Summertime!

You, God own the day, You own the night;  You put stars and sun in place.
You laid out the four corners of earth,  You  shaped the seasons of summer and winter. - Psalm 74:16-17

Thank you God for summer!  Summer means eating sweet corn on the cob, jumping off the dock into the cool lake, and running barefoot on the beach.  Feel the salt water splash your legs and the shore breeze tangle your hair.  Summer has a way of reminding us of childhood. 

If I asked you how old you feel inside, would your answer correspond with your actual age?  Mine wouldn’t.  When I recently asked an eighty year-old friend this question, she sweetly blushed and proclaimed, “I feel like I’m thirty!”  What!  That’s a fifty-year difference.  Wow, that changes the way I see my wise friend. 

When I was growing up in Indiana, summer was my favorite time of the year.  We’d visit my aunt and uncle’s farm, swim in their pool, and make homemade ice cream in a tall wooden barrel.  I remember taking turns on its large metal crank for what seemed like forever, until the ice cream was finally ready.  Food, family, and fun were the ingredients of the secret recipe for a magical summer.       

What are some of your summertime childhood memories?  As I recall mine, I feel younger and somehow reconnect to little girl I once was.  I can close my eyes and see myself on Aunt Jan’s and Uncle Bob’s farm, climbing up the wooden ladder in the red barn to play basketball in the hay mount.  On my way up once, I knocked into a bee hive and unleashed a torrent of angry bees.  Scrambling back down, I was stung dozens of times on my head, neck, shoulders, and chest.  That may be why I’m allergic to bees today.

On that same family-farm I can see us playing water games in the above-ground pool.  My grandma and I would proudly perform our made-up synchronized swim routines.  During one performance, too many enthusiastic family members jumped in at once, causing the plastic walls of the pool to split. A few seconds later, we were all flushed out on to the grass, sliding uncontrollably toward the corn fields.  Our laughter could have been heard in the next county!  That’s probably why the farm house now has an in-ground pool.

Thank God that we’re at the beginning of summer.  What childlike adventures do you want to plan now so you can enjoy God’s gifts during this delightful season?  Where do you hope to spend some time this summer?  Are you longing for more summer sun, sand, oceans, lakes, beaches, mountains, pools, breezes, walks, hikes, bikes, dinners under the moonlight, or more relaxing days?  All of them sound wonderful!  Let’s give thanks to the One who created summer then let’s go out and enjoy our summer days. 

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

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