Summertime brings about many memories of childhood days gone by for me. While I absolutely loved school growing up, I could not wait for the lazy days of summer. That’s when the hardest question I had to answer was which swimsuit to wear to play in the sprinklers with my friends outside or what sweet treat I would procure from the ice-cream truck.
Now those memories stand in stark contrast to my present day life. Summer no longer promises long lazy days of sitting on the porch laughing with friends, barefoot races down the middle of the street or afternoons spent running through the sprinklers in the front yard. For me and many others in youth ministry, summer is all about preparing for camp or mission trips, transitioning students through our ministry, recruiting new volunteers and building programs for the fall. Many of us have lost our ability to just relax and enjoy this season of longer days and warmer weather and we now use the additional hours of daylight to do more work instead of taking the opportunity to slow down a bit and simply enjoy the life that we’ve been blessed with.
So here a 5 quick tips to help you get back to enjoying summer just like you did when you were a kid.
1. STAYCATION
Sometimes because of our many other obligations, it is literally almost impossible for us to get out of town to relax and enjoy. This is what makes a staycation a perfect choice, especially if you only have a day or so to relax. Take the opportunity to enjoy your city as a tourist. Stay at the local bed and breakfast that everyone raves about or find a nice hotel and spend the night. Visit a new restaurant or your old favorite. Whatever you do, take this an opportunity to enjoy your city in a new way.
2. SPA DAY
There’s nothing like a relaxing massage to work out all of the kinks from a good, long year of ministry. Do your best to make a day of it. Get all of the extras. Pro-tip: Check out Groupon or another online coupon site to see what the local deals are. I’ve had some amazing experiences and discovered some hidden gems this way.
3. VISIT FAMILY
Summer is a great time to check in with grandparents, parents, siblings and cousins, especially those that live out of town. It’s an opportunity to get into a different space and build some new memories with people that you’ve loved for a lifetime.
4. WORKOUT
Summer is a great time to get into a healthy groove and exercise is a wonderful way to decompress. Take morning or evening walks by yourself or with the family. Go skating in the park or ride your bike on a new trail. Get outside and spend some time in God’s creation.
5. ROAD TRIP
If you have two or three days and a heart for adventure, take a road trip and explore a new city or town. Or you can take the time to revisit an old favorite and create some new memories. If you’re near a national park, do yourself a favor and take some time to check it out. I promise you that you won’t regret the decision. Pro-Tip, try to keep the destination within a 4-hour driving distance. You want to be able to spend the majority of your time enjoying your destination, not getting to it.
No matter what you decide to do, make sure that you’re taking some time to focus on yourself and to rejuvenate your spirit. We may no longer have a summer full of lazy days, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a summer full of peaceful moments and opportunities to create great memories that will keep us smiling the whole year through.
Kristin D. Hemingway is a Detroit native currently residing in Atlanta, GA. With over 12 years of youth ministry experience, she currently serves under-resourced middle and high school students in the metro area. She loves traveling and helping people to live a life that they absolutely love!
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