A Very Blessed Fourth of July

The Fourth of July is my favorite holiday....corn on the cob, watermelon, family, campfires, s'mores, the lake, boating, sun, and fireworks - all of my most favorite things!  Our family's Fourth of July traditions begin soon after the sun comes up.  Despite staying up way too late by the fire the night before, we're all up and ready to run by 8am, at the start line of the Firecracker Footrace, the city's 5K walk/run that our family enjoys doing together.  After we all cross the finish line, it's back home to put the finishing touches on our pies and by noon, we have our pies entered in the city pie contest.

​After the city parade and the pie contest results, the afternoon is spent either on the beach or on the boat, basking in the beautiful Minnesota sun.  As evening comes, so does the food!  My mom and her sisters are some of the best cooks around.  No one will go hungry when they're in charge!  After filling our bellies, we fill the boats and travel down the river into the city, where the fireworks display is shot off right over the river.  I am convinced that this is the best (and only) way to watch the fireworks on the Fourth of July.  I have lived other places and been to other Fourth of July fireworks - nothing compares.  I was very excited to have all four of my kids on the boat for the fireworks this year.

We park our boats downriver, throwing in our anchors and tying our boats together.  We share food, drinks, and glow sticks between the boats as we chat and laugh until it gets dark enough for the fireworks.  Everyone then jumps in their sleeping bags when the first boom goes off and there we lay, snuggling, as the colors and sounds flood the sky.  I had anticipated my children being in awe of the fireworks, laying happily and calmly as we oooooooed and awwwwwed in amazement.  That was not

​ exactly the case this year.  Their reactions surprised me and interested me.​

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​Klaasen looked up long enough to see the first firework go off, but then went right back to connecting glow sticks together, singing, and marching around the boat.  In his busy little mind, I'm speculating that he thought, "If you've seen one firework, you've seen them all.  Why waste a half an hour of good play time on a whole firework show?!"  Skogen, on the other hand asked to snuggle upon hearing the first boom.  He wasn't scared, but he wasn't real sure about the fireworks, either.  He was most comfortable sitting with Grandma, who had a plethora of blankets to cover up with, or hide under, if needed.  Torsten spent most of the firework show letting us all know that his nose was working.  Given we sit right under the fireworks, ​the ashes and debits fall on us on occasion and the smell of the smoke can be a little overwhelming if the wind isn't strong enough to blow it up the river.  While most of us were saying, "ooooo and awwww," he was yelling, "pew, pew," and waving his hand under his nose.  ​Maida sat with her cousin Tonya through the entire show.  Being the chit-chat that she is, continually (and loudly) gave detailed descriptions of each firework, expressing her love for the pink fireworks, the waterfall-looking fireworks, and especially the sparkling fireworks!  ​

​The firework grand finale is just that - a grand finale.  It stops everyone in their tracks and as it comes to a close and the sky goes black with the sounds of the last fireworks still echoing down the river, a lone trumpet player plays from shore.  As he plays the National Anthem, people on their boats and on the shore sing along.  It is a touching time to reflect back on all we have been blessed with as a nation.  This year, as we put-putted back home on the river, Maida broke the silence.  "Mom, what if it was really God shooting off those beautiful fireworks as a gift for us, instead of people shooting them off like we thought it was?"​  My eyes filled with tears.  I absolutely love how this sweet little girl thinks nothing is impossible for God.   That night as I tucked my babies in bed, I thanked God for their pure, self-less, limitless faith in God and in his power.

​This wasn't the only lesson in faith I learned that day.  After the kids were all tucked in and sleeping soundly, I tiptoed upstairs where I found some of the family was still awake, cleaning up from the day.  As I offered some help, we started talking.​  Not surprisingly, the conversation turned to Africa and I was sternly questioned about our decision to move our family over there.  I was told that Erik and I were being selfish by deciding to do mission work with our family because it wasn't fair for our kids since they could get sick and die over there.  Moments before this, I was laying with my kids, dreaming of Africa.  Now, I was brought down to my lowest low of doubts and fears.  I felt attacked.  I felt judged.  I felt like someone was lecturing me and telling me that I was doing something wrong.  I felt beat up.  I went to bed frustrated, sad, and questioning.  ​On a night when I should have been exhausted and asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, I laid awake instead.  I prayed.  I sobbed.  I searched.  By morning I had found.  

Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 

Mark 16:15

But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him?  And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him?  And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?  And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent?  That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" 

Romans 10:14-16

I feel called to the mission field and I am ready to live out that calling.  I am reminded of King David and how he lived his life out loud for God.  It didn't always look appropriate or responsible in the eyes of others, but that didn't stop him.  He inwardly and outwardly lived out his calling, regardless of what others thought (2 Samuel 6:14-23).  Soon our family will embark on (what I feel is) the one of the most self-less things we could do for and with our kids.  We are willing to give up everything in the states that we could have on a physician's salary (including the salary!) and take our kids to a world where we'll have close to nothing (materialistically speaking and by America's standards).  We will give, teach, encourage, serve, equip, heal, mend, love, and bless others.  I am thankful for my sister's questioning of our decision to go because now, more than ever, I am confident in the journey ahead.  

As I was writing this post, Maida tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Mom, when I start to not believe, I just think of how amazing and beautiful the world is.  If God is not real, then how do people grow?  How do plants come from just a small seed?  And I continue to think, how does this do this and that do that, and I just know that He is real and so good."  She is so wise beyond her years and she will lead us when we grow weary.  Just as each of our children saw the fireworks in very different ways, they will each bring something very different and unique to the mission field.  Together we will make a team and together we can and will do amazing things for God.