and summer begins!

memorial day week-end.  a time to remember those who served our county to protect our liberties.  and a time to pray for -- and work for -- peace!  and summer begins!

usually one begins 'spring cleaning' during, well, spring.  memorial day week-end is set for barbecues and the start of summer.  but it seems i have been cleaning all spring long -- and honestly, i don't have all that much stuff.  but i will admit, i have a winter and a summer wardrobe; and in my house, i have the luxury of having two closets; one for hot weather and one for cold weather.  unfortunately, i also have the luxury of having saved cool and hot clothing in various sizes for years, placed on hangers from largest to smallest.

this spring has afforded me an opportunity to get rid of some of my larger sizes.  i've been 'honored' with a "million steps" badge for my consistent walking -- now over 100 consecutive days.  who knew getting a gift card could be such an incentive to "get healthy"?!  Actually, I haven't had to purchase clothing as I've dropped pounds, so I guess having set up my closets based on weather-by-size actually has been another gift! 

so, frequently this spring, if you had been a hidden camera, you would have seen me trying on clothes, and re-organizing; sorting by 'not yet', 'almost', 'just fits', and 'i feel frumpy in this' (and the frumpy ones get placed in a paper grocery bag for our clothing closet).

so, i've been in and out of my closets this spring, shall we say, a lot!  imagine my surprise, then, when i discovered a box of yet-to-be-warn walking shoes!  I couldn't have been that un-observant, could i?  (i guess i was!) i don't even remember purchasing them!  or did the shoe elf bring "just what i needed"?!

honestly, i had been out shopping the 'memorial day sales' this week-end, trying on up-teen pairs of shoes, and trying to find the best pair at the right price.  so when i walked in to my winter closet on monday (memorial day), and there they were ... ready to be used!  i felt the whoosh of a mighty wind!  and i SO needed a new pair of exercise shoes; some of you will remember my blog about my 'squeeking' tennis shoes this winter ... well, they have just about lost their squeak, their grip, and their functional laces!

and, thus, summer begins.  new walking shoes that came like the rush of the mighty wind; a 'pentecost' gift -- the birthday of the church, when we began to share the good news with enthusiasm!  now, i have brand new pair of walkers to do my good news walking...probably not what the holy spirit had in mind, but none-the-less ... 'these shoes were made for walking, and that's just what they'll do' (ok, how many people remember THAT song?!).

my goal for the summer is to keep cleaning and getting more healthy, with the hope that one day, thought i may still have two closets, they won't be filled to over-flowing  because i have too many clothes in various sizes!  rather, they will be for casual and work, and 'sunday best'.  i guess i'll have to talk about my ties another time!

may you find the spirit rushing you to share and live the good news this summer, as well as finding space to be renewed and strengthened.  i even found time to set out my summer table and chairs in my cozy backyard, enjoying a good book as the sun was setting . . . . may the spirit blow you my way for a relaxing cup of iced tea this summer . . . . you'd be most welcome!