20 Jun Let Us Live Gracefully
Friends, the summer solstice is upon us. On Friday, June 21, those of us living north of the equator will experience the longest day of 2019. Not that this is particularly earth-shattering news. As my house has been flooded with light earlier and earlier each morning over the past few weeks, I’ve known the solstice was approaching. Still, just because it doesn’t catch us by surprise doesn’t mean it’s not worthy of noticing and celebrating.
What is your favorite thing about summer? I’ve been relishing reading on the deck, the taste of juicy peaches and watermelon, hanging baskets of colorful flowers, firing up the outdoor grill, watching baseball games, and taking early morning walks. I am particularly enjoying the slower pace. I’ve actually made a dent in the stack of books that’s been piling up on the shelf. I’ve enjoyed more time for long conversations with folks I don’t often get to see. I’ve had time away. These have been graces that have been restful and restorative. It’s easy to lose sight of how important these seasons of renewal are. We are not made to be “on” or to live at warp speed continually. We need times to ease our foot off of life’s accelerator.
I hope you will experience some grace-filled time this summer. I share this beautiful prayer, trusting it will help you more fully embrace these long days.
Let Me Live Grace-fully
from Guerrillas of Grace
by Rev. Dr. Theodore W. Loder
Thank you, Lord, for this season
of sun and slow motion,
of games and porch sitting,
of picnics and light green fireflies
on heavy purple evenings;
and praise for slight breezes.
It’s good, God, as the first long days of your creation.
Let this season be for me
a time of gathering together the pieces
into which my busyness has broken me.
O God, enable me now to grow wise through reflection,
peaceful through the song of the cricket,
recreated through the laughter of play.
Most of all, Lord, let me live easily and grace-fully for a spell,
so that I may see other souls deeply,
share in a silence unhurried,
listen to the sound of sunlight and shadows,
explore barefoot the land of forgotten dreams and shy hopes,
and find the right words to tell another who I am.
Yours for the Kingdom,
Michelle
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