17 Watermelons

Seventeen watermelons.

That’s what a summer makes.

Years ago I started a summer did-it list. After a previous summer with a to-do list (of fun things, created by me and the kids) that still had a disappointing number of remaining items when school started, I realized summer might feel more successful if I instead focused on the things we did get to do.

This was our fifth or sixth summer with a did-it list. Over the years I’ve realized the importance of noticing the small things, like how many times we went swimming, or how often we had friends stay over, or how many watermelons we managed to eat (our record is 19- we got close this year).

In the end, it’s these little details that make up the every day, that fill the space between the bigger events like birthdays or vacations. And in all of these- the tall and the small, the bitter and the sweet- God is with us, using the happenings in our lives to turn our eyes to Him, to equip us to shine His light in dark places, to put others before ourselves.