This is the first day of summer.

Summer has arrived—yea!

Just about all kids love this time of year. It means a break from school, lazy and sunny days, and, usually, a special family trip or vacation. And the warm weather allows for some great outdoors activities: baseball (playing and watching), picnics (remember the ants!), sailing, swimming, hiking, walking, working in the garden and yard (hey—how’d that one get in there?). You get the picture.

With all the relaxing and playing, however, a person can see the days and weeks fly by until suddenly school’s back in session. So now is the perfect time to decide to make summer count—to get some other stuff accomplished, in addition to all the fun.

Here are some suggestions.

You could read a great book, go on a family mission trip, spend a few hours each week helping at a nursing home, compose a song, take music lessons, start a collection, write a letter a week to a missionary or soldier, read a book of the Bible (or more than one)—a chapter a day, write a short story, bake cookies, grow a garden, and so forth. You get the idea.

It’s not that you shouldn’t have fun or take a break from “juggling” and doing all the usual work. Have a great time relaxing and playing with friends and family.

Just be sure not to take a vacation from doing good and from God.

Time is short. Make every moment count.

Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. (Ephesians 5:16)

To Do

Choose at least two of the activities suggested and do them. If you don’t like any of those suggestions, ask Mom or Dad—they’ll have ideas.

Also on this day . . .

1731—Martha Washington was born.

1859—Andrew Lanergan received the first rocket patent.

1913—Georgia Broadwick became the first woman to jump from an airplane.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005).