Oh Beautiful, For Spacious Skies . . .

It just wouldn't be right for this blog to continue without a word about the best day of the year . . . Independence Day! Four days ago already . . . man, time flies. Well, I wish I had something majorly patriotic, or at least half-way clever, to say about what the 4th of July means to me, but to tell the truth, the first things that come to mind are the 3 F's. You all know them: Family, Friends, and FIREWORKS! I was unspeakably blessed by all three this year. It was kinda funny . . . I know for certain that the fireworks weren't as impressive to me this year than they had been in the past, but for some reason they brought me more joy than I can ever remember them bringing before. It's possible that they were all the more enjoyable because we were out of the country last year and didn't have the opportunity to see any fireworks (for some reason, England doesn't celebrate our Independence Day . . . who'd a' thunk?). Or maybe it was the fact that the mosquitoes were virtually non-existant this year, which is truly impossible for any night event in my hometown. That might have been it. But I think a more likely possibility would be that this year at the fireworks I was surrounded by some of my favorite people on this evanescent, yet incredible planet. My church family, dear college friends and their family--whom I now love more dearly than one would think possible after only sharing 4 days together-- family friends who have been expressions of the love of Jesus to me many times over, and, of course, my beautiful parents and sisters . . . Really, I didn't intend to get all mushy, but how is it that I have been so blessed?! So I sat there in the park, watching projectiles burst into brilliant colors in honor of our wonderful country, with a sister on either side of me . . . happier than ever to be alive.

God bless America.