Too Busy?

What a beautiful day it is. I am sitting at my desk wondering how I could go outside and enjoy this and still get my work done. Sermons do not write themselves. Summer for me is longed for. I grew up in a much warmer climate in Carolina. Going to the pool and beaches was a welcome summer activity. You can actually enjoy the beach well into October. Susan and I took part of our honeymoon to the Myrtle Beach area during October. The weather was great and the water was still warm enough to swim in.

Now that I have lived here in Wisconsin for the last 22 years I have grown a little thicker skin. When the family went to Florida at Christmas time (thanks to God providing free airline tickets due to being bumped) my son, Grant, and I braved the ocean water. Yes, it was cold, but not so bad once you got used to it. Of course we were the only people in the water.

Well the point I am getting to is that often our summers here in Wisconsin get so busy because we try to pack so much into them. They are relatively short you know. We plan all our recreation and vacation. We plan all our outdoor projects. Everyone invites you to graduation parties, cookouts, sporting events, family get-togethers, etc. How do we fit it all in? We get so busy that we don't have time for the spiritual things that are most important. We don't take the time to slow down and enjoy the summer with the wife and kids. Like it has been said, "if you don't schedule your time, someone else will."

I encourage you as well as myself to enjoy the outdoors and schedule as much time as possible with God and the people you love. That is what it is all about anyway. May the Lord Jesus give you wisdom to say "NO" to some things and do what they do in Carolina -- sit out on the porch and sip some sweetened ice tea. Of course make time for your church, too. See you this Sunday.