By Dr. James L. Snyder
It comes as a great relief to me that winter is over and
summer has stepped up and taken its rightful place. I really love summer. I am
fascinated with all aspects associated with summer.
Some people, like the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage,
enjoy the aspects of winter, primarily the cold. I just do not like the cold. I
will accept a cold shoulder occasionally, but that is as far as I will go in
the area cold.
This brings up the sharp difference between my wife and
me. For some reason she loves winter. This may have something to do with her
growing up in upper state New York where it is snowy and wintry all the time. I
remember visiting once in August and just about froze to death.
But she enjoys chilly temperatures. She enjoys when the
temperature falls below 70.
I have a basic rule in life. When the temperature falls
below my age, I’m cold. Each year it seems to be getting a little higher.
Summer is also the time for picnics.
The beautiful thing about picnics is you can eat with
your fingers. In the house, the wife wants me to eat with forks and spoons and
all of that kitchenware. Out on the picnic table I can eat as I am supposed to
eat: with my fingers.
Summer is the time to chill out. During the winter you
are running here and there and trying to catch up with this holiday and that
holiday. Summer is the time to slow down and enjoy the sunshine.
Just the other day I was heading out the door and the
wife called after me and said, “Where are you going?”
I thought about that for a moment, smiled, and said, “I
don’t know where I’m going.”
There was a slight pause and then she said, “Can I go
with you?”
The beautiful thing about summer is that you can go
somewhere without going anywhere. Nothing is more pleasant than having nowhere
to go and taking your time getting there.
If I had anything to do with it, and I certainly don’t, I
would make sure there would be summer the year round. I will never, ever get
tired of the summer time.
Sitting on the porch one afternoon the wife came out and
said, “What are you doing? Don’t you have something to do?”
I rocked back and forth three times without even looking
at her and said, “I’m doing nothing and liking every moment of it.”
She then joined me in doing nothing and we did nothing
for the rest of the afternoon. I had things to do. She, of course, had things
to do. But we just joined our hearts in doing nothing together. Nothing is
better than a summer afternoon when you can do nothing together and enjoy every
moment of it.
I like what the preacher said, “I said in mine heart, God
shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every
purpose and for every work” (Ecclesiastes 3:17).
If there is a time for work, then there should be plenty
of time for rest. If I don’t get my rest, how can I do the work that I have to
do?
