This post is part of the Christian Writer’s blog chain. Our theme for July is “Freedom.” I am posting every Wednesday in July on the freedom theme. Follow the links to the right to see what my Christian Writer friends have to say about freedom.
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No more pencils.
No more books.No more teachers’ dirty looks.
School’s out. Summer is here. It’s time to be free!
Do you remember summer vacation as a kid? The chance to sleep in a bit later, waking, not to Mom’s “get up or you’ll be late;” but slowly to the need to push off the covers because the sun has taken over the bedroom and warmed it beyond comfort.
What to do today? Read? Play? Watch cartoons?
Or do the chores Mom and Dad laid out for you. Yes, but there was even freedom there. As long as they got done. And they were usually chores to do outdoors. Or if not, at least they were different; unstructured. There was freedom there. Even in chores.
It was a release from the “gottas.” A rest from the “pay attentions.” An escape from the bag lunch with the carrot sticks that got tossed out with the sandwich edges and zip lock baggies.
This was SUMMER!
For kids, summer is like Sabbath. Work six days, rest one. Sure, kids go to school nine months and rest three. Growing kids need more rest than adults, right?
Or maybe time goes faster for kids. It does from our adult perspective, doesn’t it? Didn’t your kids grow up when you blinked? Yet we’re all still the same as we were 20 years ago. In our mind’s eye.
It must seem like that to God, too. God is never changing; always the same; forever and ever. The 32 short years Jesus spent on earth must have gone by in a blink. And perhaps that’s what got Father God through it—knowing that the short time of pain for Jesus meant good things for the rest of eternity. And freedom for all of His children.
I wonder if Jesus thought of his return to heaven like children see summer vacation. “…no more dirty looks.” Freedom to return to his divinity; return to his Father; return to the Spirit. And wait for our return to Him.
Thank you, Jesus for being our true and good teacher. And thank you for not giving us dirty looks; but for looking on us with love and love only.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for seasons and for the change they bring to our lives. Thank you for times of work and times of rest. Thank you, Jesus for being our teacher and Holy Spirit for being our counselor and friend. Thank you, God for your plan and for the freedom we have in you. Amen.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? What was summer vacation like for you as a kid?
6 comments:
LOL I loved this! Summer was soooo much fun when I was young. Parents had to practically drag their kids inside at night. That's after playing outside all day! Vacation seemed to last forever. We are like-minded one more time, Carol. I have a column coming out in an online magazine that is similar! And I loved thinking about Jesus and how He must have played so carefree. This was a great post. Thank you!
@ Lynn - hey, girlfriend! Glad to hear we are like-minded once more. Let us know when your article comes out.
I imagine those 32 years feel like just a dash in history to Jesus--like the 10 minutes I spent as a high school senior, or the 2 minutes it took to graduate college.
Love this post!
@ Linda - or the 14 seconds it took my kids to grow up!
it seems every time I stop by here Carol comes up with another great one, this is no exception!
Summer vacation? Yep, I want to go back for more... but now enjoy watching the view through the eyes of my grandson and the other children around too.
This one also made me think about heading back to school... how I dreaded it so... but once I arrived it was really ok too... I wonder sometimes if we cling to comfortable and dread the uncertain in that way... just food for thought!
Thanks Carol !!
@ Chris - thanks for the good thoughts. I agree that the dread is uncertain and that's tough. As for being comfortable in my rut...I'm an immovable object.
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