How is your summer going? I think we’ve all been sweating a lot lately as the heat wave travels across the country. It’s also that time of year when everything seems to hit at the same time at my church.

Vacation Bible School is on our church’s calendar next week and some of the same VBS volunteers will also be working to pack and hand out up to 100 bags of food and produce for our monthly food pantry give-away. It’s an exhausting but blessed time. We take our vitamins and do what’s necessary, day by day.

Introducing children to the reality of God’s love for them, and helping to feed hungry families somehow intertwine to fulfill Jesus’ instructions to “do this to the least of these to do it unto Me” (Matt. 25:40). An added bonus is the fun we have with the children, and the appreciation from those we help with food. It really is about serving others, not ourselves.

I hope you enjoy the rest of July. Stay cool and be a blessing.

Sue

(Adobe stock)

What a strange title! I know you’re wondering what in the world this blog post could be about with that lead-in. Well, a thought came to me yesterday and I’m just getting around to sharing it this morning.

As my husband and I were pulling out of the driveway, the garbage truck came noisily lumbering up our street, stopping at each house to grab the trash container and dump it into the inside of the truck. Smelly, discarded trash – garbage – that once was there, now was gone. Most of the inhabitants of the houses weren’t even home to see this transformation happen, but it occurred to me that in the midst of all that is troubling me in today’s world, I should be thankful for the little things that make my life better. Is that a crazy thought or one that could bring me and others peace in a society that often promotes division and strife?

What other “small” things could I choose to focus on instead of the latest headlines, traffic tie-ups, or the 24-hr news cycle? How about hot coffee and a mini muffin to start my day, the excited wet-nose greeting of my puppy in the morning, a cooling breeze in the midst of a scorching afternoon, time with family during the weekend? You get the idea. There are many daily moments in most of our lives that in reality are blessings in disguise if we only realize it. I’m going to try to notice and appreciate them. I encourage you to do so as well.

God bless – Sue

It’s that time of year again when high school and college seniors are walking across the stage, receiving diplomas, and embarking on a different life than they’ve had for most of their lives. It’s an exciting and a bit frightening rite of passage for them and their parents.

This year it’s personal as our grandson will be walking that stage as a high school graduate this week. Soon he will leave for his next educational experience and hopefully fulfill his dream of playing college football. Our family get-togethers will look different and this Grandma will miss those 6’3″ hugs! My prayers go with him.

So Godspeed to the class of 2024 – may you remember that achieving your goals will require hard work, keeping on schedule for your assignments, and lastly, having fun. The next four years will pass quickly; use them wisely.

God bless – Sue

Yesterday I changed the perpetual calendar by my chair from May to June, and it dawned on me that it is indeed almost summer. College graduations are over, many high school ones as well, as the prom and graduation pictures on social media prove, and the bedding plants are enjoying the warm weather. When my husband and I taught school, this time of year held all kinds of relaxing possibilities – travel, catching up on household chores, and restocking our personal reserves with afternoon naps!

What is on your calendar for the next few months? Will you appreciate the summer days and recharge your life? Even though I’m retired, my hectic schedule can stand some extra power that comes from down time. I can finally begin to read some of the books on my “to do” list, try to tackle home chores, and plan for some days away from home during the next few months. I want the summer of ’24 to be a blessing of refreshment for me and my husband. I wish that for you as well.

God bless – Sue

My husband and I just returned from a relaxing camping trip in a beautiful RV park in Virginia. We enjoyed the peacefulness, the beauty of our surroundings, and the recently hatched ducklings swimming in a nearby creek. Even though wifi was available, I didn’t use my devices much. Our camping unit has a TV, but reception was faulty, so we just used a portable radio instead. Lack of visual stimulation was beneficial as we just enjoyed the outdoors, cards with the family members who had joined us, and daily afternoon naps.

It got me thinking that maybe everything that is available at home – endless TV programming and 24-hr news broadcasts, online tablet and phone devices, and the busyness of weekly commitments or appointments – isn’t really good for us. But that’s life, isn’t it! Very few people would choose to work if they had the resources to live comfortably w/o the 9-5 grind, and everything that goes with it. However, we do have the ability to choose what we do when we’re not working. As I mentioned in the title, slower is better, and that applies to our daily life. I’m going to try to follow my own advice. How about you?

God bless – Sue