Dear Summer,
I’m so glad you’re here. My daughter who is so very literal would remind me that you don’t officially arrive until June 21, but today’s the last day of school for us so I’m welcoming you now.
I almost always have a to-do list near me. If a notebook isn’t physically near me, I’m emailing myself something I want to remember or making a mental list. One of my greatest fears is I will forget. So I make lists.
But I don’t want to forget to live with you, Summer, either.
I look at our calendar and your days are filling up. We’re going to visit my sister and her family 11 hours away in mid-June. My husband, 8-year-old daughter and I are going to serve with a local mission team in Guatemala for a week in July. We have a weekend involving an amusement park and St. Louis Cardinals baseball game planned for later in July.
And, of course, the kids and I want to spend many, many afternoons at the pool with our friends. We want to pack our lunches and explore. We want to eat ice cream and read books.
These big plans mixed with these ordinary days are why I love you, Summer. {Tweet that.} You welcome a break from routine and foster adventure. In an effort to embrace this freedom and truly live with my kids, I want to write a not-to-do list that fosters joy and peace and grace and freedom.
{To read my Summer Not-To-Do List, join me at Circles of Faith today.}
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Oh we are so much alike, my friend. I email myself too! I'm an obsessive to-do list maker. Heading over to read your Summer not-to-do list now :).
Such a great post- thank you!
Thank you, Katie!
Great minds … 🙂 Hope you enjoyed the list, Candace!
I can so relate. Part of my "Embrace the Journey" mantra involves trying to not always be looking to the next thing. When my kids were younger, it was "When summer is over" and then it would be "When Christmas is over" and before you knew it, I would be saying, "When school is out."
I finally realized I was living thinking it would be more tameable and controlled and "to-do-list-able" in the next season. You are way ahead of the game if you are already purposing in your mind to embrace this time of the season and of life.
Thanks for such sweet and beautiful words. You've inspired me today.
Embracing the Journey! Christi
Thank you, Christi, for your kind comment. I'm definitely a work in progress, but this is what God has been teaching me. I'm glad you could be inspired too.
Ha! And I'm just now writing about Spring! My daughter also thinks of summer as the warm season. I'm trying to show her that Spring goes back and forth (for example, last Friday night we had temperatures that dipped into the high 20's). Summer is the season of sustained warmth. Your post reminds me that we should be making plans for those warm days. It's been awhile since I stayed up late enough to watch the stars come out, and awhile since we've had ice cream cones together. Thank you for the reminder that we are privileged to get all four seasons; we choose joy and grace and peace and freedom in them! Hugs! Janet
So glad summer has arrived. I'm still trying to catch up with projects that I wanted to finish before summer. Better get crakin'!
Ah, yes, we've had the back and forth here too, but with the kids' last day of school being today, I'm moving to a summer mentality. I'm so grateful for seasons because as much as I sometimes resist change, it's always good for me soul. Thanks being here, Janet!
I know that feeling too! Glad you're here, Ginger!
First off, I'm entirely jealous! We still have two weeks of school left and I'm counting down the seconds, friend. Though since my son is promoting 6th grade those last few days will be kind of bittersweet and tear filled. But, yes, I was to savor the slow, rejoice that I don't have to pack lunches, and just delight in the fact that I'm blessed that as teachers, we get two months home together as a family!
A summer not-to-do list? Gotta check that one out! Thanks for hosting, Kristin!
Ahh…Summer. I get excited when it arrives because of the much needed break we all need here. Although, summer is full of my busy speaking schedule so I have to work hard to have fun.I am not so good at that one.
I can't wait for the garden work to commence. I am already watching for the seeds to poke through the soil an I can start enjoying the time just setting in the confines of the weeds and the plants enjoying the vitamin D of the sun's light upon our skin.
Thanks for hosting the link up, Kristen!
Blessings,
Dawn
Sounds like you're going to have a good summer, Dawn! So glad you're here faithfully.
Thanks for being here, Ruthie!
My mom was a teacher and my dad a principal so my childhood summers were like that too. I loved it. Hang in there, summer's coming!
I love this so much!! I need to make my own NOT to do list for this season!
Do it! And then share it! 🙂