By Shari McMinn
And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years (Genesis 1:14 ESV).
I love how God created the signs and seasons, days that seem too long while the years fly by too fast. Colorado has such a wonderful outdoor environment with an equal amount of all four seasons across the plains and in the mountains. We have always been an outdoor living family and immensely enjoyed summertime! We also had fun with winter sports like sledding and skiing, spring with landscaping and gardening, and fall with pumpkins and harvest time. But, I remain a summer girl, and my kids are too.
I was always so thankful when the school year ended (May 31st for us). But, unlike I thought it would be, summer was not just one big relaxing vacation because I had kids of all ages, abilities, and personalities! Sibling rivalry, incomplete chores, inappropriate behavior, and just plain old slothful, argumentative attitudes could set-in for three months! Sound familiar? God showed me that after suffering through some difficult years, at least a minimal plan for summer would help. My kids did get bored every summer, and that was good! If they complained, I mentioned I had a list of extra chores they could start on. That got their creative juices flowing with hobbies or creative play and they disappeared for hours!
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