After the Boys of Summer Have Gone

This has been one of my favorite summer vacations. It has been wonderful staying close to home, spending restful days in my house or with friends. I am thankful for this Summer Manifesto (as it has come to be known) that helped me give some structure and purpose to my idle days. I posted it on here a few days before school let out, so I will now revisit it a few days before school returns—how poetic…

Sit by the pool with my girlfriends.
I’ve spent quite a few afternoons at the pool with some of the girls.

Regularly meet with two recent high-school graduates before they head off to college.
The thing about recent high-school graduates is that they are busy trying to earn money for college and making last-hurrah trips all summer. Sadly, this item was a fail.

Go for a jog/walk with Tracey.
Had a great time exercising with Tracey in her neighborhood one evening. Came back to her house and enjoyed some distilled water (with distilled ice!) while being introduced to Fail Blog.

Catch up with my long-lost mentor.
As her fourth baby will be coming along any day now, I was very fortunate to spend some time with her at the beginning of the summer.

Read the ever-growing pile of books on my nightstand.
Read the pile and then some! I have made many trips to the public library this summer and will probably not remember 75% of the things I’ve read. Some summer reading highlights were Marian Jordan’s Wilderness Skills for Women and Sandra Dallas’s Prayers for Sale.

Visit Campus Outreach students during Summer Beach Project.
Not only did I get to see Megan during SBP, I got to worship with her at Surfside PCA, a church I’ve been hearing raves about for years! (But no one told me it was pink!) I also got to visit Whitney who was in Myrtle Beach doing Summer Shine at the KOA campground. It is always exciting to hear how God is moving and shaking in these students’ lives as they devote their summers to him.

Go to a Phillies game (this could be tricky).

Used my last summer weekend to make a quick trip to Atlanta. The Phillies beat the Braves 3-2 and I got to see why Shane Victorino is truly the Flyin’ Hawaiian—he was all over the outfield, denying the Braves homeruns like a beast.


Buy an enormous drying rack for my clothes; use the dryer less.



Take a couple former students to the movies with Shannon.
Another summer manifesto fail. Between our travels and her adjustment to life with a new baby, Shannon and I barely hung out at all this summer. If there’s a bright spot to going back to school, it’s being able to see more of this dear friend!

Read, mark and inwardly digest the Bible.
This is something that needs never be checked off the list. There’s always more to be read, marked, and digested!

Spend quiet days by myself, allowing the Lord to restore my soul.
So many lovely, quiet, restful days! What a blessing to be able to read and think and nap!

Keep working out every day; add morning cardio classes to my regimen.
I kept up the exercise program. My weeks at the beach gave me the chance to jog along the ocean and I’ve also taken my bike on some little treks. I’ve done some morning cardio classes at the gym too. Zumba sculpt was awesome, cardio sculpt made me want to cry. Water aerobics is always entertaining, even if the “regulars” are not particularly welcoming.

Miss my workout partner like crazy.
It’s really good to have her back. Exercise is just so much more fun when there’s someone with you—someone to witness the strange goings-on at the gym.

Have coffee and conversation with lots of people.
I've had great conversations with old friends and gotten to know some new ladies. I even got 10 cents off for knowing the answer to Caribou Coffee’s question of the day once.

Try quilting, or at least find a quilting class I can try.
Found the classes, just can’t find the time to take them.

Talk about starting a multi-generational small group for women.
Another fail! I was going to talk about it with a woman from my church and I think I’ve seen her once since May…

Facilitate the second meeting of the women’s book club.
August 29th, can’t wait!

Tell my story.
The Thursday night girls have had a wonderful summer of hearing each other’s stories. It’s been a real blessing to get to know these women a little more deeply and to find out how God won our hearts.

Visit old friends.


Be purposeful.
Another item that I can’t check off the list. I’ve been calling this my “Summer of Intention” for ages, but living with a purpose is not seasonal. My days off have given me more opportunities to encourage ministry, to learn about ministry and to do ministry. The challenge for me now is to continue being intentional about ministry, even as I go back to working full time.

Build houses and friendships with high school students.



Swim in the ocean.
Something about the sunrise
Reminds me of Your faithfulness
Something about the ocean
And I’m lost in love again
--Ten Shekel Shirt