Well, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed but summer is upon us.  At our house, we’re in field day and year-end party mode.   And, it is all happening too fast.  Camps are scheduled, getaways are planned.  I’m truly thankful the sun is no longer hiding behind the clouds.  The birds are singing loudly.  And this season is calling my name, summer is here!

Whether you care for younger family members like I do or older family members like guest blogger Katie does, the transition to summer may be encouraging to you as well.  No matter your schedule or your life stage, there is just something about summer that invites us to slow down and savor.  Maybe it is the ripe delicious strawberries or the juicy watermelon.  Maybe it’s my love for the water and the sounds of those birds.  Maybe it’s simply the combination of many of God’s precious gifts that return each summer.

Traditionally, the Bible study group I’m part of has not met in the summer.  But, this year we are planning to gather for fellowship (even if it is just once this season) and simply savor our time together.  Savoring seems appropriate for summer, doesn’t it?

Before the moments slip by and the fall weather of the next season arrives, let’s just savor for a little while.  Let’s not miss the current season God is placing before us and get distracted by our commitments, our responsibilities or our plans.  It is true that the season of life we’re in will soon fade.  That child will be grown or the parent may be gone and so all we can do right now is savor the current season.  That is what I will strive for this summer (and enjoying those delicious strawberries while they last).

What is this season of summer calling you to savor?  Are you savoring healing, mourning, dancing, laughing or embracing?  What is God showing you in this season?

 There’s a season for everything

 and a time for every matter under the heavens:

 a time for giving birth and a time for dying,

 a time for planting and a time for uprooting what was planted,

 a time for killing and a time for healing,

 a time for tearing down and a time for building up,

 a time for crying and a time for laughing,

 a time for mourning and a time for dancing,

 a time for throwing stones and a time for gathering stones,

 a time for embracing and a time for avoiding embraces,

 a time for searching and a time for losing,

 a time for keeping and a time for throwing away,

 a time for tearing and a time for repairing,

 a time for keeping silent and a time for speaking,

 a time for loving and a time for hating,

 a time for war and a time for peace.

 - Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (CEB)