Lauren Sparks

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Postage Stamps, History and Freedom

July 1, 2022 by Lauren 22 Comments

Postage StampsWhen I saw that today is National US Postage Stamp Day, I went to get my collection.  The old photo album I keep them in stays buried at the bottom of an antique chest my dad restored for me.  I can’t even remember the last time I got them out to look.  In fact, my husband looked utterly floored.  “How long have we been married?”, he asked.  (The answer is 23 years.)  “Why did I not know you collected stamps?”  Just trying to keep some mystery in our marriage.

 

Truth is, I just hadn’t thought about it in a while.  But now he, and all of you, know just how super cool I really am.  In the 4th grade, I ordered a stamp book from a Scholastic book order (oh, those were so fun!).  The book included big beautiful, colorful and exotic stamps from all over the world.  They ignited something in me and prompted me to start a hobby I enjoyed for many years.

 

I learned how to soak stamps off envelops and constantly searched our incoming mail for different or unusual ones.  Christmas time usually brought an abundance of riches as many people abandoned the usual flag stamps for something seasonal and festive.  Whenever I went to the post office with a parent, I hoped to see some new commemorative release or collection.  Sometimes I could find a package of stamps for sale at antique shops, and when my great-grandmother passed away, I got to add her collection to mine.

 

As an older teenager, I got busy with teenagery things and lost interest.  But I still have them all and am enjoying looking at them now.  I have stamps of animals, actors, authors and presidents.  Crazy Horse, Dolly Madison, Jackie Robinson and Army Surgeon Dr. Mary Walker live on in my book.  I have stamps ranging from 2 cents to 50.

 

Why Am I Talking About Postage Stamps?

 

I’ll stop geeking out now and get to my point.  I think I loved stamps because they show so much history. The last few years much has been said about the dark underbelly of our country’s history.  And I get it.  I’ve learned so much.  And I’ve changed how I feel about some things.  I’ve even – for the first time – questioned the pledge of allegiance.  Fortunately as a grown up, I’m not asked to say it anymore.  And I’m glad.  Only because my allegiance belongs to God and God alone.  Not a human, not a country and definitely not an inanimate object.  For example, as much as I love my husband, there are things he could do that could alter how I feel about him and the nature of our relationship.  The same goes for any other person or entity.  Only our unchanging God deserves true allegiance.

 

But I do love being an American citizen.  With all of its flaws, it is still one of the best places in the world to live – especially as a woman.  I have the right to vote, hold a job, own a home and land, run for political office and have my voice heard.  And most importantly to me, I get to worship as I choose.  And many people made many sacrifices for that.  It is for these things, and many more that I will celebrate this flawed, but beautiful country.  And I’ll vow to keep learning and doing better.

 

Happy Independence Day to my American friends!

 

And now for this week’s featured post from the link up!

 

Grace and Truth’s own Lisa Burgess hit on a hot button topic with Do I Stay Christian or Not?  It breaks my heart to see so many people walking away from the Christian faith – and their reasons are many and varied.  Check out the book Lisa recommends on the subject in her post.

 

The Link Up

1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

2. Comment on 1 or 2 other links. Grace & Truth linkup encourages community.

3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

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MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
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LAUREN SPARKS
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LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
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TAMMY KENNINGTON – Restoring hope. Pursuing peace.
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Filed Under: Christian, Grace & Truth Link Up Tagged With: America, gratitude, history, Independence Day, stamp collecting

Comments

  1. Amy Johnson says

    July 1, 2022 at 5:55 am

    How cool that you have a stamp collection. I created a stamp collecting book years ago but I haven’t added any stamps to it in a long time. Thanks for the party. Happy 4th of July.

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      July 1, 2022 at 6:23 am

      I haven’t done anything with mine in a long time either, but getting it out made me want to!

      Reply
  2. Kathrine Eldridge says

    July 1, 2022 at 11:40 am

    What a cool thing to collect! My husband collects stamps as well. I agree that the history is so interesting. What a wonderful things to share before the July 4th holiday!

    https://www.kathrineeldridge.com

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      July 3, 2022 at 12:23 pm

      Thank you, Katherine.

