The scarlet days of summer

Wherever did they get the expression cool as a cucumber? Whenever I think of a summer salad, I see as one of the basic ingredients, cukes. It's summertime, and it's anything but cool lately.

According to the latest map, the states are heating up. Fortunately, not in New England, at least weather-wise. Otherwise there is shit in the caboose, as my mother-in-law used to say, problems everywhere. I've noticed that "heat" triggers many short stacks. Like it or not, the heat will be soon upon us. I for one, cannot stand the humid hot nights. There used to be a song about the hazy, lazy, days of summer. Days where you lose your appetite and want to sip on ice  or whatever, barefoot.

What has changed you wonder as the sun is so intense burning your skin mercilessly while the water drips down your forehead? I never used to sweat like this, perhaps, it's my age. I find myself wondering--was it always like this? Or, has something radically changed? Somehow, so much is and has become different.

That's it! It's summertime and the liven is not easy anymore. Maybe we've become the new south, and why not when the snow we had this winter was more than what they got in Alaska.

What happened to the "good 'ole summertime"  maybe that was just a myth. We wait all wintertime for it to get here and here it is--the dog days of summer are back. On snowy freezing days I dream of the beach and ice cream treats. On hot summer days, I think that we are experiencing a  foretaste of another unknown place.

Today, the huge black carpenter ants have retreated after weeks of spraying and battling them inside and outside our home, only to be replaced with the upcoming relentless mosquitoes. Seriously, this is paradise, where else would I want to live, compared to those who battle much worse situations, just check the news.

I have everything, a nice screened-in area with beautiful gardens, you name it--and still I complain. Guess I have the "summertime blues". Why? because we want perfection on this side of the planet and I know that ain't going to happen anytime soon.

So the question remains---Is it worse than ever? Who knows. The good news for New Englander's is we are blessed with changing seasons, one of life's blessings. June has been a busy month for birthdays, fathers day, graduations, weddings, summer camp, and our anniversary. It's time for church picnics and boating, hiking, walking on the beach, vacations on the shore, and so much more. The days are longer, and no winter boots or attire. No shoveling snow and I love my husband's barbequed meats. Concerts begin this Sunday on the common. What can be better than the Summertime?

I wonder what it will be like when my grandchildren get older with the talk of climate change? I remember how hot it was when I was a kid. And yet, it feels so much hotter now. The storms seem to be intensifying as well.

One thing is true.... it's like a song that was sung when I was a young girl. Kay Serra, Serra..whatever will be, will be... the futures not ours to see...Kay Serra, Serra. What will be, will be.

How Do You See Jesus of Nazareth

The Jesus that I've come to know requires little from us. First we need to ask ourselves who is He, why did He create me and why does He love me? These difficult answers do not come to us overnight, and will require communication (prayer), on our part. As evident in the gospel at the Temple, Jesus demonstrated by the overturned money changers that worshiping God is never to become commercialized, its much more than that. We've all heard it before, grow your attendance and the revenue grows with it. Almost like a business, and all about power and numbers. The truth is the Kingdom of God, is all about love of God and neighbor and self.

The fact is that things were in need of change then, as well as now, as Mike Slaughter in his book Renegade Gospel so correctly stated: "Following in the way of the cross will mean a radical reordering of our priorities."
Change, not because any religion dictates this action, but the following of  Christ and your new found love for Him will be the reason for its mandate. It is the mystery of God at work, for the working out of your salvation.

Some will focus on the whip. I say of those that do, it is more a telling of how they are perceiving Jesus based on their own physical and mental condition at the time. This is not repeat not the Jesus that I have come to know. We all need reminders from time to time. Jesus came not to force us to love Him, but to enable us to see Him so clearly that we cannot help but Love Him hopefully, for all eternity.

Many years ago, I came to know my Savior, who revealed Himself to me in Matthew 11:28 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

He is not the tyrant as some need Him to be, but a nonjudgmental loving God who cannot help but find you to be the apple of His eye. We are called to become like Him.

Certainly, those who choose Him and desire to be His followers, are committed even unto death. We live in troubled times, as they have always been, but one thing is certain, He is the same today, yesterday and tomorrow.