Happy Independence Day!

Dear readers, I would like to wish you all a very Happy Independence Day! I hope you have all had fun today playing with fireworks, eating watermelon, and having fun with family and friends! Well, I didn't play with fireworks, or eat watermelon, but I did get to play football with my Youth Group for close to two hours! It was SO much fun! But it was SO hot! And it doesn't really help when you're scared of the football...I wonder who that would be...yeah, it's me. I don't know why, but while we're playing, I just can't catch it. And that fear has given me a pretty bad reputation when it comes to football, no one wants me on their team. haha. So, I've been the last one picked for the last few times we've played. Oh well, what can you expect? I probably wouldn't pick the only person in the Youth Group who can't catch, and can hardly throw. Would you? All in all, no one got hurt except my sister, Poppy, she got bumped into, fell, and got kinda scraped up...but that's to be expected since we were playing on the church parking lot, which is asphalt. My friend Jeremy fell at the same time, but I don't think he was hurt, but you never can tell with boys...

Okay, so I kinda started in the middle of the day...let's start from the beginning, shall we? I got up, didn't want to, don't know why I did...maybe because I had too...haha. Anyways, got up, made chocolate drop cookies, forced Poppy to make the cold salad, got ready for church, checked my email, did my hair, etc. We left for church, got there early for Sunday School (YES!!! I try every week to be early, but somehow, every week, we're late. If you don't know me very well, I hate being late! It drives me nuts! ), after Sunday School, we went in the Sanctuary, had the service, then had Agape Feast. Our church does an Agape Feast the first Sunday of every month, and they're so much fun! Most of the teens sit in the youth room and chat and eat, then, if the weather is nice (or even if it isn't, it just can't be raining...) we go outside and play football. For a long time, we played ultimate football, but we have lately proceeded to regular football, of which I understand very, very little. Which is one reason no one wants me on they're team. Oh well, I was still picked...Thanks Chris! :D

Christian friends are so great. My dear brothers and sisters in my youth group encourage and lift me up, teach and correct me, pray for me, and so much more; I wonder often whether I am doing that for them. If I encourage and lift them up as much as they do me, if I teach and correct them as much as they do me, if I pray for them as much as they pray for me. I kind of doubt it, they're pretty hard to beat. As a teen, I realize how important they are to me, and what an impact they've made on my life. I am the oldest child in my family, and most of my friends in my youth group are older than me, so I look up to them a lot. I am so thankful for them. ---Sorry for getting so off subject, but I can't help but talk about my youth group...haha.

After everyone was too hot and sweaty (gross) to play anymore, we came inside. After cooling off, the VBS drama team (along with a few people who just had to distract us) went in the teen room and practiced for VBS. Oh no! I think that I've failed to post about VBS...sorry! I'll be sure to post about it sometime this week! Anyways, so that was my 4th of July. :) Hope I didn't bore you.

As a final note:

Remember those who gave their lives for our freedom, from the time of the birth of the USA, through all the wars and troubles we've been through, up to this day. Remember the millions of soldiers that are in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting for our freedom. My Dad was overseas two years ago on the fourth of July, and so were many others. My Dad, thank God, came back; but many don't. Pray for the families of those who gave their lives. Thank God for bringing home those that did. Pray for the soldiers who are overseas as you read this. And finally, thank God for allowing us to live in a country so free as the United States of America.

God bless!

Buttercup