It’s a beautiful day, the end of the school day, close to the end of the school year. 

 I don't know about you, but this time of year always just affects me. I know it's coming, part of me is excited for it, but then it's like oh wow kids are gone, graduates graduated, everybody is growing up and it's always caused me to pause and reflect on especially how I want to live my summer.

One verse ringing in my ears from my time in 8th grade and my Bible class was Judges 21: 25, it says; “every man did that which is right in his own eyes”.  Of course, Judges is telling the story of how Israel is coming to the promised land and as soon as they get there, they just kind of do their own thing. They forget God's ways, they forget what he's asked of them, they forget what he is calling them to do, and they start living like the nations around them. “Every man just did that which was right in his own eyes.”  But there is God's law; here's what He's asked us to do, here's the fidelity He's asked of us. Here's the great things He's done for us and yet we forget. So, it's this toilet bowl effect that goes down and down and down and then God sends a Judge to come and rescue Israel to remind them of the fidelity they desire, to repent and to live the gospel, the revealed scriptures. They do well for a while, but as soon as that Judge dies, as soon as that strong leader who's like here I am, going to lead our nation in being faithful to God; everyone just goes back to doing that which is right in their own eyes, and forgetting God. I hope that we don't forget God in our day and age.  

In the summer we're out of the norms of our schedules which are changing. That's OK it's a good thing, but how are we going to keep God first and foremost?  How are we going to continue to be aware and faithful to the good things that he has done for us?  How are we going to not just take everything for granted and go back to living like he doesn't exist?

 One way for me that really helps is the Our Father prayer every day. This prayer helps me to not live my own way according to just whatever I think is best in the moment. It helps me to pray every day to this Father who knows me, who cares for me, who desires that I share my heart with him, and the stresses and the concerns and the joys, who wants me to know that He sees me, and He knows me. This Father in heaven who is holy and good, and I pray then like the rest of you; Your Kingdom come, Your will be done. If we pray that with faithful hearts, with meaning and devotion, (of course it doesn't mean we're going to be perfect) but it helps keep us on His path that puts our trust in Him for Our Daily Bread. To help us to forgive and to receive his forgiveness, to protect us from temptation and deliver us from evil. So, as we go forth into this summer, I encourage you to pray the Our Father prayer every day with deep devotion and meaning. To pray that His Kingdom come and that we might live that His will would be done in our lives.

Have a great summer, let it be filled with beauty with the Lord.

God bless you,