Out With a Bang

 

My church hosted a potluck fireworks show tonight. If you've never seen one, everyone brings potluck food and people chip in by bringing a big firework to put in our show. If you know my husband at all, then you know he is always in the middle of the show. When we were first married, we helped out at a Royal Ranger camp in Louisiana (kind of like Boy Scouts with our denomination). Five hundred young men and boys gathered to worship God and then watch this amazing fireworks show right off the pond on the campground. In the middle of the pond was a peninsula where they would launch the fireworks. My husband and I had recruited a band, so we performed by the water. Afterwards, my husband volunteered his service along with another guy in the band to launch the fireworks. Everything was very professional and going great until one large firework fell on its side. Blasts of sparkles rained down on the guys. We saw only silhouettes of two men diving into the pond. After the mortar attack stopped, they crawled out of the pond and continued the show much wetter and a little singed, but still delivered an amazing show in the end. So as my husband walked towards the display he set up tonight, I wondered if there would be surprises. He had recruited some young men to help, so they even did a side-by-side slow walk like in Oceans Eleven to be dramatic. The show was well-done with only a couple of hiccups when one mortar fell sideways. We saw someone hit the ground then run across the road quickly to insure the firework was out. The good news is we've gotten smart. My son has been a firefighter for a couple of years so if anything happened, we were ready. Life throws hiccups at us much like the fireworks shows. You're expecting beauty and splendor, only to realize the situation has turned and you're under fire. Just remember, the same God who has brought the beauty in your life is still there when you're under fire. When we feel like hiding or running away, we will find that if we stand firm in trusting God, He will turn that hard situation into a thing of beauty.

Have a great week high-heeled warriors! 

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