& the rockets red glare...

So this past Saturday was our huge Independence Celebration at church. I always look forward to it. Takes alot of planning, work, sweat, and patience. You pray for no rain (it rained) you do your best to plan for the unexpected (during the monsoon, the stage set almost bent in half and crushed a car)...but no worries! It was awesome to be a part of. Bounce houses, water slides, human bowling, cotton candy, balloons, free food, a live band (us), and fireworks to finish it all off.

Of course my favorite is singing with one of the best bands ever. We all are such team players. Ask anyone of them. It's a blast to get to cover a few secular songs once in while too...Better Life (one of my favorite few country songs) and Life Is A Highway. We also performed Big Enough, America, For Freedom (such a great modern patriotic song), and about every other phenomenal Hillsong United song ever written. Okay, I'll stop talking about the music. But believe me when I say it's awesome and a privilege just to let loose, jump around, have fun, and sing!

BUT...singing the National Anthem about made me lose my lunch. Last year, it was supposed to happen, but we got rained out and had to cut a few things. I didn't complain. This year, up until 30 seconds before I sang it, I had no clue if it would actually happen or not. I was on standby because the rain looked like it was creeping back up. Anyway, as Jon (pastor) and Vern Buchanan (politician) finished off the pledge and motioned for me to come to the front of the stage, I wanted to jump off the back.
But, I sang it. It was alright. The most amazing part was to hear many, many other voices singing along with me. On the last word...brave...the first firework blast went off. I had goosebumps. It was so moving, I was still shaking as I left the stage.(May have also been the unbelievably strong tremors from the firework blasts :)

I would post the video, but it's kind of distorted sounding.

Anyways, Happy 4th of July!