“People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.” Matthew 9:17
Back in 2008, when my boys were little and full of energy, I started “Adventure Summer.” Every day, Monday to Friday, July through August, we’d get in the car and drive someplace new. To heighten the fun, I wouldn’t tell them where we were going, or what we were doing.
What used to be a lot of fun, is now exhausting. All those years ago, September to June wasn’t so crazy busy. Then, come July, we were looking for new and exciting things to do.
Now, the school year is a blur with all the have-to’s. We just want to hang out and relax, reconnect. Trying to keep the old pace of “Adventure Summer” going when our tanks are empty means we’re running on fumes. It’s unrealistic to try and stick to old routines when our lives and needs have changed. It’s like pouring new wine into old wineskins, ruining both the wine and the wineskins.
So, rather than “Adventure Summer,” we’re calling this summer “Back Deck Summer.” I’ve come up with activities that we can do to reconnect, decompress and have fun together while sitting on our comfy furniture under our gazebo. The most strenuous thing on our list is to perfect our recipe for the pina colada smoothies that we sip while chatting and chilling in our newfound oasis.
We’ll still venture out now and again to shake things up and keep the back deck from growing stale. But our summer goal is to capitalize on the serenity of our back yard. It’s a wonderful place to just be: watching the humming birds that visit our feeder, noticing the big puffy white clouds drifting across the deep blue sky, and letting our minds wander and rest.
Questions For Reflection:
* Are there any old patterns I created for past summers that are no longer working for my family?
* If so, how can I change those patterns so they do work for us?
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Shifting My Perspective 
So perfectly and beautifully timed given how today went for me.
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I hope that means it was a good day – or at least a day that is pointing you in the direction of better tomorrows. Here’s wishing you summer bliss with your beautiful children. 🙂
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