"Santa Claus is Coming to Town!"

Branson weather forecast for this week.

Good morning and welcome to one and all. For those who have been in search of summer, I believe your efforts to find it are over. It's Tuesday, July 5, 2016, and I am back in my regular saddle again. This is a big week for many of my Santa and Mrs. Claus brothers and sisters. There are over 700 registered to show up for the Discover Santa Convention in Branson, Missouri, this week. They expect more than 1,000 to participate in the parade and other associated activities. It is billed as the 10th Anniversary Convention and the Kringle Family Reunion. We had actually thought about trying to attend this gathering. Many of the activities call for the participants to show up in full dress, you know, as Santa and Mrs. Claus. That seemed way too much for July in my way of thinking. Many of those portraying this legendary character are much older than I am. A full dress parade? Here's what the Santa responsible for First Aid had to say: "I'm excited about meeting many of you in Branson, but please repeat after me..... Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate..... Caffeine containing beverages DON'T count...... Water, Gatorade, Power Aid, etc..... hydrate..... I'd love to meet you all..... BUT.... I'm the 1st Aid Santa.... I don't want to meet you as a customer." I hope it all goes well and maybe I'll wait for one they schedule in February.

We had ourselves a wonderful three-day Independence Celebration weekend. Outside of Church and some errands here and there, we mostly stayed home. We did take care of getting a couple of our older grandchildren to their jobs and back during the weekend. I was able to watch several programs devoted to the history of the founding of our nation. I watched a long interview with the noted historian David McCullough where he talked about his lifetime of research and study regarding this subject. When asked about just how it happened that we were able to win our independence, he had somewhat of an interesting response. He said his study of all the details, letters, maps, information, and eyewitness accounts really cannot explain how this was possible. This ragtag worn out starving army who didn't even have shoes to wear defeated what was arguably the world's most well supplied elite force. His conclusion. After a lifetime of study. It more or less can only be called a miracle. That's when I wanted to jump in and ask him this question: Could it have been God? I believe it was. And, I'll add my own Amen to that one!

One of the things that impressed me about Mr. McCullough was his commitment to doing all he can to portray the truth as best it can be discovered. So much about historical events has been twisted and shaped to fit a preconceived narrative. This happens on all sides of the issue. I'm perfectly fine with knowing what was a made up story to try and encourage people. I'm okay with learning that things we always thought were said by someone actually have no proof they ever uttered those words. Typically, we are all prone to quote the ones that back up our idea of how we portray it in our own way of thinking. Here's my point. David McCullough is devoted to ferreting out the truth, but, his overturning of many popular myths still leave us with the unmistakable fact: God ordained us becoming a free and independent nation. The last time I checked He is the only one who can perform true miracles. Okay. I'll try to end on that note and move on to some new stuff next time we meet. However that may not be easy since it was Solomon who said there's nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9) He was on to something. Just check what they are showing on TV and at the movie house. Nothing new. See you next time and may God bless us all is my prayer. Amen.  ....More later.