Ponderings

I don't know why, but this year the 4th of July just seems like a dud. We haven't done the annual firework trip to Wyoming. I haven't bought the watermelon, doesn't everyone have watermelon on the 4th. I don't have the hamburger thawed for the BBQ, I haven't gone to the store to buy chips, drinks, stuff for homemade potato salad. I don't even have lemonade for a cool refreshing drink. I don't have sunscreen, my knees can attest to that (they are fried from mowing the lawn)! I haven't even taken out the decorations (I still have Easter up....shhh). No flags, no sparklers, no t-shirts from Old Navy, doesn't everyone get their $5 shirt there? Then I sit and ponder that the 4th is not about all of these things. I think this year we are going to pull out the free booklet that has the Declaration of Independece, Bill of Rights and the documents that continue to make our country the best in the world! I think this year I will make a turkey and stuffing, kinda like Thanksgiving and teach my children how blessed they are to live in a country that allows our freedom of speech, freedom of religion, right to bear arms! I think I'll go buy a box of ammo and set up a target in the pasture, just because I can!! I think I will write on a piece of cardboard box and stake it in the front yard with a message about freedom, just because I can!! Forget the darn t-shirt, sparklers, fireworks, pop and chips. This year we will let freedom ring by doing what we want to do, because we can, within the limits of the law. Maybe we will get all the books we don't want and take them to the county jail and donate them. I have learned that there is a library in the county jail. Books are allowed to come in from friends and family, but once there, they stay. I am sure you can realize that there aren't a lot of books in the library. In our county jail, there is no TV. Can you imagine sitting in a cell for 23 hours without anything to do but read, write letters, and sleep. I need to clean out the bookshelf anyway. This year we're going to stay at home, protect it, take care of it, thank the Lord we have it, and we will enjoy every minute of it. I still might make the potato salad though!! Enjoy your 4th of July and don't let the stuff take over why we really are celebrating the 4th.