What are your favorite childhood summer memories? When I was a kid, I couldn’t wait for school to let out so that I could spend the summer playing baseball with my friends. This was before cell phones, tablets and other gadgets took over. It was old fashion fun; playing sports at the local park, stick-ball (like baseball) in the streets and cracking jokes all day long. I avoided going home to our city apartment during the day in fear that my mom would cut playtime short especially at or after sunset.
I will never forget going with my friend Junior and his parents to Coney Island. It was a long trek on the subway, but I remember looking out the window and observing people living out their lives. It was fascinating to me as I didn’t venture outside of the city often. When my father purchased his first car, we then traveled outside of the community to Sunken Meadow Beach in Long Island and parks in upstate New York. Looking back, I consider these memories God’s blessings in my life.
The author of Ecclesiastes writes, “There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth…” And this is the time to enjoy summer with all of its beauty. The season is brief, but its blessings are many. We can’t afford to miss out on the simple things that summer brings: longer days, warm weather, nature’s beauty, barbeques and time with friends and family. It’s a time for recreation and renewal…God’s gift to us.
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Everyone can find something to do in the summer. It doesn’t have to be costly, a lesson I learned from my childhood. My wife and I love going to the beach—the smell of the sea breeze, the sound of crashing waves, and the soft sand. Sometimes it’s just sitting on our townhouse deck taking in the sunshine and sounds. What are your summer blessings and memories? Please share with us.
Lord, thank for this season; help us to pause from our busy lives to make the most of this opportune summer time with friends and family or for ourselves.
