Summer is almost here and the kids are finishing school. It’s the season for sunshine, fun, swimming, and vacations. I know some of you are worried about summer because you have to plan for your kids, but it’s a time of gratitude. The hectic school season is over and now is the time to relax and have fun with your kids, family, and friends.
Welcome the season with a heart of gratitude
Let’s welcome summer with gratitude. You can trade homework, extracurricular activities, and football games for a pool, homemade ice cream, and sunbathing. It’s the season to enjoy spending time with your children.
Seeing God’s Mercy in Longer Days and Warmer Light
One of the best things about summer is the long days. There’s something about extra light that lifts your spirits and makes you feel more alive compared to the cold, dark days of winter.
As the days get longer, we have more time to see clearly, work quietly, and rest without rushing through our normal daily routines. With more sunlight, you can notice the things you’ve been missing during the harsh winter days: kids laughing and playing outside, your neighbor’s garden coming back to life, and watching a beautiful sunset on your front porch.
These are also signs of God’s goodness in our lives.
An appreciation for rest, renewal, and the rhythm of the Sabbath.
This season also brings a sense of Sabbath rest, renewal, and slow rhythm to our days. I don’t have to wake up early to take the kids to school, so I can get some rest. Renewal comes from refreshing our spiritual lives, pursuing new or long-forgotten hobbies, or visiting with friends and spending some slow time.
Our Sabbath is much more relaxing than the night when we have to rush and get everyone ready for the next day’s work or school. It gives us more time to pause, accept, remember, and rejoice in the Lord.
We express our gratitude for rest, renewal, and the Sabbath in the following ways:
● There is clarity after waking up from sleep.
● We have the patience to step away from the daily grind.
●There is a sense of perspective in silence.
● When you stop trying, you realize that healing is happening.
● Renewal comes from healthy sleep and habits.
● Spending time in nature refreshes us.
●Worship and meditation renew our hearts.
● We renew friendships by laughing and sharing meals.
● We also renew ourselves through music, reading, art, and prayer.
● Stop your regular work on the Sabbath.
● Keep your promises simple.
●Enjoy your meal without having to rush.
These things express rest, renewal, and gratitude for the Sabbath.
Counting the blessings of each day in casual summer moments
Summer has its own soundtrack that allows you to count your daily blessings in the casual moments of summer. It sounds like crickets chirping at dusk, sprinklers splashing, ice cream trucks tinkling, or children screaming and playing in the street. These all form the rhythm of the season. Although mundane, they can provide a sense of place and evoke deeply comforting memories.
The subtle sounds of summer are also important, like the sound of ice cubes popping in a glass or the gentle sound of a ceiling fan during an afternoon nap. These small details anchor us in the moment, remind us that life is happening now, and encourage us to stay in it.
Gratitude in Creation: Lessons from the Beauty of Nature
Summer has a unique natural beauty. The trees have bright green leaves and flowers. The grass is a fresh emerald green, and at night you can see every star in the clear sky. Trees also provide shade, fruit, and oxygen. The ocean, a favorite destination for humans, regulates the climate and supports countless forms of life. At dawn, birds sing loudly and squirrel-like creatures climb up and down the trees for our entertainment.
As we observe what God has created for us, let us be thankful for the beauty He has given us.
Share blessings with family, friends, and neighbors
Summer is the perfect time to share your blessings with family, friends, and neighbors. Cook an elaborate meal on Saturday or Sunday and invite your relatives over. Have you planted a garden? Share your leftover produce with neighbors and friends. Is there a swimming pool? Invite your child’s friends and their parents to your home to participate. If you’d like, have everyone bring their own food and make it a potluck. Does your child mow their lawn during the summer? Hire them to mow your elderly neighbor’s lawn all summer long. Why not consider volunteering with your kids this summer? There are many ways to celebrate those around you this summer.
Remembering God’s Faithfulness During the Summer
Summer, when the pace of life has slowed down, is the perfect time to sit and reflect on God’s faithfulness. Find a quiet place to be alone with your thoughts and the Lord and reflect on all He has done for you this year. Maybe He answered your prayers in an unexpected way or gave you the strength to get through a difficult time this year.
Get a notebook or journal and write down the prayers God answered this year and their answers. Next, write prayers that are still waiting for answers. After writing down your thoughts, thank God for the blessings in your life and for being faithful in your life to provide you with everything you need.
Practice feeling satisfied as summer plans begin
Summer comes with its own expectations for the season to be “perfect.” There’s an unspoken need to make it memorable, and the pressure is on to book the perfect vacation, have memorable experiences, constantly entertain the kids, and host gatherings. Instead of people returning to their daily lives refreshed, they return burnt out and exhausted. This is not what summer should be like.
In addition to this, many people scroll through social media and see people having perfect vacations with their amazing kids and amazing spouses. Or the perfect hosted gathering with beautiful food and drink presentations. They feel that if we do these things right, we will be happy, free, and fulfilled. All this only leads us into the trap of “complaints” and “keeping up with the Joneses.”
Instead, we need to grab hold of the wheel of contentment and hold on tight. As long as you don’t do anything big and elaborate, you can still have a great summer. Being content means you have to ask yourself, “Would I be at peace in this moment even if everything didn’t turn out the way I expected?” Our answer should be “yes”.
Instead of being jealous of what other people have or are doing, we should be happy with our lives. Envy only breeds comparison and dissatisfaction. Our summers will be great without the extras.
To achieve this…
● Keep a summer gratitude diary.
● List three good things at the end of the day.
● Thank others more often and more specifically.
● Before a meal or event, stop and take in the moment.
Living a life of gratitude as a witness of Christian joy
We can live out gratitude to God in a variety of ways, including:
● Thank God that your prayers were answered.
●Thank you for forgiving me.
● In gratitude, God has given you a community to lean on.
● Be grateful for the lessons learned through hardship.
People notice these things and want to know more about the Jesus we serve.
Summer is the perfect time to reflect on what we are grateful for. Take a moment today to count your blessings.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Choreograph
Carrie Laurence is a freelance writer and author. Her work has been featured in Crosswalk, iBelieve, Huffington Post, and The Penny Hoarder. She is also the author of three children’s books, three pretty romance books, one romance novel, three poetry collections, and one nonfiction book. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking, baking, reading, and spending time with her husband and cute cat, Cupcake. For more information about Carrie and her writing, please visit www.carrielowrance.com.
