Christ - The Reese Source May 2010 Edition

I have had a tough time writing this newsletter. I could not figure out why the words would not come as easily as they usually do. It dawned on me today, Memorial Day, why this was happening. I am hitting my annual Summer Funk. For a few days each year as Summer begins, I feel rather “blah”. What causes this?

It is a convergence of many things. First, unlike the days of my youth, when I could not wait for Summer to begin, I now dread its approach. I dislike intensely the steamy days that will begin when the temperature and the humidity will match each other, both reaching into the nineties. Your clothes stick to your body. The car seat can cause third degree burns on your backside and legs after sitting in the sun while you run into the store. You feel as though you need gills to breathe. Any movement outside can necessitate a change of clothes.

Then there’s the beach vacation. Going to the beach, I first must apply enough oil on my body to create an oil slick in the ocean. Then, once again, I inflict third degree burns on myself. This time the bottom of my feet suffer. I hop gingerly on sun-baked sand. Once I get to the beach chair, it is time to lie still in a beach chair and broil myself like a lobster, sautéing in oil, like a trout almandine.

Lest I sound like a complete Scrooge about the beach, There are things I love.
If the surf is up just a little I can bodysurf. I must say, without false modesty, that I am very good at this. I love feeling of the energy of the wave carrying me along in its power.
With a great or adventure novel to read, I can forget where I am and lose myself in the story. A very special part of the beach is grandchildren. Playing in the sand and swimming with them in the ocean is the best part of the beach. I also enjoy sunrises, sunsets, and moonlight walks on the beach.

Another cause of the Summer Funk is the thought that I am still months away from bird hunting and football season. I am not a baseball or basketball fan, having never played them. I especially do not enjoy basketball, whose season never ends on the professional level. I have an incredible ability to miss the basket when I am shooting a basketball. If they wrote a story about my shot-making ability, it would be entitled, “0 for Life” When I am desperate to watch sports on T.V. (very desperate) I watch golf, although, like for many others, watching golf has lost some of its appeal with the downfall of its once greatest player.

Summer brings on more joy (not!) for me when I watch my beautiful fescue lawn go from a lush green carpet, like unto Augusta National Golf Course, to a west Texas prairie. The good thing is that the heat has caused the grass to stop growing so I do not have to mow it as often. The bad thing about the heat is that it causes the grass to stop growing…, go dormant, and disappear. This year, all the cool weather and rain gives me hope to keep my lawn looking good much longer.

Cooking out with friends, going to the Marietta Square on a Friday night to enjoy a great band, especially beach music or oldies are good times. Celebrating the Fourth of July with friends and watching fireworks also make Summer good for me.

Hey, in writing this newsletter, I feel better about Summer already! Well, to paraphrase St, Paul in Phillipians, Chapter Four, Verse Eleven, “I am learning (unlike Paul who has learned) to be content in all circumstances (and seasons!)
MINISTRY NEWS:

Members of the Friday Morning Group, with our spouses and friends of Net Work Ministries, held our annual Spring Fling party on Saturday evening, May 15th. Johnny and Brenda Gaskins hosted it at their home. As usual, Pat Head and Neal Sisson provided great entertainment!

We closed down the Young Father’s Weekly meeting for the Summer as children stay up later with daylight lasting longer giving husbands less time with wives after getting kids to bed. We will resume in Fall. In the meantime, I will meet individually with men at lunch.

Friday Morning Group attendance numbers are steady as we are finishing an extensive study of C.S. Lewis’ “Mere Christianity”

I hope you are having a great Summer! Blessings To All!

“I Thank my God In All Of My Remembrances of You”