the freedom festival was this weekend (july 3-5) in downtown logan. there was a lot going on.

there were talent shows, live music, and a magic show (in true arrested development form) on the main stage by the courthouse

there were all kinds of booths selling all kinds of things lining the streets

there were puppets teaching us two very important lessons:
1) lessons are nice, but money is better (buy a dvd!)(at least they told the kids it was okay if their parents said "no"), and...

...2) it's okay to take candy from weird looking strangers as long as they're crazy

there was a parade, which i like because they are, of course, really the only time you can feel good about eating candy off the ground (hey, it's always better than crazy strangers, right?)

(me enjoying said candy)

tyler was there!

there was a booth selling realistic looking fake cigarettes to small children (3 for $1). i actually thought, along with all those around me, some kid was smoking a real one from a short distance (tan filters, glowing red ends, and they really blow smoke...). probably an unneccesary precaution by the cigarette companies in the state with the 3rd highest percentage of smoking adults in the nation. (thanks to the one and only maria roberts for modeling them for me.)

there was a "tigers of the world show" where a crocadile-hunter-esque man made sad-looking tigers do things they didn't want to do. this is the cage where they performed. i wasn't too excited about it, so i didn't watch. apparently he almost got eaten. i wonder if that's why... hmm...

and there were crazy spinny carnival rides. the guy in the black shirt looked like he was going to loose it as soon as the ride started. it was sad watching him spin helplessly in circles. i must admit i used to love these things in middle school, now i generally try to avoid them.

it was nice to know that i live here now as i wandered through the streets. i saw lots of teenagers and just kept wishing i had a place to invite them. it was good to remember that once the summer's over, i'll still be here because of them. i'm so anxious to get things going, i've got to keep myself in check. as i was telling john on the phone yesterday, i've always got to be sure i'm preparing the way for God's kingdom and not my own. especially when i want something really bad, like an awesome building on the corner of stratton and dingess.

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