Mark 2:27 – Jesus finished by saying, “People were not made for the good of the Sabbath. The Sabbath was made for the good of people.

Gratitude Day 749

This weekend is the official/unofficial state or summer.

Or at least I think it is.

For those who live in the upper Midwest, we think of summer running from Memorial Day to Labor Day with 4^th of July being the halfway point. Yes, most schools will still have classes next week. But for so many of us who are YEARNING for summer, not wearing a jacket and seeing all shades of green, Memorial Day weekend is when it all begins.

For some, summer is a great time when there is more flexibility. Less scheduling. More open space. But if you have children or grandchildren involved in various activities, well, that might be a different story.

Either way, I know by Labor Day, we will be asking ourselves and others, “Where did the summer go?” because we blinked, and it was gone.

Summer SHOULD be a different rhythm than other times of the year. It should be when we get outside, drink up nature and experience those things that may not be available to us other times of the year. Summer should feel a bit lighter and fun and breezy.

It’s also a time for us to make sure that we are filling our souls with the really good stuff. Sabbath any time of the year is important and necessary. But summer? I pray we see it as an opportunity to find moments when we create space to pause life … and be. Grant ourselves permission to slow down and appreciate the little things that truly ARE the big things.

To help us out (yes, I am including myself here!), I have put together a 2022 Summer Bucket List. It is a list of ideas and possible things you can do this summer to capture those moments that will bring joy and happiness to your life. Many things on the list are nothing fancy or important or big. But they are the things that can remind us what identifies summer as summer. They are ways for us to capture moments of Sabbath even in a busy day or week. These little ideas are ways for us to slow down, breathe in all the goodness summer has to offer and to appreciate every summer day.

Maybe something on the list is not possible or interesting or something you want to do. Skip it! Challenge yourself to add something YOU want to do in the empty lines. Come up with a couple things YOU will find fun and meaningful. Personalize the list and make it work for you and your family.

Something on the list that would be more fun to do with another person? Invite someone. Challenge yourself to get in touch with someone you always want to do something with and never quite find the time. This summer … make the time.

“The Sabbath was made for the good of us.” Jesus says here is that we all need moments and time to step away from life, appreciate what we have and celebrate the blessings of our every day lives. Yes, Sabbath should celebrate God. We can certainly do this in nature, being in company with people who are important to us and doing something that brings joy to our lives. Sabbath does not have to happen inside a building. It happens in our hearts.

Throughout the summer, I’d LOVE to SEE you doing these fun things. When you post a picture on social media, tag me and include #2022summerbucketlist with your post. I’m so excited to see what we all do this summer!

Most importantly … HAVE FUN!

For many fun summer days ahead, I am grateful.

Blessings –

Dianne

Dear God – Already, we are beginning to think of summer vacation and things we want to do. Whether we are traveling far away or not, may we find small and meaningful ways to celebrate summer by seeing it as Sabbath and a way to fill our hearts and souls. Challenge me to create deeply meaningful ways to celebrate Sabbath and summer together. Amen.

If this post touched you, I invite you to share it.