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Thankful: Freedom

A lot comes with growing up.  One of those things is paying for stuff.
Car insurance, gas, food, phone bills (I live with my parents and fortunately, they don't make me pay rent so that's one cost I haven't acquired).  Some other things you gain are responsibility, and with responsibility, accountability.
It seems like a lot of these things are binding and a drag to have to be concerned about, but today I wanted to write about how along with a lot of these things, I've gained a lot of freedom that I'm thankful to have.
I'm not writing this out of twenty-something angst so don't get me wrong. It's not like I was horribly mistreated or that my parents have just smothered me to practical death.  No, neither of those things have been the case in my life and I'm very thankful for that, too.
But I'm thankful that now is the time when I can be my own person, not just so-and-so's daughter.
I'm thankful that there really are so many limitless opportunities.
(Remember, I don't say this to dishonor my parents but) I'm thankful to learn those things for myself that maybe my parents never learned.  I'm thankful for the freedom to learn for myself those things they never taught me and that I could never learn from them.  I'm thankful for the freedom to struggle.  I'm thankful for the freedom to stumble on my own.
I'm very thankful for the protection and wisdom that my parents have (and will hopefully continue to) give me over the years.  Very thankful.
But I'm also thankful for this new season of my life where it really is my adventure.  That does, of course, mean that sometimes I acquire the consequences and pains of that freedom as well, but I think it must be worth it if it's what we were meant to do.  And just because I have that freedom doesn't mean that I'm on my own. But it's my ears that listen for what the Lord wants in my life. It's my mind that chooses the friends I spend my time with.  It's my heart that chooses who to hold dear and who to let go of.  And I am thankful for that freedom.

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