“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD. Blessed are the people he has chosen as his own.” —Psalm 33:12
The Fourth of July was always the high point of my long, hot summer, while growing up in Lancaster County, PA. My sister and I could hardly wait to attend the large family gatherings with our Buchwalter clan. It was a day to reconnect with aunts, uncles, and oodles of cousins. There was plenty of fun, too—all sorts of outdoor games, including croquet, badminton, and hide-and-seek for the younger children. And, oh, the sweet corn-on-the-cob! I still remember that first bite, and the butter dripping onto my chin.
But always there was time set aside for prayer, and we joined hands to thank God for the blessing of freedom in this land called America.
Yes, I enjoyed having seconds of strawberry pie with real whipped cream, and I cherished the best fellowship ever till long after dark when all the kids ran around catching lightning bugs in jars with holes punched in the metal lids. And sparklers and fireworks to top off the day.
But it was the knitting together of extended family, combined with our "most holy faith" that lifted my young heart. And still stirs precious memories even now.
I wish you a happy and inspiring Fourth!
Beverly Lewis
