How was your Independence Day?

How was YOUR Independence Day?

Did you celebrate with friends? Family?

Did you barbecue? Travel? Shoot fireworks?

Did you celebrate?

Did you remember WHY we celebrated the Fourth of July?

The date represents our freedom as a country, as individuals, from those who previously held power over us.

While England's control over America is long gone, many of us remain in slavery.

The chains are invisible and some have been there since childhood so we don't always realize what bondage we are in.

I spent some time with Bobby yesterday, an older gentlemen with some mental and substance abuse issues.

He gets a monthly check so he is a prime target out in the woods.

Women play him like a fiddle and men ply him with alcohol when his check comes in. Within 24 hours, his entire check is gone.

"This girl is different," he tells me each month.

"No, Bobby," I reply, "she isn't. She's just like the one from last month."

He doesn't want to see it because he is so lonely. He desperately needs SOMEONE to care.

As a child, he endured violence and sexual abuse.

As an adult he lost two wives. One to another woman, one to his best friend.

With each loss he retreated further and further into his mind.

Alcohol and drugs became a coping mechanism.

He hasn't been free in years.

He admitted yesterday that he's on a path to drink himself to death. It isn't the alcoholism driving him, it's the depression.

Unfortunately, that is the case with many of the guys out here.

They've given up. They drink until they pass out, hoping they'll never wake up.

But Bobby was worried.

As much as he wants to go to Heaven, he's not sure that is where he'll end up.

Despite traveling 70 mph down I-10, I knew it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up.

With one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding his hand, I led him through a prayer of salvation.

I knew a cleansing was taking place as he cried through years of abuse and neglect.

He was being set free.

Sometimes we don't even know the bondage we are in. We think we are free, yet our independence is only a mirage.

But there is hope.

Freedom is attainable in Christ. He who the Son sets free is free indeed.

What about YOU?

Are you free?

Roll the stone away...it's Independence Day!

When God Closes One Door, He...

WANTS IT TO STAY SHUT!

You thought I was going to say OPENS A WINDOW, don't you?

That's one of the problems we have.

God will close a door that we never should've entered to begin with, and we are so busy running around trying to pry it open or find a window that we get trapped in a burning house.

Sometimes the Lord shuts a door for our own good.

And sometimes it's hard to see.

When we first moved to the coast and became involved with The Jeremiah House (see "Beware of Wolves in Sheep's Clothing), something would come up every time I was scheduled to go over there.

"That devil!" I'd exclaim. "He's not shutting me down."

I was determined to make it over there even when it seemed impossible.

A couple of months later a strange thought entered my head.

What if it wasn't the devil trying to keep me away? What if God was the one shutting the door?

I tested it out.

That's okay, by the way. Try out the spirits.

Unbeknownst to me, my gift of discernment was greatly hampered at that point.

You can't submit to the authority of someone operating under the power of Satan without hindering the Holy Spirit in your life.

And when you place yourself in a church or mission, you ARE submitting to the authority of the person in charge, whether you want to or not. (So be very careful, little feet, where you go. You may want to be the only "light" in a sea of darkness, but you are still under the authority of that pastor or director.)

A couple of weeks later, the thought that the Lord was closing the door was getting stronger.

I began praying in earnest.

"Show me, Lord," I implored, "if this is You." I didn't want to be fooled by the devil but I also didn't want to be a fool.

He showed me.

I never should've been involved with Jeremiah House to begin with.

I could see where he kept shutting the door over and over.

And I kept opening it back up. And climbing through windows.

There was a lot of senseless destruction. A couple of friendships, my peace, marital discord...

All because I couldn't see that the Lord was shutting a door.

I'm a lot more careful now.

I always consider that the Lord may be behind a closing door.

And if He is, I sure don't go looking for a window!

A Different Kind of Carpool...

I drove my "kids" to a new "daycare" this week.

A mission run by a good friend in Biloxi (about an hour from here), this day shelter serves three hot meals on the days they are open, and allows the homeless men and women to wash clothes and take showers on a first-come, first-serve basis.

It was a new experience for all of us.

I called my crew the night before. I'd already put the word out and had seven people wanting to go so they got reminders. And the pre-event lecture. "Be sober. Be ready. Have your stuff together."

The trip there was uneventful. It was a little after 7 A.M. and we were all still half-asleep.

When we arrived, my friend greeted them with open arms as she lovingly went over the rules.

I had to leave but assured them I'd be back. She assured ME that they were in good hands.

At some point I felt like a mom leaving her babies at daycare and said so.

"MOOOOMMMMY, please come back..." Scooter wailed.

"Don't goooooooo!" Landon cried.

We laughed and I hugged everyone goodbye, feeling more maternal than ever.

A few hours later, a call came up on my cell from the director.

I have to tell you, I was SCARED to answer the phone.

It brought back MANY MANY memories of calls from school principals.

Back then it was almost always Cody, but now there were seven to choose from. Who did what? Will I be banned from coming back? Will she blame me?

I had seven scenarios with seven culprits running through my head when I weakly answered the phone.

"Hello?"

It was just Mickey, calling from the shelter to tell me they were ready to be picked up.

See, I knew my babies hadn't done anything wrong.

When I got back to Biloxi they were exhausted and ready to go.

I had a few stops to make though so I did what any good mom would do.

I popped The Croods in the dvd player and handed them a box of donuts and some sodas. Instant silence!

I love these guys (and girls!). Many are older than me but still call me Mama. Some have families, even if they are estranged, but most of the moms are no longer alive. A surprising number lost their mothers at a very early age. I'm sure there is a correlation in those statistics.

I don't mind being MOM one little bit.

In fact, we have just started planning my birthday party even though it is two months away.

Because this year, all I want for my birthday is a big fish fry in the park with dinner, cake and ice cream, and all my babies, biological AND homeless.

It'll be held on Sept. 17th and I want to be surrounded with the ones I love.

And maybe wear a tiara!