Summer is Short

Have you ever looked over at your kid and thought, “Hey, you are growing up! Where has the time gone?” I think we all do—if not, you may not be paying attention! 

I have heard it said, “The days are long, but the years are short,” and while that sounds “off” when you stop and think about it, that is a very accurate statement. 

The hum drum and ordinariness of daily life can cause us to just float through the day, year after year, not really thinking of the long term effects of the “every… day.” Dangerously, that floating can cause us to fail to be intentional, and the seeming promise of tomorrow keeps us thinking we have time.

My husband and I dubbed this propensity of not being intentional in pouring into and equipping our children while we have the time “the illusion of permanence.” 

Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Make a plan today.

How many summers are there before your child leaves your nest? What are you doing this summer to prepare your child for the world that is right now whispering into their ears and influencing them through their screens?

Don’t count on your child to come up with the best options to invest in their growth, or help them build a solid foundation for when they are on their own and leave home. There are many options for how they could spend their time this summer and the aforementioned may not be at the top of their list. 

Let’s face it: our teens simply don’t know what they will be facing when they begin “adulting.” But as their parents, we have been there and we understand the ways of the world in areas our children truly cannot yet fathom. In fact, their frontal cortexes are not even developed yet. So that hard-headedness and lack of good judgement we may see in them at times is not intentional, it’s physiological. That’s why they need us, their parents, and our influence, even if they do not realize it. Lean in, shepherd well, become involved, and don’t be lulled into complacency by the illusion of permanence. Before we know it, they will be gone.

My prayer for you as a parent is that you will take the time to think about the character qualities and the spiritual truths you want engraved on your child’s heart. Consider how to best equip and prepare them for a world filled with influencers, not to mention an enemy that is prowling.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

Without reservation, I can tell you that my children avoided the pitfalls and snares of teendom and young adulthood because of the people  who were speaking into their lives during a portion of their summers. Those influencers had their feet planted firmly on the foundation of Christ, providing them with amazing memories filled with activity, laughter, and engaging, deep conversations. These experiences, these people, and the Holy Spirit led to strength of commitment. 

The world’s tug on my kids lost its pull because my children were equipped to handle what the world threw at them.

Where did we find cool Jesus-loving college students that invested in our children summer after summer? I am eternally grateful to summers spent at Pine Cove and I continue to pray for the ministry that is done there.

 Pine Cove’s mission is to inspire and equip – To inspire its campers to walk intimately with Jesus and to equip its college summer staff to change the world.  They do this through Christ-centered, others-focused, and seriously fun ministry.