Summer Reflections

Summer is over, well, sort of.  The temperature is still warm, but on the calendar, the first day of Fall is two weeks away.  Labor Day has officially signaled the end of summer.  Along with that, school has started, the school buses are rolling through my neighborhood, and the stores are putting out the fall and harvest decorations.  But like many summers, this summer raced away and was over before I realized what happened.  This morning I found myself yearning to get to my neglected garden.  It seems I do this every summer.  I start out strong in April, planting things and getting ready for the upcoming season, but by the end of June, I'm not so enthusiastic about gardening anymore.  The weeds insist on coming back and as the thermometer rises, my motivation decreases.  But today my garden finally had some attention from me. The thing I like about gardening is that it gives me some time to think, ponder and even pray at times.  I marvel at the tiniest details and find fascination with how these plants continue to grow and produce year after year.  I even enjoy the occasional critter that comes meandering into my garden-- but mostly, I like the quiet.  No phones, tablets or computers calling my name and the laundry and dishes can't find me out there either!  Yeah--it's good.

I had a lot to reflect on this morning.  Last fall, I started pursuing some further education and certification in counseling.  In May, I graduated my third child from high school.  That means I have one left at home that I'm still homeschooling.  My homeschooling journey is almost over and thoughts about the next phase of my life are ever present. In June my husband and I started on a health and wellness program.  That meant some changes in my life and some re-thinking about pursuing that journey.  In July we celebrated our 30th anniversary and sprinkled throughout all of that were relatives' visits, dinners with friends, camps and mission trips for the boys and many other projects around the house.  It was a good summer, full of activity and rest, but now it's time to get back to the routine.

I also thought about the last year and what has gone on.  A year ago, on this blog, I was writing about the aftermath of the worst flood in U.S. history that hit our area.  Watching my friends go through rebuilding, throwing away their things and figuring out how to navigate this part of their life gave me pause.  Seeing a building on our church campus demolished because of the flood, left me speechless.  Yet, watching how God has worked in people's lives in the past year--that was astounding! What I once thought was impossible, I saw come to fruition.  My new catch phrase this year has become, "Let's see what God can do!"  Indeed, God has done, provided and exceeded any expectations I might have had. And in all of this I am learning to set new goals, dream new dreams and reach for the unexpected--not because I came up with these ideas, but because I am
allowing God's dreams and ambitions for me to become the forefront of the path I'm going on.

The apostle Paul puts it this way: "Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3:12 HCSB)  Did you see that?  "I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus!"  You see? As I reach for and pursue the goals and dreams God has in mind for me, I have nothing to fear.  He has me.  He has you...