Jewells of Thought

Does this mean that God is crying over this Country today?

A kaleidoscope of memories has run through my mind this morning. Different years fanning through my head of spending meals and afternoons at Grandma’s house and now we are on a new chapter in the Bishop Family. This will be our 2nd year of not being in that house today, I think it was just our family that even visited Grandma last year in her apartment because we all struggled with what to do that day. It was after all a such a long time tradition.

The year that Covid had made its mark was also a big year for Linton and its parade. It didn’t happen that year or at least not the way it was intended. For the first time ever my parents and my younger brother and I decided to take a day trip up to Marion for some Barbecue Ribs and to spend the night and do some shopping at Muncie. Then on July 4th for the first time ever we ate at Olive Garden at Bloomington.

Our Preacher had mandated silence on this prayer request due to the censorship that was happening all around us. A hundred men from our church and some surrounding like minded churches came together to do a prayer march down the parade route. While we were eating at Olive Garden I got the first photos showing up from the prayer meetings the men had and the march.

It was so surreal and exciting and exactly what our community needed. I still get goosebumps thinking about how the Preacher talked about that morning when he greeted the Firemen and Policemen who were also thinking about doing something similar as a way of stirring the community out of this Covid coma. The Preacher said they had tears in their eyes maybe even all of them I can’t remember all the specifics, but it was one of those divine moments. It was meant to show prayer was happening and it was working and wow did it make a big splash for the church families involved in praying for this day and those making the march. This was a 4th we will not soon forget, but our trip happened because we don’t have kids around and my brother was on another trip with his daughter. We needed a change of pace not that we had any lack of patriotism.

We made two trips in a row. another 4th I will not forget was when our Linton Baesler’s closed. This meant Wal-Mart had at least 3 times more the traffic than we would normally get the night before. Losing that grocery store when we did made that evening exhausting. I was happy though cause I knew we were going on another shopping trip to Illinois. This time it was just me and my parents. We ate at Cracker Barrel in Effingham and went to maybe 3 Goodwill stores in 3 different towns. It was a fun day. Plus I was able to pay for some dessert before we headed home. I don’t think we watched fireworks that year we were tuckered out by our road trip.

Going back to my memories growing up though. Grandma almost always had hotdogs and sloppy joes waiting for us after the parade. I also can’t forget her sweet tea such a refreshing beverage. There was always someone there whether it was just us or not or various aunts and their branches. Grandma’s was usually the place to be. This year is big again. We are missing one of my aunts.

Somehow though, being at Julie’s cabin might help us to feel like she’s still with us. Even though it’s raining and we won’t be able to enjoy the feel in the backyard. We will enjoy being together with good food and being close to family today.

What thoughts are permeating your mind today this 4th?