the 4th...

Here's Isaiah playing with the American flag that Ross got on the day he became a US citizen.

Isaiah loves the American flag. As we drive in the car he's constantly pointing all directions and shouting out "it's a mer'can flag" (except he can't say the "l" in flag). It's pretty cute.


We've been thinking today about how blessed we are to live in freedom. Sure, today is Independence day, but Independence isn't always a good thing. All of us are dependant on something or somebody- there's no escaping that. But it seems to be freedom that people really crave.

In our travels we meet a lot of people from other countries and it's always fun to ask someone with an accent "where are you from?" If you ask it with a smile on your face, you always get a smile back and usually people seem quite excited to share where they came from. Not because of where they're from, but because of where they are now.

In the past week alone we have met people from Iran, Lebanon, Mexico and Honduras. That's four people from four very tough countries...and each of them are thrilled to be in America. Ross loves it that he's a new American citizen because he always tells these people "I'm an immigrant too!" And instantly there is a little bond and the opportunity to visit a little more.

We recently received an email from a Jordanian missionary who we met on their very first visit to the US. They said over and over again what a wonderful country this is, and they were in awe of the freedom God has blessed us with.

It really is a great country, and we can appreciate it a little more when we see it through the eyes of our boy Isaiah, or through the eyes of a Lebanese woman, or even a missionary from Jordan.

"Freedom is not America's gift to the world, it is the Almighty God's gift to every man and woman in this world." ~George W. Bush