Growin' Up Gregory

As we prepare to celebrate our nation's independence, the thought hit me - What are we doing with our freedom? Webster defines freedom as "the quality or state of being free." While they go on to give several examples, that is still a pretty broad definition. So how does it translate to our life today? Freedom is often the state of being free 'to' or being free 'from.' You are either free to do what you want, where you want, or how you want. Or you are free from restraint and constraint in how you do things. In the United States, we enjoy many freedoms. We have the freedom to pursue excellence, or enjoy average. We have the freedom to pursue education, or enjoy our limited knowledge. We have the freedom to pursue wealth, or enjoy what we already have. We have the freedom to pursue & grow relationships, or enjoy their current state. We have the freedom to pursue happiness, joy, and a better life for ourselves and thos...

I hope that everyone had at least one opportunity to enjoy a firework show to celebrate Independence Day over the past week.  I think it's amazing that nearly every small town in America seems to have some sort of festival and firework show to celebrate our nation's freedom; a freedom that many have fought and died for which is so vital to our way of life in this country and we should all be deeply grateful for those who have sacrificed their time, energy, and lives to defend our nation. But back to the fireworks.  Depending on where you're watching and who you're watching with, the best part of a firework show is either the first BOOM and flash of light when the kids sit down and start to be still and quiet for a minute; or it's the final climax when the exhibitors show you their best, brightest, and loudest - the grand finale!  For those seconds the sky lights up like the middle of the day, the booms don't seem too loud anymore, and it creates an almost magi...