We started off July 3rd in church! Our
"Community God and Country Celebration" was fun, fun, fun! Of course, when I can sing with my choir I am always having a blast! Our minister of music, Joe, did an amazing job of narrating the hour-long program as well as singing beautifully "The Lord's Prayer" after TAPS was played by one of our young trumpet players. We celebrated our servicemen with two standing ovations and also sang a 9 minute
"Sunday School Spectacular" which was made up of songs from our childhood like "Do Lord" and "Jesus Loves Me" and "If You're Happy and You Know It". Joe had gotten the audience to stand for the piece which really got them participating. Huge hit! After all, everyone loves to reminisce. We ended the service with the flag-waving audience enjoying "Stars and Stripes Forever" by the orchestra. Our pastor emphasized
the freedom we have in Jesus in a few closing moments.
Later that afternoon we celebrated
my dad's 77th birthday. It's actually the 5th of July but we usually combine it with a family get together for the Fourth...but it ended up on the 3rd...well, whatever! Had a good cookout and birthday cake and enjoyed each other's company as usual at my parents' house. My dad has written a book called
The Chattahoochee Boys and is waiting on the final draft before it's published. This book is made up of stories from his childhood and teen years spent in the Whittier Mills neighborhood in Atlanta. I'm proud of him and my mom as they have been putting this together for several years now!
We decided to go to
Kennesaw's fireworks display after supper. We usually hit up P-Town's but thought this might be a nice change. We drove along with my daughter's family to the baseball park nearby and parked. Started walking and walking trying to get to some of Brad's friends who had saved a spot in downtown to view the fireworks. I had called my best bud,
Cheryl, and she met us there in the center of town. Wind started to blow, we heard thunder, saw lightning and just hoped it would blow over. The city had blocked all crossings over the railroad tracks there in downtown and people were having to cross into the other part of downtown through a
pedestrian tunnel. No problem. Right? Well, we stopped just outside it as we got to the other side and the rain started coming down. Streaky lightning, rolling thunder, and crying babies. Wow! Mobs of people started going through the tunnel both ways and weren't giving in to each other. Loud-mouthed men started yelling "
MOOOVE" and "get going" and more. I don't use the word "idiot" much but these folks were that. They were agitating the crowd and nobody could move anyway. Finally, a policeman had to come into the crowd and try to straighten things out. No luck. We finally were able to move into a corner outside and covered up with a waterproof blanket that Cheryl had brought with her. Maddie was not having it and Cheryl was doing her best to keep Landon calm by singing to him and holding him very close.
At last we made our way up to where the friends were and by that time the rain had stopped and it had cooled off. We stood there with the other tired but happy wet folks and counted down for the fireworks.
The fireworks began and they were wonderful! Maddie didn't like them and hid her face. Finally, she warmed up a little to them and enjoyed the colors. Great patriotic music played as we watched. All's well that ends well! Whew. Back to the car and we sat in traffic for a long time with everyone else. But, hey, that's American, too! Just like fireworks, cookouts, birthday celebrations, choir concerts, everyone dressed in red, white, and blue (and rednecks trying to incite a crowd) HA!
Great day and fun, crazy celebrations to begin it and end it. I do thank the Lord for our country and the freedoms we have. He continues to bless us and will, I think, as long as we continue to spread His name here and in other countries and give generously as only Americans can.
 |
| Cheryl and me ....Drowned rats but HAPPY! |
 |
| Maddie was just happy it was all over! |
 |
| Three of my favorite people in the world! |
