Happy 4th of July! I hope that you are enjoying these summer months and taking advantage of the wonderful weather that we’ve been having! The other day, I read an article about the health benefits of spending time outside. It is so true, spending time outside in nature, whether it be taking a walk in the woods or sitting outside on the back or front deck can have tremendous health effects such as lowering our blood pressure and our stress.

  One of my favorite things to do during these summer evenings is to sit outside on the back deck, listen to some music (I’m a big Bob Seger fan and have been practicing a lot of his songs in my guitar lessons), watch Angel run around and toss the ball with her, and enjoy a cold beer or glass of bourbon. I’ve even got into some gardening this summer, we’ll see how the plants survive, so far, so good! Summer is an important time to remember that we are human BEINGS rather than human DOINGS. Whether it be nature, or music, or crafting, or reading, or spending time with family, or sitting outside just listening to the birds, we need those activities that refresh, restore, and renew us.

  And, of course, we can’t forget prayer. St. Francis de Sales once said, “Every one of us needs half an hour of prayer a day, except when we are busy— then we need an hour.” The time that we give, the effort that we put towards something, shows how much of a priority that thing is or isn’t in our lives. Henri Nouwen said that prayer is, “wasting time with God.” It is so important that we waste that time with God on a consistent basis!

  I also wanted to share an update on my dad. At the moment, he is doing pretty much the same as he has been, having good days and bad days, days where he’s in pain and days where he isn’t. He continues to press ahead with his physical therapy and appreciates all the prayers and support. I’ve spent some time with him on my days away over the past few weeks and have gained a new appreciation for shows like, “Wagon Train” and “The Andy Griffith Show” which are some of his and my mom’s favorites. I am planning to take some time to go home to visit with the folks and be with them.