Stars & stripes

sugar cookie flag

I have made a patriotic dessert for 4th of July once, and I have a blue and red table runner (and candle holders) that take us through from Memorial Day (May 27th this year) to D-Day (June 6th) to Flag Day (June 14th) and on to the 4th of July. 

 

But I'm still working through what it means to be an American Christian rather than a Christian American.  (The difference is huge!  Am I a Christian who also happens to be an American or an American who also happens to be a Christian?)  When I was living outside of America, my identity seemed to focus more on my being a Christian.  Now that I live here, I'm surrounded by people whose identity (even believers') seems to focus on their being an American. It's confusing.

For now, I'll just say that I'm not sure I'll ever, ever, EVER get used to hearing, during a Sunday morning worship service, "In honor of Memorial Day tomorrow, would all our veterans please stand?"  (Talk about something that would never happen in a Japanese church service!)

To defend myself against those who claim I am not patriotic, I think it is completely possible to be grateful for the veterans who won and protected my (earthly) freedoms while at the same time being uncomfortable with the veterans being honored in a church service. 

::4th of July thoughts from last year::