The cookout with fireworks and the roast marshmallows over a campfire or grill is only reminder the Fourth of July celebration was in full swing. The horse shoe tosses and the outdoor games make for a fun afternoon with family and friends. Let's not forget the pool, lake or water gun fights in hopes to cool the kids and adults off in the hot summer sun. No one thinking about liberty or that it the last of the biggest parties before Memorial Day. The truth is it the time of just having fun all day with only cooks, clean up crew and the set up crew working. A celebration without a major sporting event though everyone seems to want to be a baseball star.

May your Fourth this year bring to mind you would not have all day fun with watermelon, ice cream and other good deserts without the winning of our liberty in 1776.

America's Liberty Day is not the same as liberty in Christ. As believers in Christ is freedom we have as believers being equally responsible for obeying the truth of God's word after receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior. God's way makes us free for eternity with our liberty in this world is still the hugest fight for freedom in our world today. There always seem to have an oppressed group somewhere in our land that fails to know how to fight for freedom with the constitution our land was founded on. It the ammendents to that constitutions that stretch the original to there max when people can not stand on just the Bill of Rights. In truth we fight for freedom and yet the Rights of others is often wanted to be taken. The bottomlines are we our brother's keeper in our own land. Our we protectors or killers of others rights we hold for ouselves as well.

Our Thirst Quencher
Christina Farris
7/03/2024

The other day as the heat index had to be in the nineties. Ninety is consider hot in my part of Virginia. Where 110 degrees is hot in other areas of my state. I have lived here 37 years and I finally call 90 degrees hot and looking for a cool refresher in the summer heat. Water is my usual drink to cool me off. Sometimes water is not enough and we need the wine of the suffering of Christ to cool us off with Christ's words that said forgive them they know not what they do.(Luke 23:34)

I enjoyed a mango and pinnapple flavor drink with plenty of ice without sweetner in our 90 degree weather. It hit the spot in the heat. In John 2 Jesus turns water into wine. Water is living water of faith but the rich drink of wine truly comes with richness of unconditional forgiveness. He pour from his body not just water of sweat and fluid but his blood for you and me. His water first given with each healing, teaching and works of God. It came with each hour of compassion he gave to man. Then Jesus took the wrath of man they poured out and pour out his wine for you and me. Then he showed us what forgiveness was as he rose allowing man to see their own revenge would not destroy him or keep him buried in the grave. Christ compassion should of been enough because Jesus is our living water that quenches our soul from his word and then through the wine of the cross we learn to pour out Christ love. No we do not do it perfectly all the time, because walking by the Spirit we must learn to obey quickly and not react to our first reaction. It taking the water we receive from Christ and allowing him to turn it into his wine in our life to win others to Jesus. People need to know the water is real.

Will you allow Christ be your thirst quencher. Receive Christ as Lord and Savior today. Go to how to be saved button at the top of the page.

John 4:13-14 KJV
13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

1. Bible and prayer time
2. Plan a trip
3. Go for a walk.
4. Find a good book
5.Find a new summer treat.
6. Find someone to help do a summertime chore.
7. Spend time outdoors with a friend.
8. Find a new dish to cook.
9. Spend time on the porch.
10. Do all those summer chores.

Your child is going on vacation without you this summer to camp, to summer school or even Vacation Bible School. One of the first things begin to pray for the teachers and workers involved in these activities. This is a time of spiritual warfare for our kids when they are beginning to decide what they believe about Jesus.

Two rules of thumbs of sending your children off make sure they are going to a reputable church and a reputable establishment. A place that will work hard to keep your children safe in a fun, loving and learning Christian situation. Make sure if it is a church it is with your standard beliefs. No place is safe but to keep little one's safe, teenagers where they are suppose to be is essential to young people's learning and growing in the things of God in good clean Christian fellowship.

If they got an adult class for VBS why not go you just might learn something too. Vacation Bible School is usually for everyone. There always need for extra hands with the kids, even if you not the main teacher. It can be fun to watch kids learn or help serving refreshments.

Have you thought of where you like to go to church while on vacation. Is it in a building or having a devotional time with your family while on a picnic table or the beach. Maybe a hotel room before you eat breakfast, or dinner. It is time for many people to start their vacationing, whether at home or away, remember the good Lord got you through this year so take him with you as you travel. Don't leave Jesus out of your vacation or your home. There is a saying Jesus take the wheel, but when you do make sure your hand are in the hand's of Christ as you travel the road. Remember are you really in that big of a hurry to get somewhere then plan ahead and don't speed to the destination spot. You may be in God's hands but he wants you to arrive safely and secure. Just because your safe remember the driver next to you might not be.