On our Nebraska farm, July Fourth has traditionally been the day we celebrate food, family, fun, and our country. Normally the day arrives with a sweltering heat and humidity that makes corn and even children grow rapidly. The oppressive humidity hangs in the air like a wet blanket during this time of summer. But, not even the dampness in the air can dampen the fireflies or the explosive expectations our family has for fun.
For most of the twenty-nine years my husband and I have been married, the farm has been the place for family and friends to gather. Some of our traditions are picking mulberries, grilling, visiting, laughing and partaking of a quirky family tradition known as “Burn the Bear”.
The Fourth of July is not marked by the year, but rather by snapshots I have in my mind. For example, last year we celebrated my relatives 80th birthday here on the farm. Friends and family came from far and wide. Some of the older folks stayed late into the night to watch the fireworks show. This year, sadly some of them are no longer on this earth-like the whiff of smoke that momentarily lingers after a Roman Candle is extinguished.
This holiday is also a great time to look over unobserved your child’s future spouse.(Alright, maybe your children are too young…but tuck this into your memory bank!) A few years ago, my daughter brought home a shy young man who eventually let loose of his inhibitions when it came to lighting fireworks. He is now my sweet son-in-law. Last year, my youngest son brought home a curly haired girl he had been seeing for about three months. I noticed during the course of the day how tirelessly she served others during our big July Fourth family reunion. This August, she will become his bride!
While the people who attend our Fourth of July on the Farm celebrations change from year to year, the constants are our thankfulness to God for His protection and mercy over our nation, the joy found in our family and friends, and the fireflies pulsating their lights in time to whatever music we have playing outside in the evening prior to fireworks.
Do you need some ideas for your Fourth of July Family Celebration?
A few years ago a friend and I wrote an E-book called The Christian Party Book ~ Easy Celebrations with Eternal Perspectives. In this book are creative ideas for all sorts of parties, and each party has invitations, games, icebreaker activities, and a devotion. We created it because our homes are an ideal way of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In our book is a specific celebration especially designed to celebrate Independence Day! It’s called Patriot’s Picnic and I want to share a FREE DOWNLOAD of this party with all my friends at Raising Homemakers this month!
P.S What are some of your family traditions for July Fourth?
