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.
WEEKEND GRAB BAG O’ THOUGHT:
Another weekend has arrived, and I’m so looking forward to this one. I haven’t had a normal weekend since the middle of June. Two weekends ago I worked all day on a Saturday, and then last weekend I was on vacation over in the Dallas Texas area. I’ll also be on vacation next weekend, so this is like the bit-in-the-middle. It’s my time to relax and do normal things at home – like blog – and prepare for my Sunday morning hosting duty at Life Pointe Church – and go grocery shopping at Publix – and do laundry. I live for the mundane. It’s truly great to be right here in my home sweet Homestead !
BEST LUNCH OF THE WEEK AWARD: Longhorn Steakhouse – Parmesan Crusted Chicken, Seasoned French Fries, Mashed Potatoes, Bread, Coke. I dig.
15 WEEKEND MINI THOUGHTS:
– It’s still hot, humid, and dry here in South Florida while Texas is drenched.
– In a normal year it’s the other way around – a dry Texas and a wet Florida.
– Does everyone remember our record-shattering frigid cold winter season ?
– I just received the first of my two home insurance premiums.
– This one covers everything except for damage caused by wind.
– The premium for 12 months of coverage increased by over 16% from last year.
– That seems a bit steep for an annual increase, but it could be much worse.
– Next Thursday I embark on yet another vacation.
– I’ll be driving 600 miles in a single shot until I arrive at my destination.
– I’ll be at an undisclosed location in the northwest part of Florida.
– It’s very peaceful and quiet there.
– Internet connectivity will be extremely limited.
– There will be no new blog posts from me next weekend.
– I’ll be lucky to get out an occasional tweet.
– When I return from this short trip I have no plans to go anywhere until Sept.
THOSE CRAZY CRAZY CATS:
BLATANT PROMOTION:
Tomorrow on the ‘Retro’ I’m going back deep into my early childhood – all the way back to when I was 4-years-old during the Summer of 1971. Then on Sunday it’s a fresh new ‘My Fantastic Journey: It’s In The Lyrics’. Be sure to check out those two new blog posts during this weekend. During the week when I’m not blogging I’m tweeting, so follow me if you wish at majorhitwaves. Have a great weekend my friends. Make it memorable. Be safe.
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 !
On this 4TH Of July holiday weekend we celebrate this great nation of ours – this free nation that we call The United States Of America. We are free today because of our forefathers – great Americans like John Hancock, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson. Let us never forget all of those great Americans who fought – and who continue to fight to this day – for the independence and the freedom that we continue to enjoy today.
Here’s American Music Legend Neil Leslie Diamond. His storied career has spanned over 50 years (and still going today), and he’s one of the biggest-selling music artists in the entire world. This is his 1981 smash that’s a proud salute to ‘We The People’ of this great free nation that is “America”.
