SUNDAY
IN THE
SON
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Last night, as it got dark, Steve and I crossed over the Delaware River into Philadelphia on the Walt Whitman bridge.
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Off to the right, was downtown Philadelphia, "birthplace" of this amazing nation called the United States of America. Although Philly appears much farther away in this cell phone shot than it really is, we were actually not very far away from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. We were going to circle the city and drive closer. Fireworks were just beginning to light up the night sky in a celebration of the FREEDOM that was birthed in this city.
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Traveling from the southwest to the northwest side, we got closer to the downtown area. Several of the tallest buildings displayed red, white, and blue messages. This one flashed the word FREEDOM as we came around the bend.
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On the northside, we headed back east and then southeast. The sign directed us to turn right to Independence Hall or straight to go back across the Delaware on the Ben Franklin bridge. Just after I took this picture there was an enormous display of fireworks right off the bridge. I wondered if Cristi and Lauren Schwamb could see any of this from their room in Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. I looked back to the north at where Scott, Bonita, and Stacy McEndree and children planned to sit and watch the displays.
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As we crossed the Delaware River again, this time on the Ben Franklin bridge, we could watch the FREEDOM fireworks all around us in the night sky...downtown Philly...further south by the airport...to the west...to the north...and ahead of us in the South Jersey sky. I thought about places all over this nation celebrating simultaneously. My mind went to some of the locations that I'd experienced Fourth of July celebrations throughout my lifetime: U.S. Army posts in Europe and Okinawa, Pikes Peak (Colorado), Ranger Stadium (Arlington, TX), various fairgrounds in TX and NE, Hoosier Stadium (Bloomington, IN)......... Yet, last night, none compared with knowing that Steve and I chose to circle the birthplace of our nation on it's 233rd birthday. 
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I thought of the different times over the last few years that I'd stood in line at the Liberty Bell, watching people from many nations so excited to get a look at and have their picture taken with this symbol of precious FREEDOM. How long had they planned and prepared for this trip to the USA? I pondered the situations of different people across this planet who have no concept of freedom from tyranny or an evil king. Fighting for their FREEDOMS and defending ours, our soldiers serve across this globe.
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Steve and I got on the Atlantic City expressway and as I looked out at the sights other people came to my mind. What about those people who experience difficult circumstances at the hand of evil leadership, yet still experience true FREEDOM? How can that happen? It's what I wrote about on my post yesterday - FREEDOM IN CHRIST! Freedom isn't free... someone has to pay the price... someone has to sacrifice for our liberty...
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My mind has been racing as I've thought a lot about those soldiers who have died over the years in wars/conflicts for our FREEDOMS: Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and currently Iraq/Afghanistan. I read a post yesterday, by Pat Boone, that got me to thinking in many different directions about this. Stop! Focus, Patti! Bottom line?
- No matter, who my king or president or governor or senator is... no matter what my difficult circumstances... I can be confident and rejoice in the knowledge that I have a KING who is my friend! He chose to die for my FREEDOM! A KING who is exalted above all others... He is good to the bone... He is sinless... He is love... He is KING of kings and LORD of lords... and with Him I can experience a FREEDOM beyond the comprehension of any FREEDOM set forth in Philadelphia (the city of LOVE)... this perfect and eternal LIBERTY was offered one Sunday morning over 2,000 years ago by THE MAN who is a personal friend of mine...MY KING...
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His friends, all over this globe, celebrate this KING together every Sunday. How do I know? I've been a part of these celebrations in Europe, Asia, and across this great nation of ours. This morning, as I sit with my Pitman church of Christ family, I will see the fireworks celebration in my mind exalting this KING above all others... I will praise and bless His name!
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- Please join me in communion...in His memory...in His honor...
- Please watch this video and thank Him!
- Please join us back here everyday this week as we continue our study on The Virtuous Woman.
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1 comment:
I was able to see the Freedom sign that you took a picture of from our room. I also saw a few fireworks around 10:00. They would've been towards downtown. I heard that some people could see the ones at the art museum from the other end of our hall, but they were much later.
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