Hello God. It's me, Mara

You know, Lord, back “last century” what a joy it was to be a kid — laws weren’t as strict about anything and everything. Several cousins recalled their fun with firecrackers. As soon as firecracker stands opened, kids would be there to buy. No rules about noise, everybody enjoyed the POP! BANG! which started a week before the Fourth of July and ended when kids ran out of firecrackers.

Here’s one lad’s recipe for rockets: small dish with a bit of water, a tin can (like beans come in), opened end in the water acting as a seal; a small hole punched in the unopened end to stick the firecracker in. Light the firecracker and BOOM — off the can flew. The smaller the can, the higher it would fly.

Camera film came in tin cans and one cousin’s dad saved these tiny tin cans just for the Fourth of July. These home-made rockets flew higher than the four-story building where they lived! At least that’s what they said!

“The joy of being a kid — back then,” remembered several cousins, commenting that they had great fun tossing lighted firecrackers into the air. One time they were having such fun lighting, tossing and laughing, that one lad forgot to toss his firecracker. Oops! They did laugh so hard as it went BANG in one cousin’s hand. One forgot his own firecracker was lit — BANG; it went off in his hand, too, OUCH! Two lads with very sore, burnt fingers.

On being a kid — what a JOY. Three words of action, “Just Open Yourself;” an acronym of how to seek You, Lord — the JOY Your spirit nudges us to do to receive the gift of life.  Psalm 16:11b “In Your presence there is fullness of joy.” Be we old or young, Lord, thank you for joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Love, Mara