I remember as a kid being so excited as the days of June passed by and I knew school was about to end. I don’t remember ever really knowing exactly what our schedule as a family would be for July and August, but I could count on cartoons, trips, camp, and lots of time off. I think what I got most excited about was the anticipation of endless opportunities. Each day I woke up in the summer meant something new… maybe I’d built forts in the forest, or play some sort of game with all the kids on my street, or maybe today was the day we were leaving for camp, or Niagara fall, or Newfoundland. I didn’t know and that didn’t bother me. My heart was set on adventure.
Mike Breen in his book “Building a Discipling Culture” talks about the three kinds of relationships that we have – In, Up, and Out. He references these in relation to who we focus on, but I was thinking about the principle that lies underneath this. We have different facets to our lives, and where our heart is determines how we spend our time and what we focus on. This summer is no different than any other… your schedule may be set and full, or wide open. No matter how tightly packed or free your time is this summer it’s still full of endless opportunities depending on where your focus is.
So this summer I encourage you to set your heart on all three of In, Up, and Out. Pay attention to yourself and who you are becoming, how you are allowing God to shape you, and how you relate to those closest to you… Take some time to read something different, take a risk with your family, and ask God to stretch you in new ways – IN. Consider your view of God, how you relate to Him and where your relationship is really at with Him. Take a walk just you and God and talk to Him for a while, and then just listen – UP. And get your eyes off of yourself for a bit, help someone, serve someone, eat with someone you haven’t before. Make room in your schedule to make a new friend, help out a neighbour, or spend yourself on others – OUT.
Summer is a time with endless opportunities and when you look back on summer 2013 what will be the lasting memories you build? How do you hope to be changed and renewed and what relationships could be deepened this season?