Fourth of July

This past weekend has been quite eventful. Thursday night, our church had a Youth Service. Both of our pastors were out of town, so the youth ran the service. I gave my testimony, and also danced my "testimony song". (It's "If You Want Me To" by Ginny Owens.) A testimony song is a song that basically tells your testimony. It's like it defines where you are coming from, where you are, and where you are going. I managed to tell my story without stumbling or passing out from fright. Faith "preached the message" that night. It's a long story as to how that came about, but she did fantastic! She set up a little pulpit (a stool with a cloth draped over it), stood behind it with her Bible (which was really in Spanish, but no one knew ;), and told the church what Jesus means to her. She announced she wanted to lead Worship when she grew up, then prayed over the church. Eli read his "I Am" statement, which is a list of what he is in Christ. The whole night went great, and I think many people were blessed.
Friday, Faith managed to land herself in the Emergency Room. While playing at the park, she fell off the monkey bars and somehow cut her face on the mulch underneath. From what we could tell the cut was pretty deep, so Eli and Lydia went home with friends, Mom rushed Faith to the local clinic, and I ran home for the insurance card. When I met Mom and Faith at the clinic, they were being told that the doctor was not seeing new patients, and they couldn't treat her. We had to take her twenty minutes away to get her treated, Faith crying the whole way that she was NOT getting stitches. If you know Faith, I don't need to tell you that once her mind is made up, there is no bending her will. After being examined, disinfected, then examined again, Faith insisting that she didn't need stitches the entire time, the final conclusion was that she did not need stitches. Faith heaved a sigh of relief with this news, but when she was told that instead they were gluing her face back together, once again she was determined not to have it done. After a bit of fussing, the gluing was done, and she was free to leave, she hugged the doctor, then marched herself out the door like she owned the place.
Summer decided to finally make an appearance on Friday. Saturday was spent in the sun, barbecuing with friends and swimming. The whole family was rather burnt by the end of the day, but it was well worth it to finally be out in the sunshine. Sunday was spent in much the same way, picnicking and enjoying the sun. We watched the fireworks with new friends, every whistle and boom echoing throughout the town. I can't think of a more perfect way to spend the Fourth of July than watching everyone's eyes light up with the brilliant colors, widening with each "BOOM!", then turning and seeing the colors cascade down the dark sky with sizzles and crackles with your own eyes.