Freedom

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This Independence Day, I am more thankful than ever for our freedom and our rights.  This probably has a lot to do with the fact that I am more aware than ever of how precious those things are.  After reading Half the Sky and Not For Sale (still working on that one), hearing Jim Martin of IJM speak, and watching CNN's Freedom Project and Demi Moore's documentary on Nepal's Stolen Children...I realize just how fortunate we are as Americans.

We have a voice.  We matter to our country.  We have rights.  Freedoms.  Choices.  We decide what God we serve.  We elect our country's leaders.  We have health care.  We have education.  We have opportunities to elevate our life and financial situations.  We can achieve great things!

I realize America has flaws.  I'm not saying we've got it all figured out and that there is no corruption period.  That would be untrue.  But when compared to many other governments around the world?  We really don't realize how well-off we have it.

So today, I'm not just proud to be an American.  I am so very incredibly thankful to be an American.