Independance Day

It seems ironic to me that on this 4th of July I will be on a plane to Communist China. At the time of the Tiananmen Square uprising I was as involved in the Cold War as a person could be, serving onboard a Fleet Balistic Missile submarine. While our activities were more directed at the Soviets I vividly remember the events of the April/June 1998 and the lone individual standing down a column of tanks.

In two days I will be staying in a hotel across the street from that iconic event. As I read statements like, "Forbiden Items: Print, film, photo, disk, movie, tape, videotape, videodisc, laser disk, computer storage medium and other objects, which are harmful to Chinese politics, economy, culture and morality" I feel so fortunate that I don't live under that kind of scrutiny. But I am also greatful that I can live in complete freedom.

For you have been called to live in freedom--not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love. Gal 5:13

I hope that this independence day you are able to claim the freedom that God gives.