I am ...

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I am a child of God
I have faith in the Lord, hope in His promises, and strive to love others as Christ has called His children to do. I believe that we are in a time when we can easily forget our human form was fearfully and wonderfully made. We can become so wrapped up in the what-ifs that we take our worry and anger out on anyone who does not reside in the echo chamber of doubt and fear with us. We can judge others if they do not believe all the fake-news stories that float through the air faster than a virus. However, in this household, we will not be plagued by unkindness, we will not show hatred towards our brothers and sisters (masks or no masks), nor will we fall victim to believing the media hype that tells us we should be afraid to be human.
I am human
This is a saying that I have always used with my kids, "God made dirt, and dirt don't hurt." This attitude came in large part because I was raised by my grandfather who was born in 1918. He used to tell me that "bugs and dirt do a body good."  As an adult, I have studied how our microbiome (in and on us) helps us to build strong immune systems, and I fear the backlash of living in a disinfected, protective bubble. Let us not forget that we were created with immune systems that were meant to be exposed to bacteria, viruses, and fungi. However, this post is not just about recognizing that we are humans with complex immune systems that need exposure to things like the sun, fresh air, germs, and dirt, to grow stronger. It is also fueling my need to share that I am an American citizen.
I am an American
I am blessed to love courageous individuals who have served this country to protect my right to even type this post. I am the granddaughter of an Army war hero who earned a purple heart in WWII. I am the daughter of an Army veteran. I am the daughter-in-law of an honorable man who served in the National Guard. I am the sister of an Air Force veteran and a medically-separated Army veteran who has been to war multiple times to fight in Afghanistan and Iraq. I am the niece of two career Navy veterans. I am the wife of a Naval officer who deployed to the desert after 9-11 and has been shipped to multiple locations in the world throughout our 20-year marriage. I am also the proud mother of a brand new United States Marine. Plus, I have countless friends who have served or still serve all around the world. Each of our military members and their families make great sacrifices to ensure our freedom from tyranny. It is time to remember that WE THE PEOPLE declared our independence because "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

So, stand up as humans with kindness and morals (and fully-functioning immune systems) and be an American with conviction to fight for freedom over fear. 
Show the love of Christ by being the kind in humankind and value the freedom many have given their own lives to protect.

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