4th of July

We wanted to get into the spirit of the weekend, so we strapped an American flag onto each of our bicycles, then rode the 2 miles to Sombrero Beach where the fireworks were to be held.  When we arrived about ½ hour before sunset, we were amazed at the 100+ boats which were anchored, rafted together, or just plain drifting just off the beach.  As the sun set, their lights formed a continuous line across the horizon, showing white, red, green, blue, yellow, and any color in between.  Some brave boaters even had sparklers going aboard intermittently.

We staked out our spot on the beach & then walked along the water’s edge to squish some sand between our toes.  As the night became darker, the stars came out everywhere, since it was a new moon that night.  The beach park was playing patriotic music over the speakers, getting the crowd ready for some lights & lots of noise.

Once the fireworks started, co-ordinated to the speaker music, it became a show worth remembering.  For 45 continuous minutes, the crowd ooh’d & aaww’d at a magnificent display of ostentation.  The thick humid air reverberated the sound back & forth to amplify the effect.  The finale seemed to go on forever, with at least 20 shells in the air at one time.  All in all, the Admiral said that the show was definitely in the top 5 fireworks shows she has seen.  It’s amazing that such a small town as Marathon could afford such a display.

On a more serious note, I received an email from the Wallbuilders (David Barton’s organization) which publicizes the original intent of the men who founded our country.  Wallbuilders summarized the main points of the Declaration of Independence, which I thought were worth repeating:

Ø   There is a Creator.

Ø  The Creator has given a certain set of inalienable rights to every individual.

Ø  The primary purpose of government is to protect those inalienable rights.

Ø  There is a fixed moral law ("the laws of Nature and of Nature's God").

Ø  Decisions below the level of inalienable rights and fixed morals are to be made with the consent of the governed.

Think about it.