White linen and such

I love summertime. I love the long days that start with happy bursts of orange sunrise shining into my window, blue skies and just-slightly-cool breezes in the morning, lazy, hot afternoons, golden evenings that meld into balmy, warm twilights, and clear, velvet blue midnights with bright twinkles of stars. The northwest definitely serves it up in style around here!

I also love summertime wardrobes. There's something so fun about wearing loose, easy-breezy linen with bedazzled, strappy sandals, sundresses with flip flops and oversized sunglasses, shorts and bright colored sports bra's with tanktops. I love the flow and movement of summer fabrics, the colors that seem to "pop" with life and vibrancy, and the smell of fresh air and summery-perfume that seems to permeate everything.

But perhaps my favorite part of summer is how life seems to slow down and speed up all at the same time. Here, where we experience so much rain, it seems everyone turns into a strange combo of planners and go-with-the-flow-ers. We want to have plans that allow us to make the most of the sun, but also know the unpredictability of dependably nice days - so we plan, and then spontaneously take advantage of times that aren't necessarily planned as well!

Everyone seems to be in a better mood in the summer. The people in coffee shops are always smiling, and when I run the lake in the cool evenings, people wave and call out cheery "Hellos!" People on the road are courteous and friendly, smiling at the notes written in the dust on the back of windshields, and waving you around haybales and tractors hindering traffic.

I wish summer lasted longer. I wish I lived in a perpetual state of summer. But maybe I wouldn't appreciate it as much if I didn't have the 9 months of rain and gloom typical of this home of mine. I am, perhaps, not quite as far along as I hope on that whole "be content in ALL things" thing...

But I am thankful! For drives with the windows down, for the sun on my face and the wind in my hair, for sweat-inducing runs with friends and deep chats along the path, for iced coffee dates on cafe porches, for live music, for the sunset and moonrise happening simultaneously. And I'm thankful for relationships that warm my heart and teach me to expect in Jesus and forgive humans.

May your weekend (and mine!) be full of fellowship and peace and joy.