Dear Friends,

Ah summer! What could be better than to find ourselves in a season that invites us, almost forces us to relax. Warm, humid days make it nearly impossible to keep up the usual frenetic pace, and when I have cut the grass or washed the car in the hot sun, a shade tree, my cushioned wicker lounge chair and a glass of ice cold lemonade seem like a direct gift from God. In fact, the heat of this season may be God’s way of telling us that letting go of the “to do” list and simply relaxing is very healthy for the spirit.

At my old house in Stratford I used to have a wonderful spot under a large red maple tree that was my relaxing place. I would drag my lawn chair out there, get a cup of coffee and simply spend time with myself, reading, sometimes writing, but often just sitting there soaking up the world. If I stayed there long enough I would always begin to feel calmer, and the stress of the day would recede. But most importantly, I would regain the perspective of what a gift life is and I would remember just how fortunate I was to be given that gift.

When Jesus said that the Kingdom Of God is within us, I believe this was the experience he was speaking from. I love the passage from Mark’s gospel when Jesus just disappears one morning to his relaxing place and the disciples have to search for him.

If Jesus needed stillness, certainly we do too! When your mind is filled with the concerns of the day, when you are running from one thing to the next, it is very difficult to feel the wonder of being alive. But that wonder is there and you deserve to experience it. So I suggest that you let the heat of July and August lead you to your own relaxing place, a cool, quiet place that refreshes your soul.

JOHN