Summer Blessings

 Summer is suddenly upon us! 


I have heard from many of you about your exciting summer plans. 

I am just as glad as you are that summer has arrived. I look forward to going for a walk, having morning coffee on the deck, and enjoying evening fires with friends. 


Many of our thoughts about summer come from our experience as students. Time is a significant commodity during the school year, with so many activities, sports, classes, and assignments competing for our time. However, in the summer, time becomes easy. Time is not won by labor but exists in surplus, and so it is far easier to waste time.


We may also see Church and Church activities as similar to school and believe that we need a break from that during the summer. People stop attending church during the summer. Hopefully, you do not see your relationship with God as something that needs a break; it is only associated with work.


Those of us who have always lived in a climate with four seasons know the joy and wonder of summer. It is a God-given gift that helps us temporarily change our pace of life. We are entitled to rest—we have earned it—and to all the joy, pleasure, satisfaction, and laughter that attends rest. 


Let me make one recommendation regarding summer and vacations: If you can praise God at the end of your activity, it is probably a good thing. If you cannot praise God for what you did, you may want to consider ceasing to do that activity.


If you can go out for an activity with your friends, then grab dinner and chat about work, church, friends, and family, and it doesn’t seem absurd to praise God in the parking lot before parting ways for the night— then well done. That’s the rest. That’s community. Whenever two or three are gathered in the name of Christ, Christ is there too. If you can identify anything you have done as a blessing from God, carry on with it. 


There are several places in scripture where we see Jesus taking a break, going to the beach or the mountains to be with his friends. Jesus saw those times as a blessing from God. Like Jesus, we should take advantage of them. Like Jesus, we should not see a difference between the goodness of things in this world and the presence of God. God wants to join you on your summer break. God will join you on that camping trip, at the lake, climbing a mountain, fishing, enjoying a boat ride, and whatever else you invite God to participate in. And, if you are still in town, we look forward to seeing you at our outside services at 10:30 on Sunday mornings.


Summer Blessings Rev. Kim

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