Hello Type A's: It's enjoy, not endure!

“If a man insisted always on being serious, and never allowed himself a bit of fun and relaxation, he would go mad or become unstable without knowing it.”  Herodotus

During his induction ceremony into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Harmon Killebrew recounted how one day he and his brother were playing in the yard, and their mother got upset. “You’re tearing up the grass!” she complained. Harmon’s dad wisely replied, “We’re not raising grass; we’re raising boys.”

  If you’re a Type A, you may not want to read this. If you’re someone who tries to force 30 hours into 24 hours, this might even irritate you. But in case you didn’t notice, summer is finally here. Yes, I know it officially begins on June 21^st, but in Wisconsin, any day above 60 is summer as far as I’m concerned.

  Life can be a blur. For some reason, summer seems to move faster than the speed of light. Before you can catch your breath, they’re selling school supplies and kids are heading back to class.

  At the end of 1 Timothy 6:17, there’s a short yet powerful phrase, one that most of us need to memorize, meditate on and probably place in high visibility areas: “God Who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.”

  Did you catch that word? ENJOY! Enjoy means “to take pleasure in something; to have or experience something good or helpful; to have a good time; to have for one’s use, benefit, or lot.”  The sad and sinful fact is that most are more well versed in what we don’t enjoy, rather than what we do enjoy. We’re so busy complaining (or, just thinking) about what’s wrong, we fail to take the time to salivate on what’s right and all of God’s blessing that He “richly provides us with.” Our Heavenly Father wants us to enjoy life, not endure it. Some of you don’t have a clue how to do that. So let me share two key words: slow and stop.

  If you’re going to enjoy these next three months, you must slow down. Summer is like a prime cut of steak. You don’t wolf it down. You cut small pieces, chew it slowly and savor it. Summer is like a double-dip of ice cream on a waffle cone. You let it melt in your mouth, enjoying the sweet creamy taste until that very last lick.

  If you’re still in the child rearing years, lower your sights a little. You’re not Martha Stewart; Better Homes and Gardens is not plastering your yard on its next issue. Raising kids is messy, but some day you’ll miss that bicycle in the middle of the driveway. Someday the house will be silent. No screams of joy or laughter or running feet. Enjoy it today because it’s gone tomorrow. So be creative with the “mess.” Turn a sibling squabble into a water fight. Buy a few squirt guns and water balloons.

  Instead of sitting around the TV or hovering over your computer or phone, go for a walk. When was the last time you went on a picnic? Have each family member make their own sandwich, or pick up a bucket of chicken. Go walk on the beach and make a sandcastle. Throw a Frisbee or a ball until your arm nearly falls off. Share jokes or family stories. Catch lightning bugs in a jar. Sit around a bonfire and make smores.

  If you’re going on vacation, schedule it now. Not just the dates, but what you’re going to do. Where are you going to go? Have a family meeting to discuss it. That way you can enjoy the anticipation. Put a little in for everyone. And please don’t over schedule. It’s a vacation, not an expedition. Take your watch off and turn off your phone. Before you go, check out and then visit a good church. If you’re going to be in an urban area, check out a Bible-believing church from another ethnic group.

  This summer if you love yard work, do it. Plant something new so you can try out a new fruit or vegetable. But if you hate yard work, pay a neighborhood kid to do it. He could use the money and needs to learn how to work for someone else. Use it as a teaching moment. Just please get outside as much as you can. Remember last winter when you ran from the car to the house as fast as you could. It was a long winter. So now, if you can, walk to the store. If there ever was a summer when we need to enjoy the sun, this is that summer.

  Set aside a day off here and there to go to the zoo or ballpark…or just to explore a nearby town you’ve never visited before. Find a botanical garden and stop to literally smell the flowers. Spend the day at the beach. Catch a few Brewers games. If you can’t afford a major league game, go to a minor league one. But get your calendar out right now and plan it. Otherwise, remember how last summer slipped by?

  Start a new habit of either bike riding a couple of miles before or after work, running or walking. If you’ve never been an outdoors person, you’re missing out. Creation is a gift of our Creator God. Appreciate it and enjoy it. You’ll be amazed what it will do for your spirits. And don’t forget to enjoy the moonlit and starry nights.

  Then, go on a diet – a technology one. Put yourself on a computer, email, or smart phone diet. Limit how much you’re chained to the artificial world of technology. Unless you’re expecting a call from the President, leave your phone at home, or at least in the car.

  Schedule some cookouts. Grill something you’ve never grilled before. Summer is also about the only time some of us can spend much time with our neighbors. What a great opportunity to build for the Gospel. So invite a few neighbors over. Get together with church friends. It’s amazing the opportunities that present themselves at outdoor gatherings.

  Plan out some summer reading. Read aloud to the kids. They don’t have to be in bed at a certain time to be ready for school. Read a book you’ve always wanted to read. Pick a few to enjoy this summer. If you normally read fiction, read a biography. If you normally read nonfiction, read fiction. Make family dinner time a priority. Hang around the table and just talk.

  The bottom line is to savor this summer. Choose to make it a time of refreshment and rejuvenation for you and your family…because soon it’ll be gone.