Give Me All the Sunshine and Chaos

We are well into August, which means summer is sadly coming to an end. I’m not sure how we got here so quickly!

This summer has been the complete opposite of structure and routine. It has been busy, full, chaotic, and constantly on the go. It has looked nothing like the slow, lazy summer days I imagined.

There have been teeth… so many teeth. Between orthodontist appointments, dentist visits, and a wisdom teeth extraction, we have spent plenty of time in dental offices.

There have been volleyball practices, open gyms, tournaments, and camps. Softball practices, games, and tournaments. Two weeks of teaching extended school year for me. Quick trips to the camper. My favorite race weekend in Duluth. Our annual Itasca trip. Get togethers with friends and family. And getting back into running after some unplanned time off.

It has been a summer filled with so many good things, but even those good things can feel exhausting. Through all of the busyness, I have continued writing the Bible every day. I’m currently finishing up Deuteronomy and am about start Volume II!

A couple of weeks ago at Bible study, one of my friends shared a "picture" that God had brought to her mind. It was a play on the Footprints poem, but with a different focus. The picture was of a God-sized footprint in the sand with a foot stepping into it. The words were, “Put your foot in my step.” God isn’t asking us to see the entire path ahead. He is asking us to trust Him with the next step and to place our foot where He has already stepped.

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.

-Proverbs 16:9

We make our plans, fill our calendars, try to organize our days and figure out what comes next. But God is the one who directs our steps.

Summer is winding down, and we are packing in all of the last bits of summer fun, I know I will have a little August depression, mourning the end of our "carefree" summer. Which is funny because our summer has been anything but carefree. It has been more like chaotic! But even in the chaos, we've had a lot to be grateful for and so many memories.

I am looking forward to routine again. I’m looking forward to quiet mornings and little more predictability, but until then, give me all the sunshine and chaos. I’m going to soak up every last bit of summer.

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About Make Monday Matter

Make Monday Matter is my weekly Christian devotional where I share reflections on faith, running, and the small ways God shows up in everyday life.