This morning I went for my normal Tuesday workout--1/2 mile warm up run, 3 1/2 miles on the elliptical trainer, 1/2 mile cool down run. I was just finishing at 0700 and thinking about breakfast and a shower when I walked past our battalion aid station and see a bunch of medics lined up in their running clothes.

"Chaplain!" they say. "We're about to get started with our 4 on the 4th. Come run with us!"

"What's 4 on the 4th?" I ask.

"It's our 4th of July fun run. We're running 4 miles down to Lake Habaniyah."

Well, I was already pretty much done in from my first hour of working out, but I thought about Michelle training for the Twin Cities marthon, and how much I would like to run in the 4th of July race at home in Red Wing, and darned if my competitive nature didn't get the best of me. So, off I ran for another 4 miles. Fortunately, it was fairly cool, only a little over 90 degrees at the start, which is practically winter over here. And, believe it or not, it was a nice run.

By the way, for my running group at the YMCA, don't listen to any rumors you hear about me finishing first. The rest of the guys were just staying behind me because they thought they'd have to pick me up and carry me for most of the race.

Anyway, we've had other things than fireworks to celebrate Independence Day. Our worship on Sunday was all about courage and liberty, the brave and the free in our nation's past, and the brave battle our Lord fought for our freedom. Sometimes in church we aren't sure how to celebrate Independence Day because it's a national holiday, not a Christian holiday. In our case our here, there is no question that we will sing both praise to God and honor to our country. We can't help but feel proud of America for this holiday. So we sang the full text of the Star Spangled Banner. We sang the Battle Hymn of the Republic. And, we sang these words from "My Country 'Tis of Thee":

My native country, thee, Land of the noble free, Thy name I love. I love thy rocks and rills, Thy woods and templed hills; My heart with rapture thrills like that above.

Our father's God, to thee, Author of liberty To thee we sing. Long may our land be bright, with freedom's holy light, protect us by thy might, great God and King.

I know I'm sounding like a hyper-patriot by reciting these words, but I think the 4th of July is the time to let those patriotic feelings flow. I believe freedom and bravery are values for Christians to celebrate everywhere, and even though we're not perfect as Americans, our nation still stands for these things. Hopefully, 200 years from now, the nation of Iraq will celebrate their own Independence Day with their own songs, but the same pride in freedom and liberty.

God be good to you!
CH Steve Timm