Monday, June 11, 2018

Slowing Summer: Day One


Good morning, friends! I'm so happy to be here with a new week of slowing for us to all enjoy this week! I've enjoyed spending time processing these next few days and hope this might be a blessing for you and meet you in a meaningful place as well.

Each day this week, I'll share a few thoughts that were on my mind as I worked through preparations for this and also a slowing idea. There will be a pdf of each day's post also if you'd prefer to print it off and journal through on your own time.

Enjoy!

* * * * * * * * *

As I sat at my parents picnic table with daylight softening and evening approaching, I wrote the words slowing summer to start unpacking what this looks like and where it would take me.

First, I searched "summer" on a Bible search website and a theme that reappeared was this idea of abundance. We read of storing provisions in summer, we read of summer fruit and we see references to the nearness of summer and the fact that God is Lord over the seasons.

So I started thinking more about this idea of abundance. Summer brings us an abundance of time, activities, opportunity, fresh food and delights to our senses.

How do you see abundance in summer?


With this abundance, we really must practice margin, white space and boundaries - we can over-do it. The thing about abundance is it is "plentiful" and "a large quantity" - in certain areas of life - this abundance can be life-giving and in others perhaps overwhelming.

How is abundance overwhelming to you?

How is abundance life-giving?

I think as summer begins, many of us are feeling worn down, weary, burned out and just plain tuckered out.

How would abundance feed your soul this summer? What kind of abundance would feed your soul this summer?


Slowing:

Make a list of things that are on your heart/mind for this summer. Do you have specific goals or things already on the calendar? Pray over this and decide what you want the pace of your summer to be? What do you need? What does your family need?

Print a copy of Slowing Summer: Day One here.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really like this idea. I am on the list of those worn out and burdened and ready for summer "calm". As my tween/teen get older, I really have to be purposeful to carve out time between driving them around and counseling them, as well as prepping for the next homeschool year. It can be exhausting for someone who is an introverted homebody! Thanks for the reminder to carve out time to experience abundance in my own way! I'm going to enjoy this series! :)

Jackie said...

Monica, oh I so needed this right now. I have to be honest here. As soon as I read your first question about how I felt it was not the gift of abundant time,etc. it was overwhelmed and overworked. Because of 2 broken bones last summer and too many rainy days so far this year, my 10 gardens are in shambles. I can's seem to catch up. Not to mention the old body just doesn't work as quickly as it used to. LOL That being said. You have given me a wonderful choice to look at this in a different light. I plan to copy today's ideas, give it over to the Lord and then work out a plan to enjoy the process and summer of slow days.

Mrs. Chrissy T said...

Excited for this. Thank you for your time putting it together.

Heather said...

Thank you for these journal prompts. I have been very burnt out and exhausted and this is just what I needed!!