It’s finally summer! Time to put away those rain boots and slip on those favorite flip-flops! (Although if you’re a California resident like me, there wasn’t much need for the rain boots this year!)
I don’t know what summer means to you. When my kids were little I looked forward to freedom from the morning schooldays craziness. You know what I’m talking about:
“Where’s your backpack? What do you mean you can’t find it? You just had it!”
“Today is school picture day? TODAY? Why am I just finding out about this as I drop you off at school? Your hair, your outfit–oh my goodness!”
Can I get a witness? And my favorite thing about summer was being able to sleep in. I am NOT a morning person! For the years I homeschooled my two youngest kids, the best thing about it was sleeping in every day! (No need to chastise me, I long ago resolved my guilt for sleeping late on mornings after keeping my kids up past midnight, when my husband was a youth pastor.)
Maybe you have spent all winter in survival mode:
- Have you lost hope of ever getting to the bottom of that laundry pile?
- Are the attitudes of your kids so far out of control, you are not sure how to get them back on track?
- Has getting your kids to do their school work, or trying to entertain your little ones indoors, because it’s been too cold to play outside, put you into a dormant mode?
It’s time to change out of those sweat pants and BREAK OUT OF THAT COCOON. God has plans for you! You can find all kinds of opportunities to let God work through you this summer! Maybe it is to be involved at your church’s VBS. Or maybe you can be the only mom on the block who will let all the kids come over and play in the sprinklers, eat otter-pops and peanut butter sandwiches (most kids don’t care if your snacks are cheap, they’re just happy someone cares enough to throw some food at them!)
Do you realize how many children long to have a mom in their life who will take time to listen to them, encourage them, cheer them on in their pursuits? Some of my greatest opportunities in life have been to mentor kids who the Lord brought into our home through the friendships of our children.
BE INSPIRED!
If you have a relationship with Christ then you can know from God’s promise in Ephesians 2:10, He has ordained to do specific things through you that even YOU wouldn’t believe–And I don’t want you to miss them!
And if you do not yet have a relationship with Jesus you have no idea what a fantastic renewal awaits those who are in Christ! Take a moment to ponder these incredible truths:
The Creator of every tiny wildflower created YOU as well. And Jesus said if God cares about the lilies of the field how much more does He care about you? (See Luke 12)
God knows your name. And He is more interested in building up the character of the kids you are raising than you are. Seriously, take a moment to ponder this incredible concept.
In light of this amazing truth, King David of the Bible spoke what is often my heart’s cry to The Lord: Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far (I Chronicles 17:16)?
THERE IS HOPE. No matter how passive you may have become through the winter, there is hope for you to become ALL that God intends for you to be! Consider Lamentations 3:21-23 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. BUT GOD who is rich in mercy, does not keep record of our wrongs – His mercies are new every morning – isn’t that amazing?
Here you are, maybe beating yourself up over those ten extra pounds you put on during winter’s hibernation, and God is mercifully calling you to live a life that is far above the trivial issues of daily life.
“Your [kid’s] generation longs to see what genuine Christianity looks like. They are aching for someone to lay down all the trivial cares of life and show them, by example, what it really means to live for Christ. Your [children] can come to understand the infinite importance of surrendering their future to the Lord if they see you living with total abandon for the Lord. And through your example, your [kids] can learn to joyfully expect the Lord to direct their future as well… Your willingness to lay aside anything that besets your passionate pursuit of Christ and His leading will not only set an example for your [children] to follow, but create an appetite in them to do the same. To make a lasting impression on your [kids], you must be set on fire by the single most glorious purpose of life––to know Christ and joyfully exhibit His greatness in all areas of life!”*
As a faithful, loving Father, He is calling you and I to more than just survival. Apathy is our enemy. Let summertime inspire you to renew your passionate pursuit of Christ. And allow the free time you enjoy on summer break to be time The Lord can do through you what He has planned.
Remember, God says, I know the plans I have for you (Jeremiah 29:11). If you sit quietly and listen, above the gentle spring breeze, you may hear His still small voice whispering in your ear.
*Excerpt Moms Raising Sons to Be Men (PG 187-188)
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