Ahhh... Summer!

          Ever since I started teaching again five years ago,  I have discovered summer again.  Twenty years prior in my business life,  I worked a 60 hour week with a two week a year vacation.  Oh, we got days off for Christmas and New Years and Thanksgiving but the rest of the year... working. Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer. Every day... five days a week and weekends to catch up on reading etc.        
        So now that I am back in the educational world I get to rediscover summer. And its a big deal. Since I am a bit of a workaholic, summer is a really important time for me.  My family jokes that when I am on vacation they have to work.  That's because I have plans. Big plans. To clean the back room, get the yard under control, clean out closets. But that isn't what summer should be about. So I am doing something a bit different this year.  This year Summer is about dreaming. Summer is about watching clouds. Summer is about literally smelling the roses.  Summer is sitting on the porch with a cup of coffee and watching the sun set. Summer is reading a completely frivolous novel. Summer is easy unconfining clothes and lemonade (sugar free). Summer is listening to my wind chimes and watching for my favorite white butterflies that visit my flowers. Summer is going to the beach and going to the zoo and going to visit my mom. Summer is about what life should always be about. Living. Enjoying family.  Enjoying the surroundings I have worked so hard to have.  Perhaps the real question is -  why do I wait until summer to enjoy all that life has to offer?  I believe sunsets happen EVERY day. And here in California flowers bloom pretty much year round.  In my neck of the woods there is a Starbucks on every corner and plenty of books to read.  And do I really have to wear stupid uncomfortable clothes to work?

          I remember my summers as a little girl. My parents both were college teachers so we got the long summers off. And it was off to my grandmother's house in Texas.  We would stay for a month.  A month of swimming and ice cream sandwiches. A month of playing out in her huge back yard while the adults sat in lawn chairs talking into early evening.   We sat in the porch swing in the morning and took naps in the afternoon. We ate barbecue, green beans, gumbo.  And we went to the library and checked out lots of books. It was a time when we weren't all so glued to our computers and TV's.

Lately, we have stopped watching so much television in our house.  And I have discovered music again and the outdoors.  Summer does that.  It gets us back in touch with a different time. And I want to relish every moment.  My newest dream is to live summer all year long.  It is a dream. But I am working on it! What were your summer memories. What will your memories be this year?

God Thoughts: Waiting

In an earlier post I talked about my “talks” with God.   Here is another one I had just a couple of days ago.

P: Hey God.

G: Yeah.

P: You know that big dream I have?

G: Yeah.

P: Well I am having a hard time waiting for it.

G: Uh hmm…

P: Well, you know - it’s going to take such a long time and…

G: Why do you think it’s going to take a long time?

P: Well, it’s just so big.

G: So?

P: So, I mean a lot of things have to happen.  Money things, house things, people things.

G: And?

P: Well those things don’t just happen overnight.

G: Why do you think that?

P: Because that is reality.

G: Whose reality?

P: My… reality.

G: Exactly.

P: So what do you mean?

G: I mean you always live in YOUR reality.  Which is well, very limited.  So of course you think things are going to happen slowly.

P: Are you saying I shouldn’t be realistic?

G: What is realistic? If you mean by REAListic - - your temporal world,  then it is important for you to behave according to the natural laws of the universe. But you have to leave room for ME to move.  If you don’t want me to move – or don’t expect it – why should I surprise you?  I really do try to give you mostly what you want. On the other hand if you have some expectancy… I might surpass your expectations.

P: You mean you could make things happen faster?

G: Sure, if you will let me.

P: How do I do that?

G: You have to have that….little thing called FAITH.

P: Ugh. That again.

G: Well, you have enough faith to be talking to me right now.

P: Yeah, but this could be my imagination.

G: True.  But it COULD be ME.

P: True….

G: Why not pick door number 2? What difference would it make?

P: Well, if you are just my overactive imagination then I will be disappointed.

G: And if I am not your imagination?

P: Well, then I guess maybe, big things could happen.

G: And even if huge things didn’t happen instantly, and if you kept believing and you saw something really occur – what then?

P: Well… it might mean you were more than my imagination.

G: Have I kept my word in the past when I said I would do something?

P: Well, yes, mostly.   Ok. Yes.

G: Have there been things that have happened in your life that you prayed to me about and when they happened it seemed either really coincidental or maybe even actually miraculous?  Yes or no?

P: Yes.

G: One thing, a couple of things?

P: Lots of things.

G:  Not bad for your “imagination”.

P: Ok. You are right.

G: Hmmm.  Seems like there is no downside to a healthy dose of faith.

P: What about the disappointment thing?

G: Well, you’ll just have to wait and see.

P: So we get back to the waiting thing.

G: Has it occurred to you that your dream has already happened?

P: Uh, no.

G: Or is in the process of happening. That what you are living right now IS part of the dream.  The delicious anticipation. The planning. The imagining.  That is a good part of every dream.  I sometimes think the best part. Once you actually have something in the temporal world it is never as wonderful as in the imagined world.

P: Yeah. Why is that?

G: A man’s reach should exceed his grasp. Or what’s heaven for?

P: You didn’t write that.

G: Sure I did. Where do you think ideas come from?

P: Oh. Yeah.  But my dream…

G: It’s happening. Right now.  Can’t you feel it?

P: I don’t know…..  I mean it’s not right here right now. But I can feel how it would feel sometimes when I close my eyes and think about it.

G: Good. Keep doing that. It’s a powerful thing to do.

P; How is it a powerful thing to do?

G: It connects you to Me. And I am connected to EVERYTHING.  When you are connected things work better. Move faster.

P: So while I am waiting … I should….

G: Connect to ME.  And enjoy the whole journey.  Look at the scenery.  Feel the feelings. Make plans.  But leave some room for surprises.  In fact, expect to be surprised.

P: I am not sure I like surprises.

G: Oh, of course you do.  Especially when they are blessings.  Little gifts. Little hints and nudges.

P: I do like those.

G: Look for them.  Open your eyes AND your heart.

P: Ok, Lord.  I love these talks with you.

G: Not nearly as much as I love talking to you. Let’s talk again soon, ok?

P: Ok.