Follow Through Friday - Joy in the First and Last

The 2011-2012 school year began this past Thursday here in Bolivar. There was lots of talk on Facebook and Twitter about the first day of school. Our high school principal tweeted

LiberatorsNOW David Geurin 

We had a great first day of school today! We're looking forward to another great school year.

And my good friend, Sue Roweton, wrote a very sweet blog post about the first day of school. It's a big day. The beginning of something new. 

The first of something typically signals the end of something else. In this case, the something else is summer. So, I found myself thinking about the last days of summer. Our family has had a very busy, fun summer. It began with a family vacation in Hawaii.

Pearl Harbor

Then I flew to Aspen with Hannah for a couple of days to check out where she was going to work. I know. I am totally spoiled.

The end of June found the kids involved with various sports camps and Centrifuge before we headed to KAA in July for our week there.

Elizabeth & Mary Grace about to tackle treetops

Faith & her friend, Heide

Home from camp to celebrate some birthdays,

Jasmine and Sara were here to celebrate 2 months after Hannah's 20th 

Luke turned 22

and to watch more sports activities.

Not her usual good form, but cute

Then David headed to Kamp just as Luke and Hannah came home for a couple of weeks before they headed back to Razorback country.

He celebrated his 18th birthday at Kanakuk. We sent him lots of pictures of friends and family holding this sign

He received the 110% award

Fun! We have had so much fun. And I am thankful. However, with this much special activity occurring, routine has not been a word we have used much.

I like routine. I feel like I'm more productive, more efficient when I'm in a rhythm, a daily flow. I love getting a lot done. But I also like the "lazy" days of summer - when our schedule varies from day to day. In summer, there's a freedom and mindset that you just don't experience in the middle of February. Do I need to prefer one over the other? Can I contentedly say, "last days of summer," or am I one who pleads, "Last, days of summer!"

Here's where I adopt the Deion Sander's "both, Coach" philosophy. All of one or the other all the time would be tiresome. We need both.  They both are good gifts from a good God who, in His great wisdom, gives us both on a daily basis - at least twice a day. Once in the morning and once in the evening. Sunrise, sunset.

The wisdom of God, the goodness of God, in these two times of day boggles my mind sometimes. He knows we need routine, the rhythm of light and dark, work and rest. But He also knew that the same old same old everyday would eventually cease giving us joy and giving him glory. So, every morning and every night, right on schedule, He paints a new scene for us in the sky. And even that scene changes moment by moment. It's beauty captures our heart sometimes so much, that we call our friends and family, or tweet about it, or blog about it. We have to share it with someone. That increases our joy!

Joy daily - with the sunrise and the sunset - and at the beginning of this new school year, the end of a busy summer, There's joy in the routine. There's joy in the variety. There's joy in God who's showing Himself in both, Coach.

Faith and Elizabeth - 1st day of school, 2011

18 August 2001
1st day for this senior - a member of the 125th graduating class of Bolivar High School

Note: Posting this Follow Through Friday is a follow through of sorts. I am trying to get back in the routine of posting them every week, on Friday instead of Saturday, for crying out loud. A couple of posts ago, I mentioned the sampler I am trying to finish, and I said I would continue to report on my progress here. I have one "thumbs up," and one "thumbs down. I worked on it one week, but not the next. I'll report how this next week goes.

Speaking of next week, I will be officially starting school with Mary Grace and trying to get ready for a trip to Nashville on Saturday with Lou, so an hour on my sampler work will be all I plan to accomplish over and above the joy of the routine of every day life.