      Reply
  3. Danielle says

    July 1, 2022 at 11:48 am

    That is very cool. I had no idea that you collected stamps. I wish I had collected something over the years. I guess I do magnets from work trips.

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      July 3, 2022 at 12:23 pm

      Travel magnets is a fun thing to collect!

      Reply
  4. ~ linda says

    July 1, 2022 at 3:07 pm

    I love that you have a stamp collection, Lauren. I love that your husband did not know about it! I HAD one but no longer. I cannot recall when I gave it away/got rid of it, but it was a long time ago. I truly loved the adventure for many years. And thank you for tying it all together. I find that this Independence Day is bringing new and not so positive feelings for me. Most unusual!
    Thanks, ~ linda

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      July 3, 2022 at 12:22 pm

      Not too much is cut and dried, is it, Linda? Even our country’s independence.

      Reply
  5. Donna B Reidland says

    July 1, 2022 at 6:16 pm

    Thanks for hosting, Lauren, and Happy 4th of July! I’m glad to live here, too, flawed as we are.

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      July 3, 2022 at 12:21 pm

      Happy 4th Donna.

      Reply
  6. ratnamurti says

    July 2, 2022 at 5:58 am

    So fantastic that you still have those stamps. History!!! I used to love collecting them….. I’m lucky now to see one stamp a month, on an envelope. (sigh)

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      July 3, 2022 at 12:20 pm

      You are so right about that. I bet it’s a dying hobby since the amount of stamped mail is so small! Thank you for visiting.

      Reply
  7. Paula Short says

    July 2, 2022 at 4:29 pm

    That’s so cool Lauren, I enjoyed learning that gem of a nugget about you. I love how you interconnected your love of postage stamps and freedom. I really loved reading this. I truly appreciated your insights within. Blessings.
    The June Sweet Tea & friends link-up is live as well. See the post containing the link up in Grace & Truth this week.

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      July 3, 2022 at 12:19 pm

      Thank you, Paula. And I just visited your link up!

      Reply
      • Paula Short says

        July 3, 2022 at 1:08 pm

        Thank you for linking up Lauren.

        Reply
        • Lauren says

          July 4, 2022 at 1:37 pm

          Thanks for making sure it knew it was link up time!

          Reply
  8. Lisa notes says

    July 3, 2022 at 5:16 pm

    I hope that kids today still have stamp collections! Such a cool way to preserve history. My grandfather used to be a mail carrier, and he would often give us first edition stamps. But I kept very few of them. 🙁 Now I wish I had kept them all.

    Thanks for sharing my post on Christianity. It can be a complicated subject these days.

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      July 4, 2022 at 1:37 pm

      Agreed, Lisa!

      Reply
  9. Linda Stoll says

    July 4, 2022 at 10:17 pm

    oh i love the old stamps! and i’m happy because our post office usually is very gracious and allows me to browse their current collection … i always pick the ones that make me smile.

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      July 6, 2022 at 1:57 pm

      A fellow stamp lover! I adore the fact that you don’t just take the flag stamps but pick ones that bring you joy!

      Reply
  10. Shelbee on the Edge says

    July 6, 2022 at 8:02 am

    Oh my goodness, Lauren, this post was so fun and so powerful. I love that you geeked out about your stamp collection! What a wonderful hobby to revisit and it is so cool how much history can be learned from things like this. I have definitely changed many of my views about our country’s history. The older we get, the more we know, and the better equipped we are to form our own independent thoughts about all the things! Thanks for sharing this post and linking with me. I am featuring this post at Friday’s link party.

    Shelbee

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      July 6, 2022 at 1:56 pm

      Thank you so much my friend. And I am ecstatic to be featured. Thank you so much.

      Reply

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I love Jesus, my husband and caffeine. The order of these can change depending on how tired I am. When my two daughters, stepson, and 4 grandchildren get to be too much, I practice yoga. God graciously allows me to share our adventures, victories and flub-ups from my laptop. May He be glorified here.
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