The Best Summers Ever

When I sent out a newsletter with a June giveaway, I invited those who entered to share something about summer with me. It wasn’t a requirement to enter, since any e-mail or comment here on my blog gets you entered, but stories can be fun. As it turned out, thinking about summer took many of you down memory lane. I loved trailing along with you. (By the way, if you haven’t entered my June Giveaway, you still have time. Deadline to enter is midnight EST June 23rd. See all the info about prizes and entering on my News & Events Page.)On to the good stuff and your stories. First Nancy shares some of her best summer ever memories.

The awesome memories I have of summer……….is when we were raising our 5 children in Long Island, N.Y. We would take them early in the morning to Jones Beach; where we would proceed to eat real NY bagels…with loads of coffee………as the kids pranced and played and built amazing sand castles. Only then, would they enjoy the bagels that we brought with us (they even remember the sand that would end up on their bagels somehow). God was so gracious to allow us to enjoy what He has made…..the ocean; the sand; the smell. It will forever be etched in our memories….all “7” of us.

Thanks, Nancy. I felt as though I was right there with you eating those bagels. Who minds a little sand in their bagel as long as the tide is sliding in and out in front of you. Pen has some at home memories with a few lake memories stirred in.

When I was a kid, summer stretched on forever. We ate cherry tomatoes in the garden. We rode bikes and horses. We hiked through the woods. Then when I had kids, my folks had a lake cottage. Summers centered on the weekends at the lake. They sped by. Now the whole summer goes by in a blink. It seems I barely get my flowers planted and going good when the snow starts falling.

I’m with you on how summer zooms by, Pen. But sounds as if you know how to make the best of the summer days you’re given. Carrie shares some water fun too. Summer must definitely mean time to head to some kind of water whether an ocean, lake or Carrie’s swimming hole.

…what I enjoyed most during my summer vacation. I loved my time spent at the swimming hole with friends and family. We always took hot dogs to roast and we swam, sunbathed and fished. I loved hunting and catching crawfish to fish with. It was so much fun. I miss those days!!

Sounds fun, Carrie. And we do miss those carefree days of summer when we were kids, but we love our memories. Then sometimes something happens that makes us take stock of life. Joy shares her story.

And I have a lot of summer fun. Mostly spending times with my family. Whether it be a beach trip or trip to the mountains or a cookout at home, the main thing is being together.

I’ve found that out more this year than ever. In March I was diagnosed with breast cancer. After many tests and Dr visits, I had a double mastectomy. The cancer was in several places in one breast and it was my choice to do both, and I’m so glad I did. I’m doing really well. My cancer was early stages found in a mammogram. The Drs said tests showed all the cancer was gotten in surgery. I don’t even have to do chemo or radiation. So for some reason, even though I did lose both breasts, God saw favor in all of the many 100’s of prayers that people and churches were praying and relieved me from chemo and radiation. And my healing is so much better than I thought. I never had one pain from the surgery, just the pain of drawing and itching as the huge incision has been healing. I have a ways to go yet. But it gets better each day!

I say all of that to say this. My diagnosis could have been the other way, like several I know, but by God’s Grace, as far as right now, my cancer is gone. And I’m realizing that first my relationship with the Lord and then family is what life is all about. So spend all of the time you can with them!

And feel free to use my story Ann, if it can encourage anyone else.

Thank you, Joy, for sharing your journey through cancer’s valley. Thank goodness, you are doing so well. That is answer to prayer. I do think your story can be encouragement to others who maybe have walked a similar path. So many of us have faced breast cancer in varying degrees of severity and with different treatment options. My own surgery for breast cancer was four years ago and so far, all is good. Others have faced different types of health problems. One thing can be in common for all and that is the power of prayer in any season. We rejoice in the opportunity to have more good summers to make memories with those we love. That is, as Joy says, what life is all about.

Thank you all for sharing your memories and your stories. And as always, thanks for reading.