebrations!
I'm free from the lies that satan is trying to tell me. Thank you JESUS I am free!
This was a lovely post!
I'm free from children for a week!I know that's not a serious answer. I leave for youth camp, so I will still have contact with a younger generation than me, but I will not have to wipe a butt, cook a meal, or bang my head against the wall from Sunday-Friday!!!!
I'm also free from the burden of my sin. Thank you, Jesus. My chains are gone, I've been set free. My God, My Savior, has ransomed me!
Freedom is precious, but it's never free. What price have we paid for the freedom we sought? For me it was leaving friends and family behind in the search for freedom from religious ritual. Leaving them was not by choice, but was a neccesity brought on both those left behind.
But while the price is not always free, it is well worth it. Thank you Jesus that the greatest price of all was paid by one greater than I. That was a price that I could have never own up too. I alone was not worth the cost. However a Savior found me worthy enough to lay down his life when I was already in debt to His greatness.
This post was so well thought out and honest. It deserves some sort of award!
I love being free to wear what I want, and say what I want, and act how I want, believe what I want, learn what I want, vote how I want and live how I want. We really take it for granted most of the time. I don't want to though, I want to appreciate as much as possible, and I never want it taken away, because that would S.U.C.K. big time.
i am free to walk down the street without fearing for my life, i am free to speak my mind, i am free to travel, i am free to disagree with my government, i am free because i follow the lords commandments which lead me out of bondage
Free from death and the grave. I wish I were free from all the things you listed, but I am aspiring towards those freedoms, a work in progress.
Because of PB, I finally feel free to just be myself and feel accepted.
That was mushy.
Wow, what a question to really get us to think! Thanks for the enlighting post. I'll have to ponder about all of my freedoms (and the ones I have given/not given to myself).
this is a great post! I am free from work. I know that is ridiculous, but having days off from work is MUCH NEEDED. Work can often lead to stress. ;)
I am also free from anyone's opinion about me, because what matters the most to me it that, yes, I am being real to MYSELF.
hope you had a great 4th!
This was an awesome post. We all should be proud and thankful to be American.
free from fear - what an awesome feeling.
Melissa, we love your blog and are very happy to list you on www.momdot.com . I need some help though! What description do you want next to your blog and do you have some sort of graphic of picture I can use for the listing?
ThankyoU!
trisha
www.momdot.com
trisha@bambinaballerina.com
That is definitely one of the best 4th of July posts I've ever read. I have known many people who've emigrated here from Russia and Romania and I have been so thankful for the freedoms our Constitution grants us. But the personal freedoms to do as we please, think as we please, write as we please, read what we please...these, too, are so very precious. I don't think we Americans truly realize, most of the time, just how fortunate we truly are.
Hey!
Thanks for the comment over on m blog. I'm glad you like the design. THe awesome ladies over at Blogalicious designed it for me. They are great!
Wait, a website that DOESN'T have an e-mail?? Is that even legal?? Great, and I'm assuming they only speak Spanish since you said they don't speak English. I took Latin. I see what good that does me now!
I really enjoy reading your blog, and to answer your question- I'm free from so many things. In fact, I might use that for a blog post today (so check my blog for the answer).
Brittany
p.s. wow. This comment is way too long.
I think you said it all just perfectly.
Free: it's a pretty great word, isn't it?
I am free of trying to be something I am not just to please other people that should love me for who I am and not what they think I should be.
I am free to be the mother & wife that I am. Not the perfect mother & wife they show on television. Such an unrealistic goal.
Man, this is better than therapy and cheaper too I might add.
I too am finally free from depression... from a stalker and an abusive marriage. I'm also free to not dress up if I don't want to since I quit my corporate job to stay home and spend more time with my kids who are growing too fast!
I found your blog through BlogHer one day and have been coming back since. You are so funny. I have added you to my Blog Roll :)
~ Lacie
I found your blog through Krista and have been catching up on your last few posts. All very funny, I must say. But when I linked over your IBS/Marriott story, I can't recall EVER laughing so hard at any post. The tears were rolling. BIG TIME! I can't wait to come back and visit.
Hi! I just found your blog through BlogHer. We are in the same "ring".
Hmmm, great post and really got me thinking ...and it's 3am...
I am free to stay up when i know I should be in bed. LOL
Ok, to be serious...
I am free to live my life as I see fit, no matter what my FIL & MIL say.
I am free to adopt another child, even though we have 9 children already.
I am free to tell everyone I meet that i hate Sears because it took them 68 days to fix my washing machine.
:) Debi
This is a little late, but that's a really great post.
I can emphasise with a lot of the things that you feel free about.
I feel free to be me and like me.
I feel free of the abuse in my past.
I'm free to choose what I want to do with the rest of my life. :-)
That was so great. Thank you.
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