I always love these last few weeks of summer when it seems everyone is relaxed, trying to soak up the last bit of beautiful sunshine, kids are not yet thinking about school, and summer vacations are at their peak.
Sometimes a dragon would turn into a elephant, or a person's profile would turn into a horse. Always changing. It was awesome and sometimes I miss it a lot.
I've retired this past year, so I'm actually thinking of spending some time doing this very activity this week as the dog days of summer are surely upon us.
This time of year, I tend to get a little nostalgic and sentimental, too. Not sure why, exactly. Maybe because that was how I marked time in my small little life as a kid. Starting school, new hair cut, new shoes, you know. Looking forward to new adventures, excited, but nervous, and wanting to linger in the dog days of summer just a little longer.
The last several decades have flown by, and my mark of time has somehow been lost over the years. Once the kids were out of school, there was no longer a good mark of time, and it got away from me.
One of my goals for retirement is getting back to basics, lingering a little longer in some places, and reliving some of those memories with a different set of eyes. Though I love the excitement of new places and people, it always feels comforting to be in familiar territory, with familiar faces.
So speaking of the familiar, our girlfriend's dinner this month was also back to the familiar, back to basics, back to Richland! We love our small little town and the basic food establishments that are dotted across the village. We've traveled across the county and eaten at many wonderful establishments, but we all agreed we wanted to come back to the hometown.
Walking into the Richland Pub was like old home week for some. We perched on the high-top table right next to the door amid other friends and families that came to enjoy good, hometown bar food.
The Richland Pub has been "a Richland tradition for over 50 years" and never fails to deliver. The Pub has been a long-standing local hangout for a long as I can remember. I've lived in Richland just over 30 years, and though the owners and menus have changed, a number of things have stayed the same - their cool retro cocktail sign, their burgers and their hometown atmosphere.
The latest owner, Phil, has made it a favorite stop for car enthusiasts heading to Gilmore Car Museum, local teams, families, golfers and sports enthusiasts! There's always a lively atmosphere.
Conversation with this group of women is never dull or boring. We touch on so many topics, it's hard to capture everything, but this time we were very interested Sarah's story about her recent mentoring opportunity.
Sarah is a person of great intellect and compassion, and has many pieces of wisdom to pass on to a willing student. She entered into this mentoring program after much prayer, because it will take a considerable amount of her time, not to mention some fairly intense emotional energy as well. She had her choice of students through the program, each with their own set of challenges.
The students are given homework assignments, like making telephone calls to certain service agencies, or calling the bank to complete a financial transaction. Things that may sound simple to the average person, but create a challenge for those who are struggling.
Sarah says she prays for patience and perseverance, as the challenges can sometimes seem overwhelming, and she feels under equipped. We assured her she is more than equipped to handle this and God will guide her through it, one way or another.
Funny how we as Christians sometimes feel the same way when we are confronted with a "mentoring" opportunity on faith. We feel so under equipped, and tend to step back from opportunities that may have a huge impact on someone's life and the Kingdom, just because we think we don't know what to say or do. But God tells us in the Bible, don't worry, I will give you the words to say (paraphrasing, of course!).
Miriam made us laugh with a picture of her son, who is currently studying in China, enjoying a care package from home with all the candy, cookies, and sweet treats he is unable to get in China. It shows him lying on a bed with a big smile on his face wallowing in all the packages of candy. Priceless!
Anna was excited to share pictures of her nephew's wedding and give us an update of one son's upcoming move back to the Midwest. As parents, we are so happy when kids actually choose to move back to familiar territory, and be closer to family and friends.
Ruth had lots of pictures to share also of her first and most darling granddaughter, born a few weeks early, but doing great. So tiny, but so perfect! I've always said if people want to see God's miracles, just look at a perfect newborn child. It's amazing and almost unfathomable! God is so good to us!
Unbeknownst to me, we were also celebrating several birthdays that evening, with Ruth and Sarah!
That is something else I have to get better at.... remembering birthdays and other special occasions. You'd think with all the social media, I wouldn't miss a beat, but apparently I've not been paying attention. I want to start sending paper cards in the snail mail, (along with all the electronic versions, I suppose). I don't know about you, but I love getting a card in the mailbox. Something about it just makes me feel good, like a person actually took the time to hand write a note, put a stamp on it, and walk it to the mailbox. Back to basics.
Here I go again, reminiscing, longing for some of the good old days. But I guess it's that time of year for me so I'm relishing it! Hope you all enjoy the dog days of summer!
Until next time,
Elisabeth
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