Summertime

Summertime! Many images come to mind when I think of summertime. Growing up in Oregon and living most of the last 21 years in Florida, many of my thoughts of summer include the beach. I love the sand and surf. I love the smell of the beach and the saltwater. As a kid, I enjoyed the bonfires on the beach. Can't do that anymore! What a great time sitting around a campfire, singing, laughing, talking about the day and the plans to come.

I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a summer camp on the shores of the Pacific Ocean at a place called Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp. What a beautiful place. As much as I loved the beach and the times with friends, Wi-Ne-Ma will always hold a place dear to my heart as a place where I committed my life to Christ, where I made a decision in high school to attend a Christian college, where I served as a camp counselor to young people, where I fell in love with the work of so many missionaries over the years of attending "Missions Week", and a place where I met a beautiful young lady that would one day be my wife. A pretty significant place for me to grow.

If at this point you are still reading this blog, you may be wondering why would I mention all of those memories of summertime and camp. It is partly motivated by the week my family and I just spent in Oregon with family. We were able to attend the 50th wedding anniversary of my wife's parents, Dr. Paul and Jan Jones. We talked a lot about family heritage, raising families in the church, serving Jesus Christ, and following God's call on our lives. We were also able to attend the high school graduation of my nephew, Stuart. Pretty cool stuff.

I guess that is part of what I love most about summertime. It gives many of us with families an opportunity to slow down a bit, if we choose. We can rest a little, read more, take time to call an old friend, make plans to see loved ones, and reconnect with friends. I also like summertime, because as an educator, it gives me a chance to reflect and in many ways begin fresh with the new school year. I like new beginnings and I love re-connections.

I hope that if you're able this summer that you've had or will have a chance to connect with family and friends, but most importantly with Jesus Christ. Just yesterday at church, I challenged the sixth grade boys in the small group I taught to use the summer as a time to establish the habit of daily time in God's Word, the Bible. I'd like to challenge each of you in the same way. Let this summer be a time when you connect with God in church, spend some of your radio or iPod time listening to Christian music, read your Bible, attend a Christian camp as a family, or spend a day enjoying God's magnificent creation.

Whatever this summer holds for you, I hope and pray that you are able to include God in your plans. Have a safe and wonderful summer in the Lord.