Today we will have our annual big open house, because unlike poor Jen Lemen who has to lug a bunch of stuff from her car to the park in the hot hot sun, we just have to walk down the street to see one of the top firework shows in the nation. (Lucky Us!)

As a kid, I loved the 4th of July. But as an adult I squirm a lot on our national holiday. I mean, we’ve been at war somewhere for most of my adult life. And I’ve lived to see any number of freedom-killing phenomenons like genocides and masacres where my freedom-loving nation has refused to take action — or waited until it was too late to make some sort of largely symbolic stand. So it’s hard for me to get all “rah rah rah” and wave the flag-ish.

Then again, you don’t see me moving to Ruwanda, do you? I’m a spoiled little rich girl, when it comes right down to it.

At any rate, the thing I do love about the 4th of July is that we live directly between “available parking” and “fireworks at Gaswork’s Park.” So hundreds of people will walk past my house today. I figure, it’s a great day for some Ordinary Attempts, for a little incarnational living, for extending the loving hand of Christ to the world. On a day like today Christ’s got a cold one in his hand. We chalk “Free Beer” on the sidewalk and set the coolers out on the little strip of grass between the sidewalk and the curb. We haul the barbeque out to the front lawn. Iz sets up the portable sound system for our open mic. And this year, we’ll hang flyers from our big hawthorn tree with a big “take one” sign. I can’t just sit there and admire the fireworks this year. I have to do some small thing to recognize where our concept of freedom falls short, to acknowledge that anytime I have freedom, it probably means someonelse is being oppresed. That the way nation-making power seems to work. So here’s what we’ll be offering as a take home. May it inspire you!

Freedom Everywhere
Celebrate Your Freedom today….Take Action Tomorrow for the Freedom of Others

Voting Freedom
MoveOn.org
Prevent error-riddled electronic balloting. Sign this on-line petition to encourage the continuation of paper ballots.

Freedom from Poverty, Debt, AIDS
data.org
theonecampaign.org

6,500 people die every day of AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa, and Americans have the power to save them. “But history will remember this age for three things. Yes the war against terror; the internet; and I promise you, how we let an entire continent burst into flames while we stood around with watering cans.” -Bono

Freedom from Genocide
Amnesty.org

In Sudan 1 million people have been driven from their homes, many to neighboring Chad. 10,000 have been killed—men murdered in mosques, women raped in front of husbands, elderly women burned to death in their homes.

Freedom from War
notinourname.net

Action-taking ideas to encourage our country from waging war on others, and to create a compassionate global mindset.