Summertime Planning
Dear Momma,
It’s the end of May and it’s almost summertime. I can tell you that I’m very excited for a little more freedom with my time. This morning I was able to begin my day with a friend from church sharing stories, laughing together, sipping on some Starbuck drinks with ridiculously too many calories, and reading Scripture as the Lord was able to reveal things to me about Him and me through this time together. I sat in my car, rolled the window down, and allowed time for the warmth of the sun to soak into my skin once we said our good-bye’s and headed different directions. These quiet, slow moments immediately took me poolside with my girls and the neighborhood kids jumping into the pool with a great book in my hand.
The days of soaking in His presence and not having a plan for the day are some of my favorite days.
Summertime…
I’m now finally thinking about this summer and what an opportunity of time we have with our girls!
When I think about summer, I think about how many summers I have left with my girls all together and under our roof (God willing) and I begin to pray and ask, “Lord, what are the things you want my girls to walk away with and be equipped with by the time they are ready to leave our home for whatever you have in store for the next part of their journeys? What part of that should we dedicate to this summer?” This has been my question for a while now, since our girls were little. I try to plan with the end in mind.
But, before diving into all of the amazing things we can plan for throughout the summer, let’s consider how He would like for us to use this time. What value is there for our girls if they aren’t getting closer to their Heavenly Father during this time? In Matthew, he reminds us that “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (24:34). When I think about summertime and how to spend that time, I’m reminded to think about the most important things to God. I’m reminded to invest in my girls during this time with the thing that will NOT pass away. Matthew also reminds us of the most important things to Him which are to “Love God with all your hear, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself” (22:36). As we’re thinking about this time together this summer, I want these values reflected in our family calendar. If you’re anything like me, I tend to want to do too much.
I have always desired for my daughters to experience the best summers. During summers, I want our girls to experience the blessing of being able to swim, go camping, travel, and have late nights of BBQ’s and hide-n-seek with neighbors in the dark. I want them to have memories of s’mores with friends around fire pits and slow Sunday’s with brunches after church. Kickball games that get too competitive and boat rides singing along with friends. Shaved ice cones that are melting too quickly while the girls are hanging out. Movie marathon nights. Reading Scripture late into the night until the girls fall asleep. Studies with friends on boat rides. Baking cookies for breakfast because we can and making pancakes at midnight if we want to. Days without a plan or expectations and days without having any entertainment. Uninterrupted time with cousins and grandparents and the yearly family reunion, too.
I want them to see the beautiful world God has created: with train rides through North Carolina, running the TN hills, and dipping their toes into the sand. Visiting historical places. Learning something new. Trying something for the first time. I want them to experience more of His presence. I want summertime to be special and memorable, and I believe they have been. I believe they have been because I believe we continue to invite the Lord more into our lives and asking what He wants this time to look like. There’s just something special about summer.
When the girls were young, we were able to do pretty much everything they wanted because it usually meant trips to the park, snow cones, library time, chalk and scavenger hunts through the neighborhood with friends. Of course their lists adapt over time, but they also stay the same in many ways. Can I just say it’s so cool being a mom and having the blessing and opportunity to raise these girls?
Last summer, outside of all of the amazing summertime experiences, one of the ‘new things’ my girls experienced was learning how to sew. For about three months, a couple of times per week, the girls went downtown and learned alongside 10 other girls and women. It was laid back, different, and fun. They were able to meet ladies from all over the city. It was also a new skill, a new trade they were able to walk away with. They were able to make multiple pieces and felt confident doing something they hadn’t before.
This type of experience doesn’t take a ton of time, it just takes intentional planning on the calendar to expose our girls to cool experiences and opportunities. One of the first thoughts my youngest daughter had after this experience was to create a special blanket for my parents. You never know how God will use the new skill to bless others.
Momma, make time for her to learn a new skill.
The summer before, the girls learned sign language in a class that lasted a couple of months. They were in a class with two teachers: one was hard of hearing and the other was deaf. From the very first minute to the last, there wasn’t a single word spoken verbally. The girls learned a new language and skill set. One of the coolest things I’ve learned is that as our girls are exposed to learning a new skill each summer, we have no idea how that new skill will be a blessing for others and His Kingdom. One day, about a year later, my youngest jumped in the car after school and began talking about her day. She shared about a compliment a teacher gave her and it brought the biggest smile to her. I asked her what the teacher said and she said, “Mom, the teacher came over to thank me for talking to Jackson because there aren’t any other kids talking to him during recess usually.” I asked her why. She said, “Well because he uses sign language and everyday I go up to him to talk to him in sign language. I’m not great at it, but I know enough to ask him some questions.” Wow God. Wow. My heart.
Mommas, as we continue to pray about equipping our girls, we have no idea how God will use these tools to be a blessing for others. It’s important for us to be in the quiet place with Him to hear about these plans. Let me tell you that I have never been in a class like this before. I didn’t even know it existed. This idea wasn’t my own. It’s amazing where He will take you and our girls, if we simply start by listening to Him.
If you’re like me, I tend to want to do all of the things. If you’ve learned like me, that doesn’t always go too well. As you’re planning for summer as well, let’s keep these suggestions in mind to make sure this is time well spent:
Sit with the Lord and ask how He would like us to use this time to foster growth with our daughters’ personal relationships with Him.
a. Our girls can travel the world and learn all of the new skills, but if they don’t have a personal relationship with the Lord, what does it matter?
b. Lord, what do you want the girls (and me) to know about you and experience with you before this summer season ends?
Sit with the Lord and ask about other friends that can join our daughters on this journey of learning more about Him.
Sit with the Lord and ask Him to provide us with ideas of experiences/new skills He’d like our girls to have that will be a blessing for them and others.
Write out the things you desire to do with the time you have with your girls this summer. Identify the ‘big rocks’ of important things for your family.
Ask your daughters to write out how they’d like to use their time during this summer.
Talk about it as a family. Pray about it together. Put it on the calendar.
a. We don’t cram everything in. We plan for rest. We plan for the desires the Lord allows us to experience and then we plan for the ‘new things’, too.
Summertime is almost here. It feels like they always go by fast. Be intentional with this precious time, Momma. It will go fast.
Let’s turn our Eyes to Jesus because it’s all for His Glory.
In love,
Kassie Leigh