“Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song, play skillfully, and shout for joy. For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does” (Psalm 33:1-4 NIV).
Driving to work has gotten easier now that it is June and school is out for the summer. Behind my steering wheel, moving freely in less congested rush hour traffic, I muse about summer vacations long ago. There is some envy in my thoughts, but it is wistful, not remorseful.
Sitting still at a traffic light, I see a workman mowing a yard. It’s still cool in early June, and through the open sun-roof I hear the mower’s engine and smell gasoline mixed with fresh clippings of grass. I’ve always liked that aroma, and it triggers a memory of an innocent morning almost fifty years ago when heavy dew soaked my sneakers as I made my way through a neighbor’s yard on the way to the creek and the Tarzan rope hanging from a stout limb above the water. A gentle but incessant humming of bumbling awkward bees working in the clover as I ran towards freedom made me aware not everyone or everything was as carefree as I.
The summers of childhood brought many pleasures: forts to build (what we lacked in carpentry skills we made up for in enthusiasm), hikes to take, blackberries to pick and sell in the neighborhood, fish to catch, games to play (baseball and hide-and-seek were particular favorites), naps to enjoy, bikes to ride, and books to read (Tarzan and Doc Savage held my rapt attention) are just a sampling of them.
Abruptly, the traffic light in front of me turns green. A right turn, then two lefts, and two more rights and I arrive at my office. A humming bird greets me, feeding on the flowers outside my office door. Inside, the smell of fresh coffee brewing compliments my good mood.
We follow calendars at work to keep score, but work is an ongoing and daily affair. Goals are ever being achieved and then reset. Retirement may lie out there somewhere in the future, but I do not hope for it like I did summer vacations. God gave us work as a blessing, and I like my job.
June is a perfect time, however, to take stock of our businesses and our achievements at work as well as our shortcomings. Proverbs 27:23-24 reminds us to “be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.” Work mirrors Christian life in this: what we do each day matters. How we approach work—our attitude about it, speaks volumes about our inner peace with the work God has given us to do.
Here at the start of June, take time to recall all God has given you and to give thanks; God likes our gratitude and our praises. Pause and reflect on your childhood: is there something that you left behind that once brought you great joy? Allow yourself the opportunity to stroll down memory lane and experience again the wonder and joy you once felt. Memories can be an elixir of youth, particularly in June.
Lord, as Christians, we live in the love of Christ. We feel your presence in our daily lives and we marvel at the gift of life, its struggles and its joys, its beauty and its brevity, and the opportunities that seem always to propel us forward. Fill our hearts with childlike wonder at this season. Let us sing in our hearts praises to you, and to be aware of the grace you bestow on us.
Amen.