I spent my Independence Day in my hometown of Savannah, GA with my extended family. Wow, it really was amazing. While I had spent time with these same people I had known all my life, something seemed apparent that this gathering was different from all those previous. This year as we gathered together for the purpose of having fun and visiting with one another, we were all decked out in our matching family reunion style t-shirts. Was that some of the excitement I was feeling, that we were calling it a “Family Reunion”, hence the matching t-shirts. This year was also different because we decided to get into the mix of things. Previous years we had just enjoyed the fireworks from our strategic vantage point at our home, avoiding the traffic, jaywalkers and crowds of families all making their way to an up- close and personal firework experience. Was this change in venue cause for my excitement? This year we planned as our culminating event – a group trip to River Street in downtown Savannah, to enjoy the fireworks. Even the excursion itself was exciting. Yes there was the anticipated bumper to bumper traffic, hordes of jaywalkers, and multitudes of families all headed to witness a series of colorful loud mid-air gunpowder triggered explosions. In the midst of all of this my heart was racing; and I was just as giddy as my “3 almost 4 year old” nephew, as he would readily tell anyone brave enough to ask his age. Again I wondered why after years of witnessing fireworks and years of experiencing my family, why am I just as excited as ever; and perhaps even more so? I mean I have been to downtown Savannah before, seen fireworks before and spent time with my family before. Did I perhaps expect some new dazzling firework display? And then it hit me! My excitement wasn’t because it was my first experience. My excitement was a contagion I had contracted from those amongst us who “were” experiencing all this for the first time! I was so excited because excitement is contagious and I had caught it! Although I wasn’t new to the experience, there were several among us who were. My cousins immediate families had expanded over the years as had mine. And I found myself caught up in the wonder that they were about to experience. Newcomers have that affect. Newcomers can make the routine and mundane as exciting and explosive as a Fourth of July celebration, simply because they’ve never seen it or heard it before. The excitement of a newcomer is contagious. Could this be an answer for those finding their ministry or business in a rut? Consider inviting someone new into your organization. Newcomers can make the familiar and routine, exciting and new!