MONDAY MORNING REFLECTIONS - THE FIREWORKS THAT FIZZLED

The "long" Independence Day Holiday is now over.  A whole lot of America did no business from about the Thursday before the "Fourth" (when it was still June) and today (five days after the Fourth).  I'd like to think that it was a celebration of our nation's heritage and values, but the former seems to be undervalued these days and the latter seems to be shifting or drifting into a less than admirable state.  Nonetheless, there was a whole lot of relaxation, many a cookout and party, good family time, and some necessary laziness.  If nothing else holidays in America seem a good excuse for simply getting a time-out from endless toil, something we Christians values. It's called Sabbath.

The low point of the American celebration probably came in San Diego.  Despite all the hype, all the expense, hotel bookings and camp-sites claimed, i.e., planning worthy of the invasion of a small country, a computer glitch caused an entire thirty minute show to go off at the same time in a magnificent fifteen second display. The Big Bay Boom was a big, big bust!

Fireworks are wonderful, but so are simple conversations, picnics put together in love, people making time simply to be with one another, and to enjoy another person's friendship.  Parades stir the heart, but so does watching a toddler take a first step with turning it into a contender for America's Home Videos; or watching Dad hit a double in a neighborhood softball game, or someone honoring Mom by doing the dishes.  Celebrations are what you make of them.  The Bible tells us "A cheerful heart is good medicine." I suspect a celebrating heart is also goof medicine.  And you don't need a holiday or pyrotechnics to do either.

Speaking of pyrotechnics, here's YouTube of the the Fireworks that fizzled.