I can remember so vividly some special times from my childhood days. My mother would have most things prepared the night before, ready for us to leave early the next day. My father would load the old black '54 Plymouth with all ten of us kids and off we would go to meet cousins, aunts and uncles at a camp site beside a small stream that was deep enough for wading or even swimming.
The soft drinks (we called it "pop" back then) came in real glass bottles, and my father would put them, along with the watermelon, in a nearby spring to chill. When it was time to begin eating (this was always an on-going event of the entire day), out would come seemingly hundreds of containers filled with food: the traditional fare of hotdogs and hamburgers to be grilled over an open fire, potato salad, baked beans, and cole slaw. The "pop" was guzzled down before, during, and after the meal ; the watermelon was always saved for later.Best of all would be the occasional 5-gallon carton of ice cream, packed in "dry ice." Those days were really special to our family because we rarely enjoyed the bounty of good food and good times that July the Fourth sometimes brought to us. Celebration of a national holiday was just incidental-a day off from work for my dad and a time for us kids to do something besides work the gardens, pick the cherries, mow the grass or chop the wood.
Somewhat similar scenes will be repeated millions of times over this weekend as we Americans celebrate our nation's birth on July 4th. We call this holiday, "Independence Day," to mark the signing of the Declaration of Independence that began our journey as a nation separated from British rule. Although times have changed since my early years, the basic traditions remain the same.
As you and your family gather to celebrate Independence Day this year, take time to thank God for the unique freedoms we enjoy as a nation. The framers of our Constitution drafted the blueprint for a form of government that is still being adopted by other nations today. It may not be perfect, but it certainly has given the people of the United States a preeminent standing in today's world.
One final thought: Christians the world over have another "Independence Day " to celebrate--the day that they received Jesus Christ as their Savior and were freed from the penalty of sin. If you have not yet made that life-changing decision, today could be your most important "Independence Day" ever. If we may help with your decision, please let us know. Two great holidays are always better than just one.
Jim McQuerrey
Pastor of Worship Ministries
©2000 Bible Center Church
