Welcome to the One Word at a Time Blog Carnival on Summer. We’re so glad you’ve stopped by!
Please add your link to the widget below**… then enjoy what others have written as well.
Upcoming dates/words:
July 27 – Ego
Aug 10 – Laughter
Aug 24 – Children
**After you add your info, please refresh the page. If your post does not show up, please try again… make sure your email is provided and NO typos. If it still doesn’t work, send me an email or DM with your info, and I’ll manually input it for you. (Post title, email, url) Every now and then the widget acts up for certain people (you know who you are) and I’m happy to assist.
One Word at a Time…Summer
Yesterday I sat on our deck enjoying the sunshine. I got to thinking about how happy it makes me to feel the warmth on my skin. I sat there with my eyes closed, letting my Vitamin D deficient body soak in all the rays that I’d been craving.
Summer has always been my favorite season. When I was younger I couldn’t wait for summer vacation so I could spend time by the pool and at the beach. I loved going to Huntington and meeting my friends by the pier.
Now I love the fact I get to spend more time with the kids and their friends, doing all the fun things that teens like to do. I thought of how blessed I am, even when I don’t feel like it. No matter how rough things are, there are so many who are in much worse situations.
Here are a few things that come to mind when I think of summers, both past and present…
Then God said, “Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear.” And that is what happened. God called the dry ground “land” and the waters “seas.” And God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:9-10
Waves crashing on the shore, the sound of seagulls, and the hot sand squishing between my toes. Looking out across the vast sea in awe of the beauty of God’s amazing creation.
Seeing footsteps in the sand, a symbol that I’m never alone… that when I need Him the most, God carries me until I can walk on my own.
But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.
Matthew 9:14-15
The breeze gently blowing in the trees… the sound of carefree children laughing and playing. Their innocence and honesty a beautiful example of how God wants us all to be, and a perfect model for us to imitate.
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:6-7
The excitement of setting up a lemonade stand as a child. The serenity of relaxing in a lounge chair sipping lemonade as an adult. Casting all your cares and worries aside… knowing that our Father will bless us and comfort us in all situations.
Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Barbecues with friends and family. Delicious food, drink, and of course yummy s’mores! Knowing that in times of troubles there are others who will share our burdens, and pick us up when we fall.
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Spiritual Blessings
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. Ephesians 1:2-4
Summer reminds me of all the blessings God has given to me. The best part is that these are tiny gestures compared to what lies ahead for us in the future.
{ 7 trackbacks }
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
The smells of summer, too — salt air, sand — and the tastes – homemade ice cream (vanilla!). Vacation Bible School. Day camp. Vacations to the beach or the mountains. it all comes back.
Every time I feel a little too hot, I need only think of Michigan winter and I have no complaint. Summer is a fine thing.
Thanks for hosting, Bridget!
The beach! I love the beach! And somehow, it’s the one place I go to meet God and always hear him loud and clear. Great thoughts and great scriptures to go along with them. Thanks, Bridget
I love your perspective here, Bridget. I struggle with comparing my hectic summers now with the more idyllic ones of my past. That said, there’s so much to appreciate about summer now…like the gorgeous yellow swallowtail butterfly the kids and I spotted last night in the garden!
I’m with Kat — by the water’s edge, I hear God and feel the Divine within me and all around me.
Ooops — I hit submit too soon!
And I love how you’ve taken images and Bible verse to create a picture of summers past and present.
Thanks for being such a gracious host.
I love the scriptures you put with your memories. Thanks for hosting the carnival today…happy Summer!
I love all of those parts of summer…wonderful post!
You were one of those Huntington Beach girls, huh? I’m going to need to eye you suspiciously now. It was always the Balboa Pier for me.
Summer was work-filled and often a trying time on our farm, but to sneak in a quick drive down to the swimming hole of Fan Lake after a long days work was amazingly freeing. Or when someone came out to the tractor to bring drinks and food(and company for a few minutes) was something to look forward to. It’s always been the simple things that bring happiness to me.
Summer = magic to me.
I have lived many versions of summer in my life, but for me it will always mean water, heat, light. The most basic elements of God’s creation, intended to remind us once again just how powerful, and how ELEMENTAL his presence is.
This was a fun one to do. Thanks Bridget!!
So many wonderful blessings to celebrate and be thankful for. Thank you Bridget. Great post…
I love the beach too, but I “only” have mountains. And prairie.
Doesn’t matter where we are geographically or in life. God is always there!! Thanks for the reminder!
And thanks for hosting the carnival. I plan to join as often as possible!
Thank you for hosting the Carnival once again.
Summertime is so full of memories. I am sure because we spend the summers with our children.
Your lemonade stand reference is great. I have downed many a paper cup of weak or sour or overly sugared lemonade in the course of supporting small business. I always stop and always pay at least four times the advertised price. If in the car, I wait until I am out of sight before pouring it out. SHHHHHH… don’t tell.
Today I visited my old house, inhaled the fragrance of the railroad ties across the road, and waded at the edge of the lake I grew up on. Memories. I love summer.
Thanks for all of your posts, comments, and encouragements. I love hosting the carnivals!
I just wanted to let everyone know that I haven’t been RT’ing all of the individual posts as they come up on Twitter, because I inevitably miss someone and then I feel terrible. I just keep tweeting the whole carnival to get people to stop by.
Can’t wait to see you all next time. Invite your friends!
Your words, “The excitement of setting up a lemonade stand as a child” made me especially smile
, Huntington Beach? My husband grew up in Hawthorne and attended Lutheran High. There is something special about growing up as Cali girls and then raising our children in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, the best of both worlds.