I am the most distractable person I know.
My struggle with staying present is about as ridiculous as a lucha libre wrestling match. However, instead of two sweaty men in shiny spandex costumes grappling for a trophy, I pit my expectations and understanding of reality against each other. It is a wild spectacle and no one is quite sure who to root for.
Another reason I am terrible at staying present is this device I hold in my hand right now. One moment it is a life giver, the next a joy snatcher. A catalyst for connection that quickly devolves into one for comparison. This rectangle of sweet escape, productivity, or even study too often becomes a trap that leaves me numb to the real beautiful world.
My phone is helping me write this book, but it is also robbing me of an invitation from my daughter to bake muffins together.
Hold that thought…
…………
Mmm. I wish you could smell the cinnamon streusel wafting through our kitchen now. The beaming smile on my daughter’s face was brighter than the sunrise this early A.M. Totally worth putting the phone down.
PICK THE DAY
What is worth putting your phone down for? What activities, values, and people do you treasure? How will you adjust your rhythms and expectations this summer to honor and enjoy them?
I love Audrey Hepburns words, “pick the day. Enjoy it – to the hilt.” You don’t have to just let summer happen to you. With some intentionality, you can embrace all that God has in store for you.
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Psalm 16:11
A stay-present summer is going to look different for each of us. You may need to structure a rhythm to ensure you “fit in” every experience you’ve been pining for all winter. There is something to putting Wednesday Lake Day on the calendar every week.
Or perhaps you are ready for the deep exhale of letting go of all routine. The beauty of spontaneity is you might just feel more aware of your joy when it takes you by surprise. I know I can certainly overthink my summer plans to death.
All that said, a few things matter to anyone seeking to stay-present. Whether you are on your own or have a full brood of tiny humans to care for, I am guessing you want this summer to look different than summers in the past.
You want to make memories and grow in a specific area. You want to yell less, laugh more, and feel connected to what really matters. You are tired of insecurity quenching your confidence, and you long for contentment and deep satisfaction.
At the end of the season, when pumpkin spice lattes kick poolside smoothies to the curb, you want to look back and say you truly enjoyed your summer.
I want those things too!
So here I am, the one who struggles the most with contentment and presentness, attempting to change my own narrative before summer melts away like a popsicle.
I discovered 7 ways to claim it—this confident contentment that so often eludes me every summer. These mindful attributes, which spell out the word P.R.E.S.E.N.T., will guide you out of frantic FOMO and into the wide open spaces of the abundant life in Christ.
- P: Stay Prayerful
- R: Stay Roomy
- E: Stay Expectant
- S: Stay Sanctified
- E: Stay Enjoying
- N: Stay Noticing
- T: Stay Together
Have a seat on the porch with me, friend. Let’s learn how to stay-present this summer, together.
Want more?
Thanks for reading the Introduction of my new e-book Stay Present Summer. There are LOADS of extras in the book, including
- tips for staying screen free,
- Bible readings,
- memory verses,
- journal prompts,
- activities you can enjoy with your kids (or roomies!)
- and more!
Download Stay Present Summer: 7 Ways to Claim Confidence and Contentment This Season here: Get my Free E-book!
