We had a flag pole in my front yard growing up; a full-size, raise it and lower it kind of flag pole. My grandpas both served in the military and fostered in my parents a great pride in our country. My parents always wanted to fly a flag to honor our nation. They took great care to teach us proper respect for the flag—how to properly fold the flag, to never let it touch the ground, and to stand when the flag passed in parades and the like. Patriotic songs could be heard blasting through our house around Independence Day or whenever the mood struck. “God Bless America” may be a song that my family cannot hear without belting it out ourselves. We would often thank God for our nation and all the freedoms that we’ve had the opportunity to enjoy. We’d thank Him for all the people who fought and all those who gave up their lives so that we could enjoy these freedoms we often take for granted. While I remember the patriotism I was taught and the flag handling protocols, what I remember most is all those times that we looked at our freedoms through the lens of God’s grace. That’s really what they are. Another way God gives us His grace…the things we don’t deserve.

Here’s some ideas for how you can view our freedoms and celebrations through the lens of God’s grace:

• Fireworks-There’s something special and grandiose about fireworks; they’re powerful and awe-inducing. You can rarely sit in a crowd and watch fireworks without hearing “ooo’s and ah’s.” Sometimes sitting still and considering the power of God is even more awe-inducing. What are things that amaze you about God? Why?
• Sparklers-You only have a minute to let your light shine before it goes out. You run and twirl and stroke your arms wide in all directions so it can be seen. When we share the light of Jesus, it doesn’t go out in a short time, the Holy Spirit keeps working faith in us. What if we each shared the light of Jesus like we share the light of a sparkler? What if we captured that excitement and used it to share the light of Jesus in our everyday lives? What would that look like?
• American Flags-As there’s an appropriate honor due our flag that your family can talk about and learn together, our God is worthy of our highest honor and praise. What is honor? How can we show we honor God in our everyday lives? When we’re in special places like God’s house? When we talk about God or to God?
• Barbeques-Who doesn’t love a good cookout? Great food and outdoor fun come together as this formula for an awesome day. As you eat the watermelon, talk about a blessing for every seed you find (black or white!). As you top a hotdog with condiments, talk about all the “extras” God’s given your family to enjoy this summer. As you drink the lemonade, talk about how we can turn our sour days into sweet days…not with sugar and water, but when we consider God’s grace and goodness.
• Family Reunions-We come together with our extended families and distant relatives to catch up, to have a good time, and to reminisce the good old days. When you gather with a lot of family, it can be a great time to remember and talk about how God made a promise to Abraham, a man with no children at the time, to make a great big family of God’s people that grew and grew and grew and is still growing today! God keeps His promises in bigger ways than we could ever imagine. What other promises do you know God has kept?

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 charges us to talk about faith as we go about life, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the way, when you lie down and when you get up.”

Our freedoms are cause to thank God often and much. As you go along celebrating Independence Day, remember faith talks can enhance all that we do!