Ok. So ONE MORE year of coaching all-star baseball. Didn’t I say that last year? After a rain-out opening night, we began last night with a 19-0 win. We’d all love to head to Waco again (state tournament), but there are lots of hard games to get there.
Just getting games in has been tricky this spring. Average annual rainfall for Abilene is 23 inches. We’re at 21 already. It’s been much-needed rain, refilling lakes that have been low for too many years now.
Hope all of you are getting some time this summer to break away from hectic schedules. To breathe deeply . . . to take a hike . . . to catch a movie (and YES, “Evan Almighty” is a lot better than the reviews indicate!) . . . to pick up that novel . . . to spend a morning in prayer . . . to head to the little league park . . . to make homemade ice cream with friends.
What are ways that your family finds summer restoration?
Last night with the Reeves…dinner at their house…extreme bocce ball around Austin Elementary and much conversation after…perfect summer evening.
Boys in the pool playing basketball and making up extreme sports with styrofoam kiddie swim boards. Now that is fun. Oh, and mohawks.
Summer restoration… hmmm… that’s pretty tough for youth minister families.
Maybe I could start a “Summer Restoration Movement.”
Summer restoration is sometimes hard for families with kids in the youth group, too, Deana! We’ve had youth interns that have kept the kids going 90 miles an hour and worn us all out.
Somehow just the warmer weather makes me feel restored. I can sure understand why some people worship the sun.
If the weather had been slightly drier our small group would have had a camp-out at the state park tonight. But since it’s so muddy, our plans now are to do the picnic and games at a house in town. We still love to hang out together, no matter where.
In another week my husband and I will be headed to a week of rest in Ohio at one of the Pastors’ Retreat Network Centers. I am looking forward to good Amish food that I don’t cook, quiet walks in the woods without explaining things to children, naps in the gazebo without guilt about work that isn’t being accomplished, and time to talk to my husband without interruption. This will be our first trip there, but I think it may become a tradition!
Movie with my daughter and my little living room filled with boys and youth intern laughing. Sitting outside with a fire in the chimenea with my dog Jett.
Enjoy those baseball games, b/c the boys grow up, marry, and move away…so the summer nights at the ball park give way to other things…caring for elderly parents, loving on grandbabies, sewing for a granddaughter, sorting through the pictures that have accumulated through the years when we were too busy to do much more than look at them…and we look forward to the time when we start the cycle of ball games again with our grandchildren!
Sleeping in, laying out by the pool, taking walks, going on bike rides & road trips. (Although that last one might be something I’ll need restoration from!)
Summer?? Summer?!?!?!? Reverse hybernation for me. I’m allergic to most everything summer brings, starting with excessive hot weather. BUT! It does bring Padres baseball. Yay!
However, even that is somewhat difficult these days. I’ve moved from Windows to Linux and MLB doesn’t like Linux. Have had to go back to the old, but still present hard drive to watch the games. Fortunately and YAY! With or without my presence San Diego keeps winning, as it did last night against the Dodgers.
:) 
Later into July summer should also bring a long awaited visit from dearest friend from San Diego, Sylvia. It’s been almost three years since she was here last.
Summer also brings a joyful and thankful celebration of my arrival in Abilene four years ago July 17th. I truly thank the LORD from hauling me out here to the prairie. People are wonderful. I won’t make all you others jealous talking about a great church family I’m blessed to have joined. [can you say "joined" about a CofC?? LOL] So guess summer isn’t as bad as I think it is. But it’s still HOT!!!!!
Mike, we’re headed for St. Louis on Monday. We’ll engage in a few trivial activities like going to the zoo, and the city museum. But you know that’s not why we’re going. We’ll be going to two Cardinal games! Now that’s a summer break!
Traci –
You will love the Pastor’s Retreat Network Center here in Ohio. I went back in 2005, and it was absolutely wonderful. The only mistake I made was going alone. Next time, I’m taking my wife!
My summer restoration is training for a marathon.
Summer restoration includes VBS, Red River Family Encampment, work camp, Mexico City mission trip, and a week of summer camp with 150 kids at Quartz Mountain. Wait … that’s not summer restoration … I need a vacation!
Trey, may I ask which church, if any, you’ll be contacting in Mexico City? I lived there 22 years and have wonderful friends in the churches in the city. would you email me about your plans. Maybe you could take a couple of messages to friends in the churches of Mexico City.
Sure you don’t need a translator?
Congratulations on the big win! I’m surprised that was so uneven being all-stars. Guess you’re all that, watch out Waco!
We enjoyed a day of restoration with our cousins on the lake. There’s nothing like a long day of skiing, tubing, swimming, relaxing and laughing with no idea what time it is.
Mike,
The magazine Indianapolis Monthly has an expose article in the current issue concerning a cult that was active on Harding’s campus in the late 1980s while you were there. Apparently several kids from Harding including a friend of mine was caught up in it and and are still involved. The article is in the currrent issue and should be online within the next week or so.I just thought I’d give you aa heads upon it.
http://www.indianapolismonthly.com/
NINETEEN to nothing? Maybe you could lend a few of your players to the Rangers.
Joel, the group met and some lived in a house right behind my parents’ home, and b/c it looked as though there were at least 8 to 10 males and females living together, I contacted both HU and the Searcy Police. The constant 24/7 activity of people coming and going seemed really odd for that residential area near campus. I’m guessing it is the July issue, b/c I find nothing in the June issue.
Family beach vacation with friends - plenty of time at the pool - reading a novel in the hammock - falling asleep, reading a novel in the hammock - VBS - letting our son stay up later so we can enjoy him more during the evening - trips to the library - catching summer movies at the theater with friends - making the most of free grandparent-supplied babysitting…
Baseball, baseball, baseball. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many Cardinals fans outside of my family. Love those Cards. I enjoy going to the beach in Galveston. Although it is not as great as other beaches, it’s what we’ve got down here and does wonders for relaxation. I take a book, the iPod, a cooler of beverages, and maybe a frisbee and, of course, some good friends.
The director of Evan Almighty, Tom Shadyac, taught a course on screenwriting at Pepperdine this last semester. One of his guests for class one week . . . Morgan Freeman.
I would encourage people to go see it. I thought the movie was fun.
Dee,
E-mail me and I’ll send you a scan of the article.
-Joel
Joel, I followed your link to your blog site but could not locate an email address.
joelm@gcgraphics.com