NICHOLS CLAN: Sweet Land of Liberty!!!

Of Thee I Sing........

Long may our land be bright

with Freedom's Holy Light

Protect us by thy Might

Great God our King!!!!!!

I know this is a late 4th post, but much fun and company has kept me away. I just had to share our Family's 4th experience which will probably become an annual tradition.

In our house we decorate for just about every holiday and this 4th was not to be any different, even though we had just returned from a trip to our Old House in S'ville. We all decided on Thursday that this time it would be just the 5 of us as Mom couldn't get it together to have company the next day. S decided to put up balloons and streamers anyway, so off to Wal-mart to get the things we didn't have.(groceries for one as we had been gone all week.) RED,WHITE and BLUE that's what we were looking for. Hamburgers, potatoe salad (no Kathi not the store bought kind, the real suff) and baked beans with strawberry shortcake for dessert. Great!! With that decided, the boys wanted to play golf early in the morning, even though Dad couldn't play because he had hurt his shoulder the week before. After golf ,our neighborhood pool was having some races and games. The kids enjoyed this especiall J, He came back with all the loot. They had a greased watermelon race, a race to see who could get the most drinks from the bottom of the pool and the kids raced against the adults. Fun,Fun, Fun had by all. But that wasn't even the best part. After we had our meal at 5:00 we headed downtown for a Patriotic Concert. It was held at St. Paul's downtown, a very old and beautiful church. We didn't realize what a treat we were in for. I will never forget the way I felt when the Color Guard marched in with the Flags and everyone stood to pledge allegiance to our Country and again, there was more to come. As we listened to many Patriotic songs my heart praised our God ,for the priviledge we had to be there in that church singing songs of freedom, singing songs of praise ,for the men and women who have fought and our still fighting for us to have this freedom. Including my son-in -law, who serves in Special Forces, Army, now in the country of Georgia, doing some training with the men there.

But most of all, as the orchestra played a salute to each branch of the military it brought me to tears. Looking around the church to see the many men and women who had served or were still serving I thanked God. I was so humbled that these would risked there lives for me. Well ,not just me but us and them. I had prayed and do pray for the many I know that serve. But this was a very emotional time for me. So many serving today! So many sacrificing for us and them!! So what do I do, or what should I do? Pray, Pray and Pray that God would protect them and us by His Might. I know that it is not by sword or spear but by the Mighty Hand of God that we will triumph.

Thank you Lord that you sacrificed your comfort, your place in heaven to save us and to give us the freedom that comes only through a heart and life totally surrendered to you. May we humble ourselves before You Lord knowing that You will lift us up!!!

This was the Most Memorable 4th I think we have ever spent and everyone agreed...Let's do it again next year!!!! Oh, I forgot that after the concert we were able to go outside and sit in the parking lot and watch the fireworks at the Riverwalk. WOW!!!!

Dad & J