By the time you read this I'll be at the lake camping in our RV.

Looking forward to getting away, and I hope you have a great celebration planned as well.

As I do I'm mindful of those who are serving and putting themselves on the line for us to keep that freedom that our forefathers fought and died to give us and who have continued to fight to preserve down through the years. Every time I see active duty military personnel I try to go thank them for their service.

They are doing their part. I did my part in the Army in my day. But as they put themselves on the line for us, are we still doing our part? All battles are not fought with a gun.

I don't mean to get political, but our country is changing in ways that our forefathers would never have approved of. We are going in directions that are actually reversing what they fought to give us. As I said, this is not about politics, in fact I'm a lifelong independent, I support neither political party. This is about morals and values and about continuing to support the things that made this country great.

As our military personnel put their lives on the line for us can't we at least hold the line for them? Shouldn't we stand up and be counted supporting the values that America has always stood for?  It isn't all about fireworks, ice cream and hot dogs, it's about freedom and we are watching it slowly erode to an all-powerful government that wants to control every aspect of our lives.

That's what's on my mind this Independence Day. Is that a writing related topic? To me it is. Our troops are defending us with guns and bullets. We're armed with words. I'd like to see more people make that ammunition count.