Dear friend,
Over in my little area of the world has begun to cool off. The trees are showing signs of stowing away their chlorophill and letting their natural colors shine before dropping their leaves.
Which means autumn is well on its way.
I love autumn. But I’m not quite ready for summer to be over. I really enjoyed wearing tank tops and soaking up the sunshine (one of my friends likes to think of me as a houseplant).
So in honor of summer, here are a few of my favorite things about summer that inspire me.
The Sun
I love how the sun affects everything it touches. It makes me think of how God designed us as his children. We’re supposed to have an effect on the people we encounter every day. In fact, I’d say we have an effect on everyone we encounter, whether we want to or not. But we get to choose what kind of effect it’s going to be. Are you going to touch their lives with warmth and goodness or are you going to give them a sunburn?
The summer sun also does some beautiful stuff with the clouds. My housemate and I go shopping for groceries together on Wednesdays and the evening sun paints stunning pictures in the sky when we get back to the car.
Plants
It’s no secret I love plants (especially house plants). I love the colors and shapes and patterns that each plant makes. This spring, my friend gave me a tiny flower press so that I could press the flowers I find on my walks. I recently made a greeting card with the flowers I’ve pressed over the summer. If I can’t pick the flowers, then I take photos of them when the sun does cool stuff with their petals and leaves. And when I’m bored, the first things I doodle are plants.
Water
No, I don’t mean the stuff you get from the faucet. I mean lakes and ponds and waterfalls and such.
Whenever I go hiking along a trail, if there’s a stream or waterfall or lake that passes, I always stop. Watching light play off ripples in a stream and listening to the splash of a waterfall just fills my heart with joy. Sitting on a beach and listening to the crash of waves leaves me in awe of God’s creativity and inspires me to make beautiful things like him.
What are some things about summer that inspire you? Are you sad to see summer leave or are you excited for autumn? Let me know in the comments!
Sincerely,
R. J. Catlin
