During the summer months I usually preach on one topic or a theme or try and expand on a topic and this summer I am preaching on Church and what it means to be church.
So I am on vacation with my family. We are having a family reunion here in Tennessee and many of my cousins are here. We do this every few years and it is a great time to meet up and renew friendships that have long since gone dormant. I have been reacquainted with cousins that I have not seen in 40 years. Family has become very important this last year.
This has not been a great year for my extended family with a few deaths and the older generation is having health problems. Family is very important and we should try and spend as much time with family as we can. They are the only family that we have and when they are gone they are gone.
Summer is a great time for just kicking back and relaxing. The tempo seems to slow much more in the summer but activity seems to increase. This year I have put a garden in and that requires work and preparing for this vacation was work as well.
The summer is also a time for church meetings. My Diocese meets every two years during the July 4th weekend. This year was the year. So we set off to Chicago for the meeting. What a wonderful time this was to be with the others and talk about all of the things going on in the Diocese.
So take time this summer to slow down and smell the roses. Take it easy and spend time with the family.
you are so right!the time to enjoy your relatives is while they are still with you.
in a three year period i lost 3 aunts,one uncle,my parents and 4 cousins.
before you know it its all gone like dust in the wind.
so continue to enjoy what you have because it will never be here again.linda