For Independence Day, Sandy and I traveled up to Washington, DC to celebrate our nation’s birthday with our son and daughter-in-law. This was a first for us—celebrating the Fourth of July in our nation’s capital. It was a weekend of baseball, hotdogs, flag-waving and fireworks. What could be more American that that? We arrived in DC on Thursday afternoon, the 3rd, and 
ventured on up to Baltimore that evening to take in a ballgame at Camden Yards, one of my all-time favorite ballparks. (The Washington Nationals were on the road that week. That’s why we opted to see the Orioles.) It was a pretty exciting game—including four homeruns and two triples—but the hometown team lost to the visiting Kansas City Royals, 10-7. Sandy and I agreed that the funnel cakes at the park that night were the worst we had ever had—hard as a rock!—but they were offset by the wonderful crab cake sandwiches we enjoyed before the game at the Wharf Rat Restaurant.
The next day, on the 4th, we left Jordan and Melinda’s apartment near the Pentagon in Arlington and drove down to the U. S. Capitol Building, near where Jordan works. Jordan and
Melinda’s friends from Florida, Rob and Anne Marie, were up visiting with them. After the six of us made our way through security, we found a spot under a tree on the west lawn of the Capitol where we would be able to view the evening concert and fireworks show. This was the 28th annual edition of “A Capitol Fourth,” a nationally televised event celebrating our country’s birthday. It rained off and on throughout the afternoon and 
evening, and we all got a little damp, but fortunately the big show went on. The evening’s program was emceed by actor Jimmy Smits, who, a couple of years ago, interestingly, during the final season of the long-running television series “The West Wing”, portrayed a young Hispanic U.S. Congressman that was elected President of the United States. Musical guests for the festivities included 1980s rockers Huey Lewis and the News, last year’s American Idol winner Taylor Hicks, and 1950s rock n’ roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis, among others. I was particularly intrigued by the appearance of Jerry Lee Lewis. I honestly thought he was dead! Certainly, all of his talented contemporaries from 
his old Sun Records’ days in Memphis are long gone now—Elvis Presley, Carl “Blue Suede Shoes” Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash. But that night at the Capitol, “The Killer” proved himself to be very much alive. In his 70s now, Lewis was still banging those piano keys and singing like he always did. He opened with Chuck Berry’s classic “Roll Over Beethoven” and then performed two of his own biggest hits—both from 1957 (my birth year)—“Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” and “Great Balls of Fire”. 
With those two numbers, Jerry Lee closed the whole show, taking us right into the big fireworks display, visible high above the Washington Monument and across the city skyline. As we gazed upon the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, the National Symphony Orchestra played “The 1812 Overture”, complete with live cannon blasts. It was followed by an inspiring medley of John Philip Sousa marches, including my very favorite, “Stars and Stripes Forever.” (What would our country do without Sousa? Truly, his matchless patriotic compositions provide the soundtrack for our republic!)
The next morning—Saturday the 5th—was the climax of our All-American weekend. We went on a White House tour, thanks to Jordan. Once we were inside, a Secret Service
agent told us we just missed seeing President Bush depart from the South Lawn on Marine One. He had lifted off only minutes before our arrival. Too bad. I had hoped to say “hello” to him. But it sure was thoughtful of him to leave the door unlocked and the porch light on for us so we could drop in for a visit. He sure is a trusting soul! After our tour, we rode the Metro back to Arlington and had lunch at a Salvadoran/ Peruvian Café (which kind of blew our All-American theme for the weekend). Then Sandy and I headed on back to Danville.
I’ve celebrated the Fourth of July in a number of settings in my 51 years. This latest one at our nation’s capital was truly one of the three most memorable I’ve experienced. One of the others was back in 2001. Jordan and I were part of a mission team constructing a church building on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in the town of Lame Deer, Montana. The 4th fell during the week we were there. We worked hard all that day and watched the fireworks that night. Launched off
Squaw Hill—the highest point in town—that fireworks show was about the best and longest display of pyrotechnics I’ve ever seen anywhere. The Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs must have had a big budget surplus that year. On top of that, we also got to observe an authentic powwow with Native American dancers in full tribal dress. Interestingly, this was all within a short distance of Custer’s Last Stand at the Little Big Horn. Another memorable 4th of July for me was last year at The Crossing in downtown Danville. Our first Independence Day since moving back to Pittsylvania County, Sandy and I just loved it. It was a good, old-fashioned, patriotic, family-style, hometown Independence Day celebration. Truly, Americana at it’s best, the way it was meant to be. Sandy and I told Jordan and Melinda that next year on the Fourth they’ve got to come down to visit us and experience Independence Day Southside Virginia-style.
