When I was growing up, I loved summer. I counted down the days, hours, minutes, and seconds until school was over. I’m sure you can guess many reasons why that was the case. No school, no homework (until I got into AP classes in high school), freedom, fun in the sun, time with friends and family, vacations, weddings, graduations, birthday parties, and so much more. What might come as a shock, though, is that none of those were the main reason I loved summer. The main reason I loved summer was this: nothing was going on. Now, you’re probably saying, “You just listed several things that you do during summer. What do you mean nothing was going on?” Yes, many things happened in the summer. Lots of things. However, my life slowed down drastically. Nothing was due next week, no big test to prepare for, no soccer practice to attend for hours on end, or anything of the sort. The biggest decision I had to make on a given day was when I was going to call my friends to hang out, or what I was going to eat for lunch. I loved summer because it was a time to experience a more relaxed pace of life. And here in Southern California, that can be hard to come by.
Life as a student has drastically changed over the years. I have only been out of high school for ten years, and I can confidently tell you that the workload and stress that students have in schools today is far greater than anything I have ever experienced. Some Junior High students have more work in one class than I had in some of my college classes. Something I have noticed with students in Rooted is that when summer hits, they enjoy the more leisurely activities we usually do during summer. Our Summer Night Live (SNL) events are always exciting and fun for students. They get to let loose, have fun, and just be teenagers for a little while. That is ultimately why I loved summer: no outside pressures.
With that said, I don’t want to give the wrong impression. Hard work is a good thing. It’s necessary for the Christian life. Paul reminds us of that in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12. However, resting from work is also important. God rested after He made the world and everything in it. He enjoyed His creation (Genesis 2:3). The Law required a day of rest, to focus on what God has done for His people. Students work hard all year long for good grades, sports teams, and more. Summer, in my opinion, could be an excellent time of rest for your students and your family. One thing I did not do much during the summertime was spend extra time with my family. If we did spend time together, it was not intentional time. That is one thing I wish my family valued more, and I encourage you to do this with your family. The goal is to do this year-round, but it can be tricky to find the right time for it. During summer, when your students are out of school, is a great time to make it happen. They cannot use school as an excuse not to hang out with you and do fun things! When you have that time with your students, here are four things I want you to keep in mind:
1. Slow Down
When I got married, my father-in-law gave me one bit of advice: slow down. It took me a long time to see what that really meant. Now, as a father myself, I get it. This time, when your children live with you and want to spend time with you, it does fly by. My daughters are only eight months old, and it feels like yesterday that we were just finding out that my wife was pregnant. The old saying, “the days are long, but the years are short,” is very true. Summertime is a great chance to slow down and do things you do not normally get to do during the school year. It is tempting to want to look forward to the next thing on your list or the next event coming up. My encouragement to you is to live in the moment with your children and not look so quickly at what comes next.
2. Have Fun
Summertime is meant to be fun! Do fun things with your children. Go to the park, go to the beach, go to the movies, go to a theme park, go camping, take a road trip, stay home and have a movie marathon of the Lord of the Rings (extended versions of course) all day long, and anything else you can think of! The possibilities are endless. I still remember the fun times I had during my summer breaks. Sometimes, I cannot remember exactly what I did or where I was, but I remember who I was with, and I know that those times were a lot of fun. Go make your own fun memories!
3. Encourage Well
Our God is one of encouragement. He encourages His people through His Word, His teachings, His love, and even through other people in the body. You have a unique opportunity to encourage your children like only you can. God knew His plans for your children before the beginning of time, and He chose you to be their parents. You know them like no one else does. Encourage their giftings and help them to grow where they lack strength. I used to work so hard for my parents' approval. I tried to be the best student, the best soccer player, the most helpful person in the house, and much more. I did all that because I wanted them to be proud of me. I’m sure in some way, shape, or form, your children feel that way too. Encourage them by saying how proud you are of them. Tell them you love them and show it too, which leads to my last encouragement for you.
4. Love Like Christ
Jesus not only told his disciples about his love, but he showed them in very tangible ways. Primarily, dying a brutal, criminal death in their place. However, he also showed his compassion when people were sick, dying, or even already dead by healing them. He showed he would provide for the hungry by feeding them. He showed people forgiveness when they sinned against him, and he never retaliated. We get a unique insight into the heart of Jesus in Matthew 11:29b, “for I am gentle and lowly in heart.” He was humble and loved perfectly. While we will never reach Christ-like love, ask the Lord to lead you to love like He loves. When you love your children like Christ, they will see Christ. And that’s the best part of being a parent, that we have an amazing opportunity to show Jesus to our children. And the best way you can do that is by spending intentional time with them.
Summer used to be just a fun time for me to relax and enjoy the ease of nothing on the docket. However, now I see summer as a great opportunity to do something unique with my own family, and I pray that you will feel the same way. Brothers and sisters, I am praying that this summer we, as the body of Christ, can love our families well. If we start now, I believe we can continue to do intentional things together throughout the school year as well. If this momentum continues, I wonder how future summers could look for all our families. Summer can truly be the best time of year, if we make it that way.