Our Father in Heaven,

Although the calendar tells us that summer doesn’t begin until June 21, summer has always seemed to begin for me when school gets out and we celebrate the Memorial Day weekend. I’ve always thought of summer as the months of June, July and August. It’s by far my favorite season of the year.
Thank you, Father, for the season of summer. I love the warm temperatures, the green grass, trees blowing in the wind, and the fact that here in the Midwest it will stay light until nearly 9:00 pm. We are just beginning to see the soybean and corn crops coming up through the rich soil we are blessed with here. Throughout the summer we look forward to watching the crops grow to maturity.Summer is an opportunity to make memories reuniting with family and friends for a picnic or at the ballpark of our favorite teams. Some are looking forward to attending concerts where the tickets were so hard to secure and they’ve been looking forward to for months.
Father, I am thankful for the opportunity to watch my brother play softball each week, when just two years ago we weren’t sure he would live through COVID, much less play softball again. Let us not forget the mercy You have shown us in our lives.
Thank you for peaceful walks with our dogs in the park and neighborhood and the friends we meet along the way. Thank you for the technology to listen to wonderful Christian podcasts or our favorite music as we stroll along.
Although the pace can be slower and more relaxed, we want to be teachable this summer. Father, what do you want to teach us this summer? From your Word? How to be a better spouse, sibling, friend? What books should we read to grow in areas that we need to grow in?  Help us to use the skills, talents and experiences you have provided to serve you and others in any teaching, mentoring or volunteering opportunities that will be pleasing to you.
Father, we look forward to vacations with family this summer. Some of these family members we now only see a few times each year. Thank you for the blessing of these vacations. May our time together be precious. May relationships be strengthened. May we grow closer and closer and may our travels be safe.
Father, we look forward to this summer and your continual guidance of our lives.

In Jesus precious name we pray,
Amen