Happy Birthday America! "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people" Proverbs 14:34. "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14 Pray for our nation-leaders, our church, ourselves. God can use HIS people to make our nation great. The sin of individuals affects the entire nation. God's people must take responsibility for our nation.
Today is another one of those "bittersweet" holidays. Fourth of July, I believe, truly was my dad's favorite holiday! The fact that they are illegal in Illinois, was of no consequence to him. He was a pyromaniac! We would go to the parade in the morning and watch him blow off fireworks in the night (then run from the cops!). My darling husband, loves it just as much!
A few days before hand, our friend Lea mentioned going to Haysville to watch fireworks (we'd never been!) and did anyone want to join...well, David is home (not deployed and it's a Saturday, so he he doesn't have to work) to do the driving (30 minutes), so I said we'd love to join them! We had no other plans. Then another friend asked our plans a couple days after that, so we told them about Haysville and said we'd love if they could join. So Saturday we had a leisurely morning and then worked on the basement (where we listened to patriotic and "Indepedence day themed" songs on the radio all afternoon). About 5pm (time to start getting ready to go out for the evening), I came upstairs and Lea had messaged me on facebook saying her cat went into labor, they weren't gonna make it. We called the other set of friends and asked if we could meet later (we were working hard on the basement). They made it about 7/730pm and we joined about 830pm. We stopped at a fireworks place on the way!!!! They allow everything in Haysville! So we arrived in Haysville...the sky was lit up. The citizens were having huge parties and doing their own shows. It was amazing to see their "stash" strewn across their yards! We just went to a public park to watch the town fireworks. It was not busy or crowded at all. It was like we were transported to a whole different place! It was awesome! Why wouldn't EVERYONE flock here?
Shortly after we arrived and started doing a little bit of fireworks, the friend who's cat went into labor and had 5 kittens...arrived! YEA! So we talked about kitties and then continued with fireworks. I was trying to take pictures and the kids and David were doing the Roman Candles and Sparklers and such. Everyone's kids were wanting in on the action...which I don't mind, but David was just handing them fireworks, without asking their parents permission, or watching them! The kids were waving the flames around, not watching chairs, clothes, people or boxes of fireworks. It seemed no one else was bothered by this but me. I told David he can't just allow other kids to handle them, they really need to ask their parents AND they they needed to be WELL supervised! He understood and things got better from there...UNTIL Christianna, who was allowed to have a sparkler alone...placed the sparkler on her chest!!!!! She got multiple burns on her chest! I poured bottled water on her burn and had David run to the car and get the first aid kit and immediately put burn cream and a band-aid on it. (It looks terrible this morning!) She was detoured from fireworks after that for a while. But was begging to do more later. The rest of the night went along just fine. The "city display" was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It lasted about 40 minutes and we were right under them...just across the street from where they were setting them off!!!! The kids barely watched the show! They were playing on the play ground with all their friends! Other friends that we weren't expecting to see, also showed up. Who knew this was the happening place to be? (I say we set up a big "to do" next year!)
Our friend Jennifer is coming for our wedding from Arizona, and she asked if we were gonna get fireworks to do while they are here...we did! Our exchange student will be here and my mom and Jennifer and her boys. It will be so fun!
Happy Birthday America! I thank God, Christianna did not get hurt worse and for David being home and for the wonderful night and so many blessings in my life! God bless America!
