It’s almost time to celebrate the 4th of July and take a moment to breathe in the reality of what a privileged life we have as part of an independent nation. More than two centuries of leaders, military personnel and a consensus among U.S. citizens have kept Independence Day intact on the calendar.
Along with a lifetime of gratitude and appreciation, I hope to always do my part by contributing positively and productively as a citizen and help guide others to do the same.
As we hit this halfway point of the year, it’s a good time to pause to take inventory of the gifts we’ve been given and see how we are doing in the various areas of life.
Summer break brings endless opportunities for fun adventures, travel and a little down time — well, maybe not for the children’s and youth ministers among us.
In church life, June and July are bustling times with Vacation Bible School, missions trips, student camps and lots of weekly activities for the kiddos.
In convention life, the SBC Annual Meeting consumes a good amount of time in May and June, followed by lots of regrouping in July. You’ll find coverage from the recent meeting throughout this edition and can find our full report online at thebaptistpaper.org/sbc2024.
Outside of church and convention life, young families are moving through the season at a breakneck pace attempting to balance summer trips with camp experiences, sports activities and shuttling kids to friends’ homes or the local pool.
Looking ahead
Summer also provides an opportunity to catch up with extended family and friends, especially those we only see at the holidays and during the summer.
So far, Jason and I have spent time with family in Jefferson County, throughout Franklin County and in north Georgia. We also had a fun visit with family from Florida and Arkansas when they stopped by on their way through Alabama.
Looking ahead to the second half of summer, we are hoping to see our South Carolina crew soon and make our way up to Florence and down to the coast for time with other family members.
One thing I’ve learned is if I don’t intentionally make the effort to protect my schedule for these visits, then time truly will get away from me. Each day brings a fresh opportunity to triage all we’ve jotted down on our to-do lists while balancing the unexpected moments that most certainly will surface.
It’s also a time to show grace and understanding as those around us attempt to do the same.
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