Summer is here! Well, officially summer does not begin until June 20 at 5:34 CST.  Something about the summer solstice where the earth is tilted in such a way that the sun reaches its highest position in the sky causing the days to be long and the nights to be short.  I do not really understand all that.  Here’s what I know – school is out, we just celebrated Memorial Day weekend and temperatures are rising so for all intents and purposes, summer has arrived!

I look forward to the summer every year. I welcome the sunshine and finding a nice shady spot to sit during the heat of the day.  I relish the cool mornings, days that linger and muggy summer nights.  I crave the sound of an ice cream truck and the aroma of fresh cut grass.  I love thunderstorms that leave the air smelling like a cologne that cannot be replicated.  I enjoy eating cold watermelon and watching a spectacular fireworks display. I love vacations, staycations, and driving with the top down (okay, I don’t have a convertible, but I can pretend!)

Most of all, I like the newness that summer brings. Summer welcomes a change of pace and routine.  My wife and boys are out of school so our daily schedule finds more variation. We are not confined to a set start time to each day and we anticipate staying up late at night. We make random trips to ice cream shops, unique stores, and restaurants we don’t always get to frequent.  We catch movies at odd times.  We experience life in ways that are new from the staleness that tends to creep in during the other seasons of the year.

I challenge you to find the newness this summer can bring. Change up your routine, take advantage of the days that linger and the nights that loiter, take a vacation or be creative with a staycation, find the novel and different in the every day. Do something new! Here are some suggestions:

• Read a book. If you already love to read, find a book from a genre you do not usually read from.
• Read the Bible. If you are already reading the Bible, change it up. Pick a book that you haven’t read in a while or challenge yourself to read through a particular section of the Bible this summer.
• Carve out some quiet time every day to talk to God and listen to what He has to say.
• Take a mini road trip. Stop beside the road and gaze at creation. Find a unique place to eat or shop.
• Get outdoors. Have a picnic. Sit at a park. Dance in the rain.
• Hang out by a fire and make s’mores. Better yet, eat the s’mores (forget that diet)!
• Learn something new. Take up a new hobby or learn a craft you have always wanted to know.
• Join a group. Find a Bible study or community group that will challenge and grow you.
• Find a place to serve. Contact your church, find a place in the community or with your work.
• Start working out. Find a gym. Take walks in the coolness of the morning or late evening every day.
• The list is endless…

Here’s to summer and the new you will find in it!

Ryan