Ahhh, Summer...Yesterday, I...

...had an employee's annual review in which he made my job very easy so the time was enjoyable and encouraging.

...had lunch with my staff and we told funny youth ministry stories.

...had ice cream and was regailed with stories of a road trip to California my graduating senior guys took with some friends. Funny, funny stuff...and he even paid for the ice cream because, "Technically, I'm not in your ministry anymore." How great is that?

...had coffee with a teenager that has grown in Christ a great deal since the last time we had coffee together and it was such an encouragment to me to see this kid seeing what everybody else sees as well as her dependence on Christ to help her do that.

...followed that up with coffee with my friend Adam, who is one of the best youth ministers I've ever met, who excited me with his excitement for taking his ministry to Juarez this week to build houses. He's going with the same organization we did and he was asking all sorts of questions and telling me about his plans and such. Very exciting stuff, really.

...did pre-marital counseling with a couple who is taking it seriously, so that makes it even more fun.

...walked through our building on my way out and there was so much going on at our church on a Thursday night that you could feel the building's "vibe": worship teams practicing for Sunday's service; V.B.S. workers being their creative selves getting all the rooms and activities ready; a gathering of entrepreneurs who get together periodically for an outreach and encouragment kind of deal; and walking by the room the elders meet in monthly only to see them all bowed in prayer.

...picked up my daughter from softball practice.

...read in my hammock until I nodded off.

Maybe when you get back from your huge mission trip and gear up for a few days of prayer and time in the Word (our church provides "spiritual refreshment" days) you begin to enjoy the summer. Yeah. Maybe that's when that starts.