Beautiful Freedom

The voices from the next office - haltingly as the speaker's words are translated into English have lulled me into a nice sense of peace.  i'm was getting my work done and not paying attention at all, just enjoying the Russian being spoken and the thick accented one doing the translating.

Then..just now..my ears perked up as the conversation changed to WWII and how that impacted Russian churches.  "All the men were thrown in prison...only the ladies remained..."  "We saw bodies floating down the river on a daily basis....shot by the police..."  "Churches could not meet...in the entire Soviet Union..."  and on and on.

i stopped what i was doing and just listened.  i've never experienced that.  If i want to go to church, i go.  If i don't, i don't.  If i want to try a different church every week, i do it.  If i never want to go, i don't.  Freedom.  i can choose.  i'm not thrown in prison if i go to a church.  i'm not harassed by the police or the government.  i have freedom.

i'm still listening to their conversation.  i am in awe and so thankful for this country.  i am thankful for those who gave (give) their lives so that i can make the choice.  i am in awe of this beautiful freedom.