Happy 4th of July Weekend! What a beautiful summer we have had so far: good rains minus damaging storms, a few real scorchers (they’ll help make the fall feel more welcoming even though we know what comes after that), and a few very pleasant days. I’ve already caught and released three lightning bugs, enjoyed a watermelon and several ears of corn on the cob.

Yet to do is have a grilled hot dog and make our favorite summertime dessert: pound cake cut into cubes with layers of strawberries, blueberries and bananas all swimming in whipped topping. You can design the top to look like a flag if you arrange the blueberries and strawberries right. We use nonfat whipped topping and, of course, everyone knows how healthy the berries are being full of antioxidants and stuff. My wife always tells me to get a low fat angel food cake instead of a pound cake but for some reason by the time I get to the grocery store, I forget to make that substitution. She pretends to be angry about my mistake but who can stay angry with a dessert that displays an American flag? It’s simply unpatriotic. If possible, let the dessert set in the fridge overnight so all the juices can intermingle and soak into the cake.

– Pastor Joel Everhart