"Free to be what He made me to be"

For the first time in a long time I did not post a Friday traditio yesterday. Why? Well, I was having a really difficult time figuring out what to post, which is never a good thing because it means I neglected listening to music this past week.

At least in these United States we fervently seek freedom. After all, liberty is the founding principle of our nation, not "blood and soil." Too often we conceive of freedom as freedom from instead of freedom for. I don't mind witnessing that only in Jesus do we find freedom, a liberty that just can't be found in any other way, or by any other means. But as Social Distortion sang in "Ball Chain," wherever you are you are sure to find yourself there, "you can run all your life but not go anywhere."

Jesus is our freedom because He is the Truth (John 14:6). We are freed by truth. At least for me the most freeing truth is realizing the truth about myself. Since my last birthday, my 49th, by the grace of God, I have been confronting myself and so it's been a tough year so far. I don't mind saying it;s been uneven and at times rough, like sliding naked down a rough piece of wood, but oh so worth it. A relevant passage here for anyone who cares to follow up is John 8:31-36. In verse 34 Jesus says, "Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin."

Our traditio this week is Aracely Bock performing a song off her Purple Flowers EP, "Free." She made "Purple Flowers" while she was being treated for thyroid cancer. The 5 songs that comprise "Purple Flowers" are amazing. I draw a lot of strength and resiliency from listening to her. It has become one of my "go to" sets when I am feeling down because it's sympathetic without throwing a pity party. Best of all, it disposes me to pray.

Grab that old yellow number
Let's begin again