It’s been a while since I’ve been blogged! May and the beginning of June was a very busy time for me. I think it’s a whirlwind season for everyone, but it seemed more so than usual in my family.

My youngest brother graduated high school on May 25th, and I had a lot of things to juggle with that both as a school staff member and also the family of the one and only graduating senior from our Christian school. The double responsibilities were a lot, but one of my sisters in particular was very helpful in letting me bounce ideas off her, and then a bunch of my siblings and my brother’s girlfriend came together on graduation day to pull everything off. I couldn’t have been more pleased with it all in the end!

Since my brother had no other seniors in his class, he got to choose his graduation theme all by himself. He chose from John 1:27, where John the Baptist said: “He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.” Samuel’s theme was I Am Not Worthy. He chose that because even at a celebration that was meant to focus entirely on him, he wanted to remember the true focus and point others to Jesus Christ. One of the things he said in his senior speech was that people had been telling him that this was his day, but he quoted from Psalm 118:24 that the day was no more special than any other, because “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

I was very proud of my little brother! His words challenged me too, because I confess I don’t mind a little attention being thrown my way. Ha! If you look in the Bible, it is God Himself who sets up feasts and celebrations, and there’s everything good with marking special occasions. Samuel’s focus on the Lord was inspiring, and a good reminder because…

…I had a milestone birthday just a few days after graduation! This birthday was kind of a hard one as it approached, but I decided I really wanted to make it a celebration. Not that I had much of a choice, because everyone around me made sure of it! 😊 I was given not one but two surprise parties, and I put together an ‘official’ party as well, with some of my favorite things and entertainment that I designed to be reflective of me while also being fun for everyone else. I did feel very loved and celebrated. God has given me forty good years to serve Him, and I hope He gives me forty more.

Now summer break has arrived. I feel like this is a season for rest and taking care of myself. It seems like there is change on the horizon, though I can’t specifically name it yet, and after spending more than enough time worrying about it, I feel more settled about God leading the way into the unknown. This moment is one for rest and restoration and renewal. Trusting, praying, waiting for Him, ready to act when He reveals it… and meanwhile soaking in His goodness for a little time apart from the busyness of life. How good that feels!

I hope your summer is off to a wonderful start, and I hope to be back here more often now that the days are less frenetic.

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Image by Jonathan Petersson from Pixabay