Pastor Danny
ventured on up to Baltimore that evening to take in a ballgame at Camden Yards, one of my all-time favorite ballparks. (The Washington Nationals were on the road that week. That’s why we opted to see the Orioles.) It was a pretty exciting game—including four homeruns and two triples—but the hometown team lost to the visiting Kansas City Royals, 10-7. Sandy and I agreed that the funnel cakes at the park that night were the worst we had ever had—hard as a rock!—but they were offset by the wonderful crab cake sandwiches we enjoyed before the game at the Wharf Rat Restaurant.The next day, on the 4th, we left Jordan and Melinda’s apartment near the Pentagon in Arlington and drove down to the U. S. Capitol Building, near where Jordan works. Jordan and
Melinda’s friends from Florida, Rob and Anne Marie, were up visiting with them. After the six of us made our way through security, we found a spot under a tree on the west lawn of the Capitol where we would be able to view the evening concert and fireworks show. This was the 28th annual edition of “A Capitol Fourth,” a nationally televised event celebrating our country’s birthday. It rained off and on throughout the afternoon and 
evening, and we all got a little damp, but fortunately the big show went on. The evening’s program was emceed by actor Jimmy Smits, who, a couple of years ago, interestingly, during the final season of the long-running television series “The West Wing”, portrayed a young Hispanic U.S. Congressman that was elected President of the United States. Musical guests for the festivities included 1980s rockers Huey Lewis and the News, last year’s American Idol winner Taylor Hicks, and 1950s rock n’ roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis, among others. I was particularly intrigued by the appearance of Jerry Lee Lewis. I honestly thought he was dead! Certainly, all of his talented contemporaries from 
his old Sun Records’ days in Memphis are long gone now—Elvis Presley, Carl “Blue Suede Shoes” Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash. But that night at the Capitol, “The Killer” proved himself to be very much alive. In his 70s now, Lewis was still banging those piano keys and singing like he always did. He opened with Chuck Berry’s classic “Roll Over Beethoven” and then performed two of his own biggest hits—both from 1957 (my birth year)—“Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” and “Great Balls of Fire”. 
With those two numbers, Jerry Lee closed the whole show, taking us right into the big fireworks display, visible high above the Washington Monument and across the city skyline. As we gazed upon the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, the National Symphony Orchestra played “The 1812 Overture”, complete with live cannon blasts. It was followed by an inspiring medley of John Philip Sousa marches, including my very favorite, “Stars and Stripes Forever.” (What would our country do without Sousa? Truly, his matchless patriotic compositions provide the soundtrack for our republic!)The next morning—Saturday the 5th—was the climax of our All-American weekend. We went on a White House tour, thanks to Jordan. Once we were inside, a Secret Service
agent told us we just missed seeing President Bush depart from the South Lawn on Marine One. He had lifted off only minutes before our arrival. Too bad. I had hoped to say “hello” to him. But it sure was thoughtful of him to leave the door unlocked and the porch light on for us so we could drop in for a visit. He sure is a trusting soul! After our tour, we rode the Metro back to Arlington and had lunch at a Salvadoran/ Peruvian Café (which kind of blew our All-American theme for the weekend). Then Sandy and I headed on back to Danville.I’ve celebrated the Fourth of July in a number of settings in my 51 years. This latest one at our nation’s capital was truly one of the three most memorable I’ve experienced. One of the others was back in 2001. Jordan and I were part of a mission team constructing a church building on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in the town of Lame Deer, Montana. The 4th fell during the week we were there. We worked hard all that day and watched the fireworks that night. Launched off
Squaw Hill—the highest point in town—that fireworks show was about the best and longest display of pyrotechnics I’ve ever seen anywhere. The Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs must have had a big budget surplus that year. On top of that, we also got to observe an authentic powwow with Native American dancers in full tribal dress. Interestingly, this was all within a short distance of Custer’s Last Stand at the Little Big Horn. Another memorable 4th of July for me was last year at The Crossing in downtown Danville. Our first Independence Day since moving back to Pittsylvania County, Sandy and I just loved it. It was a good, old-fashioned, patriotic, family-style, hometown Independence Day celebration. Truly, Americana at it’s best, the way it was meant to be. Sandy and I told Jordan and Melinda that next year on the Fourth they’ve got to come down to visit us and experience Independence Day Southside Virginia-style.Pastor Danny
