Right about now, I start to imagine what "summer me" might look like.
It feels like a sacred whisp of time between the regular season of life and the turning of a page to the golden summer months. Summer invites possibilities, getting out of yourself, and exploring the world. I begin to ask myself questions like, "what adventures do I want to have? What experiences would I like to plan? What summer traditions do I want to revisit?"
Sleeping under the stars, spending time on the water, learning to fish, or meditating in nature all feel like things that "summer me" longs to do. All great things. But more than activities on a calendar, today I came across a question that invited me to swim into deeper waters. Summer pun intended.
In his book, "Undistracted", Author Bob Goff asks a hard but good question that stuck with me this week.
"What are you doing to remind yourself of who you want to be?" Bob Goff, Undistracted, pg. 18
This question invited me to move past doing good stuff. Instead, do on purpose great stuff. Certainly, a lot of our days are filled with things we have to do like laundry, paying bills, and working. But there are also some sparkly moments where we get to choose how we spend our time for higher, deeper, better reasons. What will we do with those ones?
In John 10:10 ESV, the scripture quotes Jesus who shares, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." What I love about this scripture is that Christ didn't come so we would have more rules, to be burdened or squelch all the joys of life. He came so we would be free to fully enjoy even more, and with a greater purpose beyond ourselves.
The me I want to be is someone who loves the Lord, loves life, and lives it abundantly for Him. The me I want to be is more open, unafraid, and confident that I don't have to have it all mapped out. Maybe that means letting go of my tightly fisted plans, or trying to control every outcome. More than having a bunch of summer activities on the calendar, I want to grow deeper in understanding of the Creator who made me. And reminding others of the vast love that He has for them too. More than a bunch of cool activities, that kind of summer would be time well spent.
Bob Goff always has such great words of wisdom, comfort, affirmation....I've not read his books but this one sounds like a get. Thanks, Cara. Your idea of summer is the best I've seen.