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
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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!
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