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Lazy Days of Summer
Reality check!?! Summer is flying by and before we know it school will be starting for many. How has your summer gone so far? If you are like me, it has gone fast and been busy. For most of us, it seems our summer weekends are booked long before summer starts. They are filled with vacations, family reunions, weddings, and more. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says “for everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” We often think that winter brings an opportunity to slow down as the weather keeps us indoors. However, summer is the season to engage in slowing down as well. We can spend…
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Faith on the Road
For most of us, summer brings the opportunity to get in the car and take a trip or two. Whether it is a long-distance trek or a few days here and there, traveling interrupts our routines. Most of the time that is a wanted and much-needed interruption. However, interrupting our devotional and church-going routine is a different matter entirely. Psalm 139:7 says, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I feel from your presence?” Great news! God is a fabulous traveler and goes wherever we go and whenever we go. Our only job is to remain intentional about worshipping, praising, and being in communication with God. How…
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The Lost Art of Backyard Camping
This month our theme has been Simplicity in the Sun but we don’t want to forget the magic of the night! Camping is an amazing time to spend with family enjoying the outdoors. There is time for exploration and relaxation. A person can spend time fishing, hiking and so much more. The setting sun brings the sound of a crackling fire and ooey, gooey smores. The stars twinkle and we occasionally have the magic of a lighting bug to see. However, we most often now think of camping in an RV travel trailer that costs as much as a small house. It comes with all the bells and whistles and…
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Weekend Plans: Another Family Reunion Picnic?
Summers go so fast. I know for my family most weekends are planned long before summer even starts. With that being said, I wouldn’t miss any of it! I love all the mini-trips, the summer activities on the lake, and all the time spent with family. We currently have been on a string of extended family get-togethers. Growing up I looked at these extended family picnics as excruciating and painful. I knew no one but my siblings or immediate aunts and uncles at these events. My grandma preached about how important it was to connect with these people and was surprised I couldn’t recognize everyone. As I have gotten older,…
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Kid-Styled Picnics
It’s summertime and what a fun way to celebrate summer other than with a picnic. If you have kids, picnics are always fun. For kids, picnics can be simple. It can be as simple as juice, fruit, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. It is the time that we give our children during these picnics that they enjoy the most. We have a great tree in our yard where my girls and I have laid out a blanket and enjoyed a picnic but there are also other great spots for these kid-styled picnics as well. My girls and I have also had picnics on our trampoline. If you have a…
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July Devotional: The Lord’s Blessing
Scripture for the week: “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you: “The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26). Devotional Thought: Have you ever felt the sun on your skin and been warmed completely through, as though the Father in Heaven were enveloping you in a warm embrace? Imagine, God, the almighty creator of this earth looking toward us, providing us peace, supporting us. What a blessing! Let’s take a moment and look at a few words and their meaning in this verse to truly get a full understanding. 1. ‘Bless’ means…
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Roll the Dice…Summer Trip Adventures
It’s post-Fourth of July, and you know what that means…the rest of summer is going to slip through our fingers unless we choose to savor it. If you are like me, I’m already anticipating fall’s busyness and missing my husband as he works long hours running his concrete business. Long, relaxing summer trips are not in the realm of possibilities for us. However, I’ve been thinking about ways that we can get away, even if just for a Sunday afternoon or a quick weekend trip. I really wish my memory was better so I could give credit where credit is due on this post. The idea for this came from…
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The History of the Fourth of July
July 4th or Independence Day, as it is known, is a huge celebration for many. For a lot of us, we choose to celebrate with family get-togethers, parades, food, and fireworks. There is a reason behind this holiday and why we celebrate. On July 2nd, 1776 continental congress voted for independence from Great Britain. It was two days later on July 4th that delegates from 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, drafted by Thomas Jefferson. However, the Declaration of Independence was not actually signed until August 2, 1776. The day did not become a federal holiday until 1941. Here is an interesting fact as to how fireworks became an important…
