She Magazine JULY 2016 | Page 22

Drea Frondorf staff writer THE SPIRIT OF Childlike Summers W e are in the midst of full blown summer heat in South Carolina and that can be a bit intense. However, so can the fun activities, food, beaches and friendships! Some of my favorite things this time of year make the heat bearable, from fresh grown fruits and vegetables, to beautiful friendships, from enjoying those candle-lit porch nights to wind-blown beach days and chasing sunsets. I just LOVE a Southern summer! These little etchings of summer enjoyment are what make me smile as the long, hot days consume us during this season. As a child, the anticipation of summer vac ation was just as exciting as dreaming about Santa coming to town at Christmas, but probably more so! Summer actually offered a break from everything - schoolwork, studying, and routines. There may not have been gifts under the tree, but there were gifts of lemonade stands, ice cream parties, late night sleepovers with friends, day trips that led to exciting adventures and nights of laughter. As we grew up, however, some of our summertime may have been replaced with summer jobs, some routine, and responsibilities. The enjoyment of summer can still continue into adulthood, though, if you hold onto your sense of adventure and fun! As an adult, we try to incorporate a lot of our fun childhood memories into our adult reality in as many ways as we can, don’t you think? I believe the greatest lessons to learn from childhood and bring into our adulthood are being able to stop, take time to enjoy the moment, and create a little bit of fun each and every day! Life can get so monotonous and routine as we’re reaching work deadlines, volunteering our services, grocery shopping, cleaning, paying bills, etc. Taking a “time-out” during your tedious-filled days can bring about that childlike sense of play and enjoyment that I think we all seek and often don’t get enough of! If you read Matthew 18:3, it says: “And He said: Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.” It continues in verse 4: “Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven.” What a relief to know that even God gives us that “hall pass” to be childlike! Seriously, though, there is a great deal of freedom in those verses if you understand what they are instructing us to do. When we become that “childlike” person, we can have a sense of playfulness in our hearts as we recognize our own “helplessness” to control some of life 24 JULY 2016 and embrace that dependence and devotion to a Father who will never let us go. We can run and play and laugh and enjoy because we understand who is really taking care of us. We can experience freedom in our humility of submitting to our Father. When we become like children, we are able to “let go” of some of our burdens and take in some personal gratification of simple pleasures. Yes, we have to work and pay bills, but we have the freedom to enjoy the journey of our own responsibilities, too. We are adult enough to appreciate how the smallest of enjoyments can mean the most as we navigate through our lives. This “hall pass” does not mean we get the freedom to do whatever we like all the time, there are consequences we experience from that. But, we have the choice and opportunity to embrace life for all of its goodness while we live it. The sunshine of summer can beat down on us and offer a vitality and adventure to seek things in a new way, as children often do. The extended sunlight we get to enjoy is actually psychologically healing, too. As I was out power-walking with my friend the other day, she looked up at the sunshine, held up her arms and exclaimed, “How can you NOT feel good with this sunshine beating down on us?” She went on to comment about how our mighty God is always with us each day, as He gives us the sun that actually has healing capabilities and makes us feel good! AMEN! Southern summers can have incredible implications to setting us up for the following season of fall, when all things change, too! We have the ability to grow as we bask in the summer sunshine of heat, yet enjoy the refreshing salty air of the beach; we can melt away the challenges of yesterday as we embrace the simplicity of porch nights with warm breezes; we can grow and thrive as we tend to our gardens and feed real health into our lives. All in all, I hope you can experience this season of summer and take in the ability to be converted into a child with that childlike faith. I hope you are able to embrace and enjoy the smallest of things, for these small things often mean the MOST! I hope you can take time to collect moments, not things, and enjoy the simplicity and beauty of them. Remember to cherish the people, the moments, and the experiences as you indulge in your summer pleasures. If the summer heats gets too unbearable, though, step back, grab that refreshing lemonade or tea and take a timeout on the porch as you breathe in, knowing that the sun might be burning off what needs to be released and heating up something new in your life! SHEMAGAZINE.COM