What's On Your List?

Have you ever talked about doing something either over the summer or within the next year, but realized you had allowed time to pass and wished you’d done it? My daughter and I have mentioned a few things to do over the summer: We went blueberry picking at a pick-your-own farm for the first time... check... and we went to a few yard sales this past Saturday even though I am nursing a bad summer cold... *sniff cough cough* Summer is quickly coming to an end, and since most yard sales are only on the weekends, I didn’t want to put it off any longer.

I thought the silver spoons, as well as the unique forks, would make a nice addition to our culinary supplies and photo props, since my daughter loves to cook and bake and practice food designing. Not bad for a dollar, huh? I also paid a dollar for the pretty dragonfly pin, and I couldn’t pass up the coffee mug. After all, not only was it free, but it has my new granddaughter’s name on it.

So, what else is on our list for this summer? We’d like to go kayaking, and I’d like to go to the ocean, walk on the beach, feel the sand between my toes, hear the waves crash and the seagulls call, and eat junk food from the boardwalk. What’s on your list?

A Family Is Like a Ship

Yesterday was Memorial Day.  For some it was merely the beginning of summer celebrated with a BBQ, a trip to the beach, or a ride on a boat.  For others it was a day to remember those who have served our country in the armed forces and have given their very lives for our freedom.  And for others still, it was just another day like any other.

This weekend brought to mind an article I'd read several years ago.  Although I don't agree with everything he teaches, I found the article Jumping Ship (Part 2):  Stagnant and Unpromising  by Michael Pearl very intriguing.  He likens the family to a ship with a captain and a crew.  Each ship may be different, but in order to keep its crew, it needs to have a clear purpose with each member involved in fulfilling its mission and reaching its destination.  And it must provide some source of entertainment along with rewarding labor.  If the crew sees other ships passing by that appear to be going somewhere while they just float along or remain stagnant... or if they notice the crews on other ships having fun while they seem to just work or have nothing to do, the captain risks having them jump overboard to join other ships that actually appear to be enjoyably going somewhere.

How's your crew?  Are they looking to book passage on a different ship, or do they have the confidence to believe their ship is going somewhere and doing something worthwhile?

Afraid You'll Miss Something?

Today was Labor Day.  Did you have plans to do anything special or to simply get together with family or friends?  Did you have that one last summer fling?  Or did you feel restless, thinking that everyone else had something to do except you?

I helped some friends do some painting in their pizzeria today.  It was kind of a spur of the moment thing, because... well, my family didn’t have anything planned.  And besides, I couldn’t see my friends doing so much work by themselves, so I offered to help.  It was so nice seeing them again.  My friend, Keith made subs for lunch, and we ate outside on the green in the gazebo.  Then  later, he made three pizzas for me to take home to my family.  Each one was specially made, including one without cheese for my daughter.  He makes the best pizza, and both he and his wife are wonderful people.  Although it wasn’t anything I would’ve planned for Labor Day, I was blessed.

After enjoying the pizza with my family, I wanted to get caught up with other friends and family on Facebook.  I was surprised to see that many others had not made plans for the day either and had been wondering what to do, but isn’t that what most of our lives really look like most of the time?  And it’s not like we didn’t do anything this Labor Day weekend.  Our pastor and his wife hosted a BBQ and ice cream social at their home yesterday.  So why the need to do something today?  Perhaps it has something to do with something our pastor said in one of his sermons:  “Resistance to rest is a mark of immaturity.”  Are we sometimes like two-year-olds who don’t want to take a nap, because we’re afraid we’ll miss something?