Flashback with me – won’t you ? – 39 years ago to the Summer of 1971. Odds are most of you reading this weren’t even alive back then, but I was. That’s because I’m older than you ! 😀
I remember it well – sort of. I was a young 4-year-old boy living in the new Chelsea Wood apartment complex in Greenbelt Maryland (suburban Washington D.C.). I lived with my Mom and Dad, and I frequently visited my Grandparents that lived just a mile-and-a-half down the road. An Uncle, Aunt, and a whole bunch of Cousins also lived about the same distance away. I was surrounded by relatives, so there was plenty to do with all of them. On Sunday mornings we all attended the 11:30 AM service at nearby St. Matthias Catholic Church – all dressed up in our Sunday best. Good Times !
On the radio during the hot Summer of 1971 was this cool gem from Hamilton, Joe Frank, & Reynolds. It’s the trio’s TOP 5 gold smash “Don’t Pull Your Love”, and it’s one of the greatest songs ever made during my lifetime.
‘Saturday Night Retro’ is taking the week off next week, but on the 24TH of July I’m kicking-off a 6-week summer special – ‘The Awesome ’80s In August International Dance Party’. It’s a nod to a former annual tradition on my old massivesmash.com hit music web site. Join the fun. Relive the ’80s memories. It all starts in a fortnight.
On this Independence Day we celebrate Freedom here in the free nation. But Freedom exists in more ways than you may think. Are you really truly free ?
In Galatians Chapter 4 – Verses 1 to 12 – The Bible Says:
1 Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had. 2 They have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set. 3 And that’s the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world. 4 But when the right time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent Him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that He could adopt us as His very own children. 6 And because we are His children, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are His child, God has made you His heir. 8 Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist. 9 So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world ? 10 You are trying to earn favor with God by observing certain days or months or seasons or years. 11 I fear for you. Perhaps all my hard work with you was for nothing. 12 Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles — free from those laws.
I ask again. Are you really truly free ? Do you do what the world tells you to do, and say what the world tells you to say ? Are you a slave to the world around you ? Is this the same world that accepted you – then rejected you ?
That’s something that God will never do – reject you. Whether you believe it or not – he will always accept you. He will always rescue you and save you from the uncaring and disappearing world around you. He will pull you out of the evil and the darkness that you are consumed by. He will lead you with His arms wide open onto a fantastic journey that He has created and molded especially for You. He will guide you and lead you into the everlasting daylight that is His Great Glory. If you would just let Him. If you would just surrender yourself to Him. Talk about freedom. Now that’s real true freedom. Take it from me. I was a slave to this world for 39 years, but now I am free. I am free to run. I am free to dance. I am free to live for You. I am free. YES – I am free !
Ephesians 4:21-32 (NLT, 2ND Ed.) 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned The Truth that comes from Him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let The Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God — truly righteous and holy. 25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors The Truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil. 28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. 29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. 30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, He has identified you as His own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Are you living a Christ-filled Life ? Don’t answer. The world around you should be able to see and hear for themselves if you are truly following God on the fantastic journey that He created especially for you. If you stick out as a radical in a disappearing world – a radical that spreads God’s Great Word everywhere he or she goes while using actual words only when necessary – then that looks and sounds like the Jesus Christ that I yearn to know more about.
I’m sorry for the person I became
I’m sorry that it took so long for me to change
I’m ready to be sure I never become that way again
‘Cause who I am hates who I’ve been
Who I am hates who I’ve been
The weekend blogging tradition that is my ‘Saturday Night Retro’ CONTINUES into its 22ND month of memories. And the hits just keep on comin’ !
24 years ago this weekend on the 28TH of June of 1986 (a Saturday) a young and crazy 19-year-old version of me was among over 75,000 rambunctious fans in attendance at London England’s historic (and original) Wembley Stadium. It was an unusually hot and sticky day in London Town, and what made it even more sweatier was the fact that over 75,000 of us were dancing and screaming in unison to all of the stars that were performing all of the hits during the all-day final farewell concert of the pop supergroup Wham ! (George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley and friends). I didn’t realize how much energy I actually had in myself until that jumpin’ and jivin’ day. It was the very first concert of my entire life, and it turned out to be the first of 17 concerts in all during the remainder of my wonderful life in the U.K. 24 years later I look fondly back at that memorable event as the moment that I finally arrived on the British scene.
Here’s the farewell worldwide smash from Wham ! – “The Edge Of Heaven”:
CountUp 