I sit on the back porch as the sky stretches pink and orange clouds above me. It’s early evening–the time when daylight begins to dance with dark. I catch a glimpse of a firefly waiting for its nightly performance.
And I rock in my little patio chair to the rythm of a few moments of freedom.
No deadlines chasing me.
No fear pulling at my ankles.
No lies whispering to my heart.
Just me and Jesus and the summer sky.
Tomorrow in America we celebrate freedom. We often talk, like I did above, about freedom from. That’s certainly the first part of it and deserves our remembrance and honor.
Yet as I sat and watched the stars begin to come out last night, I realized there’s another part of freedom.
Freedom to.
Freedom to sit under a summer sky in my backyard.
Freedom to pursue dreams.
Freedom to serve one another in love.
We receive freedom as a gift–one purchased at a high price. And we get to choose how we’ll use it.
A neighbor launches fireworks and it feels like joy bursts over my yard into the dark. I smile and whisper a prayer of thanks for freedom from and freedom to…
And it seems the One who gave us both smiles back.
What brings you joy–especially in the summer?
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joy this summer? watching my boys in the freedom that a school break affords them. guitar, drums, swimming, soccer, baseball, barefoot in the garden…..
joy in this summer? knowing that i have been delivered from my self.
freedom to hear truth and the encouragement it brings…thank you for your words that remind us of what is true and true freedom written simply and right to the point!
Beautiful thoughts Holley (as always). Wishing you and your family a Happy 4th of July!
Here where I live in Sudan we are in the rainy season.
I find joy in cool wet winds, my 120 laughing children, long walks through grass taller than I am, sitting over coffee with our mamas (caregivers), walking in the markets meeting people (especially street children), sharing my world through lens and language, see all our crops grow and our child become plump on the bounty, sharing in our local language and seeing hearts connect with His! The green and the growth, SUCH a blessing that we have food to eat when so many here have nothing.
July 9 we celebrate our first independence and we will become simultaneously the second most expensive country and the poorest at the same time with a GDP per capita of 90 USD. I enjoy seeing so many with so little enjoy their worlds with everything in them and learning again how to number His gifts!
Wow–thank you for sharing about your life, your surroundings. I know I’m blessed with a good life here in the U.S. I pray we would delight in Him and turn back to Him as a country. Thank you for sharing about the joys you and yours are seeing and appreciating 🙂
Freedom to have a different routine, different schedule! Even if that can be unnerving for a planner like me, I find that it often is accompanied by some great surprises.
Just finished studying and writing on Galatians 5:1 – is for FREEDOM that we were set free.
Beautiful freedom. Hand delivered by Grace with our name on it!
Love this sweet friend!
Hmmm, summer joy?
Wet kids dive on the slip and slide and refuse to stop despite the grassburn and bruises, Lemonade stands, the smell of sunscreen, popsicles on the porch, lazy days, towels hanging on the back deck.
More joy? Discovering I’m not feeling the trap of perfectionism.
Freedom from and freedom to…such good food for thought.
Since summer is my favorite season, I find joy in nearly everything about it. The smell of fresh cut grass, the sound of cicadas, the taste of cherry pie. I don’t even mind the heat (of course, here in Colorado we don’t have humidity). Anyway, I just love it all!
Happy Independence Day, Dearie! I love you.
Time spend with friends gives me joy
A hot cup of tea
A hot bath
A good night sleep bring me joy
Beautiful, as always, Holley.
“Freedom to serve one another in love.” Yes.
What brings me joy – especially in the summer? I could make an endless list, but I’ll limit it to one – there’s something about summer that gives us permission to slow down (at least here in the deep south – when it’s simply too hot to move at all) and to savor – to sit idle under the mossy live oaks with a tall glass of iced tea and not feel guilty for even a second.
We are blessed. I am blessed. God is good.
Freedom is a rather relative term for me this summer. I am recovering from a foot surgery, so I am not as free to walk, explore, be out and about, as I usually am. But I do have freedom to spend time with Jesus, read, contemplate, be quiet. The summer has already afforded me the opportunity to attend the wedding of my eldest grandson! That made me feel old:) Then, later, I will have the freedom (and honor) of attending the 90th birthday party of my Dad. So, the summer will afford me many kinds of freedom.
Summer joy is as simple as having morning coffee out on my deck. Listening to the sounds of nature, waiting on the Lord to speak to me and me pouring out my soul to him. My summer joy list could go on a long way! We are all so BLESSED! In this world that we live in, with all the hurry, hurry around us, it is in the very simple things that I often find peace and joy. A butterfly on a flower, a shared smile, dinner outdoors with the family, a catch with the dog, a chat with a loved one on the porch swing, that flower you have been watching bloom at last, treats from the veggie garden!
Happy Summer and Take Time To Enjoy the Simple Things!
Best compliment I can pay you is that I just shared this on my facebook!! Love, love, love this Holley!! Wish I could sit on your porch with you and watch the fireflies–we don’t have them here in California =( Happy 4th of July!!
Hi, Holley:
Your words about “freedom from” and “freedom to” remind me of insight God gave me
regarding Proverbs 18:10 “The Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to
it and are safe.” Not only are we safe “from,” but we are safe “to.” Safe to share our faith, safe to speak/sing before a large group, even if one is nervous. 🙂 There are so many possibilities! Praise God! We are safe and free in God’s strong, loving arms!
i love the stories from excited little people as they tell me the wonders they find during the days when they don’t have anything to do but imagine.