Easy Livin'

It's only the second week of June and already the summer doldrums are setting in. It has been hot this week with temperatures near 100 degrees almost every day.

I realized this week that this is the first time I've had the whole summer off since before I went to work in 1992. What will I do all summer? This reminds me of the long, hot summers when I was growing up. The days seemed to last forever then. I was carefree and ready for anything.

Back then, I could handle the heat better than I can now. I spent hours outside, roaming the neighborhood on my three-wheel bicycle until late in the evening. Sure, it was hot, but I found ways to cool off. One of my favorite things to do was to look for someone watering their yard. I'd wait until the sprinkler came around and then I'd ride through it and let the water soak me. It was so refreshing.

It was even hot at night. In the sultry nights of July and August, we would sometimes sleep on cots in the back yard. A cool breeze would come in the early morning hours and cool everything off. I'm not sure I'd sleep outside now, but the times were different then.

Those were good times. People didn't seem as busy and life so hectic the way it does now. Folks took time to slow down and enjoy life.

We need to do more of that today. People are just too busy. Take time to slow down and concentrate on the things that really matter. Take time just for yourself.

I still enjoy being outside, although now I don't get out in the heat of the day. But in the evenings, when the sun is setting, I like to sit on the porch and watch the world go by. God created all this for our pleasure. Let's take some time to enjoy His awesome creation!