we do this every year. and every year i think it's one of my favorite things that we do. unlike so many of the other boiler room activities -- like sunday gathering, love feast, 24-7 prayer, which are so full of explicit kingdom content -- the 4th of July Pancakes and Parade are just pure CELEBRATION and FUN that hint at a deeper kingdom truth... and this in a place where those things are hard to come by.

yes, it may be true that many of our neighbors show up primarily for the 10 a.m. pancake breakfast, exiting just before the parade begins.

yes, it is also true that many years we can count on two hands how many neighbors were actually awake and witnessed our tiny little parade.

but these things don't matter. we'll keep on marching and peddling around this neighborhood, yelling, singing, and banging on drums or buckets, to declare the the kingdom of God is near, and is celebratory in nature. this isn't some dour family reunion you're being invited into; this is a place of rejoicing.

here are a few snaps i took at the event this year. i'm afraid the photojournalism ends abruptly almost immediately after the parade began, because i was also carrying a clingy toddler and urging on my three year old on her tricycle. and then we got so far behind the parade that we gave up and went home to wait for it to come around again. :) still, i hope you'll enjoy these!

::brooke::