Nothing on earth that'll get me hummin...

...like a heat wave coming. I come runnin'. Bakin' my tan in the broad day light and every night is a Saturday night..." who remembers my favorite Clint Black song, "Summer's Coming?!" circa 1995? It totally brings up all my favorite teenage emotions and the beauty that is summer when you're a high school youth grouper. Here I am a 30 year old who is still very much a high school youth grouper at heart and I find the start of summer to make me just as giddy! I wrote why in my summer kick off post last year.

(This one may sound similar!) This summer will hopefully, happily hold just as many wonderful moments and changes, in our family and in our students. Ronny will be gone a lot. He'll be preoccupied and busy. He'll work harder than ever and we'll miss him. However, I am so proud of him- so thankful for a husband who loves his job and is so good at it. So thankful for a godly husband who chooses God's will for himself and our family over making a lot of money doing something else. I'm thankful for a God who continues to provide for our every need and many, many of our wants. And even allows us to sometimes provide for other's needs as well.

The summer is unlike any other 3 months out of the year. For one, it is so freaking hot as the sun attempts to suck the very life from us. On the other hand, the heat and humidity are actually comforting reminders of home and of the season that changes lives-- that changed mine as a teenager and keeps changing teenagers, through my husband, his planning and hard work, and of course first and foremost through the power of the Holy Spirit. :) Summers are never better than spent with a church youth group. I genuinely believe that! (else we wouldn't still do what we do!!) Here's why in the form of a run-on sentence with periods placed sporadically to separate thoughts: teenagers need each other. they need the friendship and community just to make it. they need protection in the form of their parents and the church. and if they aren't getting it from their parents then they really need the church. they need fun activities to keep them out of trouble and to teach them that following God is WAY more fun than following the world. they need service and worship opportunities to teach them of a world bigger than themselves and of a God who loves them and has great things in store for their young lives. they are our future you know and i love them so much. i believe, strongly, in youth ministry. this is also merely my opinion. maybe i can get my husband to post his thoughts on the matter on here sometime! (well, Love?)

Of course at this stage of my life, I find summers to be pretty wonderful to be spent with a 3 1/2 year old and 18 month old who LOVE life and are excited by everything their mother does for them. Kids who love the water hose and back yard pool. Kids who love to stay home with mom and watch TV and chill when the outside temp is unbearable. Kids who really love each other and fill my life with joy unspeakable. Yep, being 16, going to camp, mission trips, spending every waking moment with my youth group -- was incredible. How I still treasure those friendships and memories. But as I sit hear thinking about it, my days are still filled with magic- just a different kind! I wouldn't trade this day with my kids for anything.

Well, maybe I'd go back to just one day-- it was pretty fun back then! Meg, Vanessa, Angie, Lindsay, Amber, Dawn, Cory, Tim and Chad... if you by chance read this, who's up for a late night run to Sonic for "screw finals summer kick-off"?!