Wet Feet

Tonight, I was taking out my little pail of compost from the kitchen outside to the compost bin. It wasn't too cold and it wouldn't take long at all so me, being lazy just slipped on my flip flops and took off with only my socks,flip flops separating my feet from the snow. It wasn't too cold and some of the snow had melted but I still got wet and cold feet. It kind of made me reflect on a time about over two hundred years ago. Just about this time in fact. The place-Valley Forge around 1776-1777. A rag-tag group of men were huddling in near frigid sub-zero cold. Most of them not wearing stylish starter coats like we do or Carhart snow pants and thermal underwear.No.They were cold,freezing ,destitute. Many not even wearing socks;those that did was just like swaddling strips of cloth were hungry, tired and Christmas was coming. No coffee, tea, cookies, egg nog. They were fortunate to have maybe soup or stale bread- if they could muster it. Many died just from the cold never living to see the outcome of the grand conflict that would purchase their freedom from English tyranny. Today, we can celebrate Christmas freely in a land that thanks to a few men with a grand vision a fool's errand to some others. To celebrate the Master of Liberty in a land of liberty. That liberty came with a price. And many that endured that winter at Valley Forge insured that with their lives reminds us of when our Redeemer-Jesus came to this earth to set us free,we also remember those before us that gave their lives so that we may enjoy the liberty to celebrate under freedom's wings. Thank you and may we never forget that.