Independence Day

July 4, 1776

On that date America became independent of England.

Since that day every 4th of July has been a day of celebration for Americans.

From my experience the further south you go in the U.S. the more exuberant the celebrations.

During my childhood July 4th was one of our favorite holidays. My family has many fond memories associated with Independence Day.
As an adult I enjoy being with family, sitting outside in the cool of the shade, sipping iced tea or lemonade taking in the scents and sounds of summer. Listening to the laughter of children and grown men as they light fuses and cause explosions.

Toward the end of June Dad would tote our entire family 'across the bridge' to Missouri to purchase fireworks. We would all have to sit in the car while Dad did his wheeling and dealing with the seller of legal explosives. After what seemed like hours, Dad would walk back to the car with a sack full of fun. He would brag about how he dickered with the man and got a really good deal. We were all proud of him.

After we got home the bag was emptied onto the dining room table and the divvying began. Carefully making sure that all 6 of us got an equal amount of firecrackers, bottle rockets, smoke balls, buzz bombs and the like. Each of us would store our treasures in our individual hiding places. Mine was an empty cigar box that I'd gotten from Grandpa.

My sisters and I would sparingly use our fireworks, saving most of them for the fourth. Our older brother, on the other hand, would light all of his off quickly. Within a few days he would come to his sisters 'begging' for us to share with him or at least let him buy a few off us.

For many years we would get together with my mom's side of the family. (I think great grandma had a birthday around July 4th and that's how the gatherings got started.) There was always plenty of good food. We ate outside in the hot July afternoon under shade trees sitting on blankets or lawn chairs. Cousins had fun shooting off fireworks in the gravel road while the adults 'supervised' nearby and enjoyed visiting and telling stories.

There were a few summers where my Uncle Jim built his own pipe bomb! It was the highlight of the day. When the time came word would spread in great excitement, "Uncle Jim is going to light the bomb!" We all gathered a safe distance away and watched with amazement as our muscular uncle carried the bomb over his shoulder, down the pasture to a ditch. It seemed like an eternity for the extra long fuse to burn and ignite the bomb. But we were never disappointed. Our wait was rewarded with a resounding BOOM and a billow of smoke. Then came squeals of excitement, laughter and applause.

~

During firework displays all across the country you can usually hear lots of "oooooos & aaaahhhs!".

Why do we do we enjoy the explosions and colorful flashes of light?

Could it be that it reminds us of one of God's wonders in nature: thunderstorms?
Just one of the amazing displays of power in creation.

I find comfort in knowing that my God is a powerful being,
but also full of mercy and slow to anger.
He is love and power
perfectly balanced.