I walked into Target last week and was nearly overwhelmed by swarms of families and kids out procuring school supplies. I was surprised, because I’d forgotten to pay attention to the school calendar. But it wasn’t upsetting. What was upsetting was the Halloween candy. I can handle school supply displays – those are timely and appropriate. But to see Halloween displays in mid-August is more than I can handle. It makes me feel rushed, pushed along faster than I want to go.
I’m not ready for the summer to be over – I’m enjoying the sun and the warmth, how easy it is to open up the grill three or four nights a week, having fresh, yummy dinners full of freshly harvested vegetables. I love all the seasons of the year (especially now that winters are NC winters, not Boston ones!) and I want to experience all of them! Soon, it will be fall, and I can luxuriate in cozy sweaters and cool breezes, and pick yummy cozy yarn for a new knitting project.
I don’t want this moment in the life of the church to pass too quickly, either. There has been a great deal of energy with the building project this summer, planning programs, and building excitement for the new year. Soon and very soon, we will be able to see the completed construction and landscaping, we’ll have a new pulpit and welcome table, and a shiny new single-stall, all-gender family restroom. And, of course, the new sign that started the whole thing!
My hope for this time is that we will not rush through it too quickly. Let’s take some time together to honor the work we’ve done to get to this point, to enjoy the energy that comes from these changes to the building and grounds. Who knows what the changes will bring, and how exciting it will be to the watch the possibilities unfold.
As your children get settled in school, or your summer travels draw to a close, and you anxiously await (or dread) the arrival of the pumpkin-spice-flavored product lines, enjoy this transition time between summer and fall. And then, when the summer is truly over, we’ll jump into the next stage of our life together with joy and thanksgiving!