Hot Rods. I’m not a car guy. In fact I know very little, but I always love seeing the cars go by in parades or parked at car shows, state fairs, etc. I love the lines and sounds of the cars. My stepfather drives a Ford Model A in parades with my mom. They get a kick out of it and I love seeing how my girls enjoy seeing and hearing them when he pulls the old girl out of the garage. That horn brings a big smile to my face - aahhh-ooo-gaaahhhh.
But any classic cars from the pre-70’s always catch my eye and make me appreciate the artistry and craftsmanship. As I get older the cars from the 70’s and 80’s are becoming more interesting too —-perhaps we look back and long for a time when we were kids and we reminisce about tv shows like Knight Rider, the Dukes of Hazard or Starsky and Hutch and we remember those iconic cars we played with in our matchbox sets. But when the 4th comes out, and when we could still have parades, these iconic beasts of the road come out for summer drives through our neighborhoods and I for one love to catch a glimpse, even if just for a moment...
A Shared Culture: sometimes it’s hyper local like Rhode Islanders and their Dels frozen lemonade or coffee milk. Other times it’s National like during the olympics. While America is a giant melting pot of different people and culture, we inevitably adapt to certain shared values and experiences. We touched on freedom of speech in the beginning of this what I love about America exercise, and of course it’s one of the quintessential values that all share and treasure here in the US. But how about the feeling of pride and joy we feel when an alum pic athlete reaches the peak of their form and stands on the podium in the olympics. For many of us, politics becomes secondary as we share in that moment with the athlete who fought so hard to arrive at that point.
And on smaller levels we generally are a culture that recognizes and rewards hard work. Through hard work and perseverance so many have the opportunity they would not likely have on other countries around the world.
We aren’t entirely unique in these aspects, but we should celebrate our common values when we get a chance. And the 4th of July is the perfect time to do so.
My Church. When you get to a new place you may not know anyone in the town, or feel a little out of place. But if you find a good church you’ll find a family that is willing to love and help you as you entrench yourself in your community. There are few places out there where you can find a true extended family. But with the right group, like ours at UMC Monroe, you mix together with people from varied walks of life and perspectives but still be united around a common higher purpose and dedication to service of the father, son and Holy Spirit:). We are grateful often for people who check in on us and generally care how we are, especially in this time of Covid.
