This is just a quick little issue for summertime, inspired by an e-mail about family reunions from the Deffinbaughs at The Timberdoodle Company (www.timberdoodle.com) one of my favorite home school suppliers.  I bought our Cuisenaire rods from them about 15 years ago, and I'm still using them to demonstrate long division and other math concepts!  They also carry the Miller family series that many of us love so much.  Plus, they usually send a free book with each order!  The Deffinbaugh family has gladly given me permission to enclose part of their e-mail message in this Hope Chest issue. I think I'll start with that, and then touch on the topics of summer fun and hospitality.

Blessings,

Virginia Knowles

www.TheHopeChest.net

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Summer Family Reunions

Dear Friends,

For many of us, June signals the beginning of the family reunion season. This year both sides of our family are getting together, one to celebrate the 65th anniversary of Dan's folks, and the other as an end to an era as Deb's dad's failing health makes future gatherings more uncertain. So we are asking ourselves, what can we do to make them the best family reunions ever? Here are our thoughts:  

1. Don't let ourselves or our children embrace the idea that this is a deserved vacation time. We will have plenty of rest time in eternity. At each reunion we should try to outdo one another in service. There is more satisfaction when we drop into bed exhausted from attending to the needs of others instead of fatigued from self-centered play. But we need to do it with delight; no one wants to be around a martyred mom, duty-driven dad, or cranky children.

2. Don't seek our own glory in either the activities or the discussions. This can be such a battlefield. But before we speak or act we need to ask ourselves, will God get the glory? We should not rob glory from God; nothing good will ever come of it.

3. We need to graciously give up preconceived ideas of must-do activities. The inner tube we bought for the occasion may go unused, the pinochle tournament may flag for lack of interest, and the community sing-along may give way to popcorn and games. No one may want to do what we want them to do, but when we hold everything with an open hand, having it slip through our fingers will be less painful.

It is hard to keep our minds on the things above when there is so much going on in the here below. But if we keep the right perspective, these could be the best reunions ever, this side of heaven.

Looking forward to serving you as you seek His balance,

Timberdoodle Company

Dan, Deb, Joy, Hope, Grace, Abel, and Pearl 

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I was so touched reading this e-mail from the Deffinbaugh family.  You see, in just a couple of weeks, baby Melody and I are flying up north to go to the Hess family reunion in Pennsylvania. The poignant thing about it is that at this same reunion 30 years ago, my cousin Cindy and Aunt Fay shared the gospel with me, and God so mercifully saved me.  It may not seem like that big of a deal, but I was in sorry shape spiritually, morally and emotionally, even at the tender age of 12.  It's trite to say, "My life has never been the same!" -- but it's true.  As much as I am often befuddled by the swirl of theological opinions in popular culture, I cannot imagine life without Jesus at the center.  I know that in years past, there have been some unpleasant conflicts on the matter of religion within our extended family.  It is not my intention to stir these up again at all.   Still, if I can somehow winsomely share the peace and joy I have found in Christ, I will be grateful.  This reunion is probably the last one that my grandparents, Henry and Dorothy Hess, will be able to attend.  Now in their nineties and in declining health, they finally moved back in with my parents last month.  Grandpa can't go work in the garden anymore, but Mom sets up a chair for him to at least go enjoy looking at it.  He also tells her what SHE needs to do with it!  I am SO looking forward to seeing them!

Whether you are traveling or going to a family reunion or not, summertime can be a wonderful opportunity to relax and have fun with friends and family!  I've sure enjoyed lunch-after-church with various families over the past couple of months -- either at their houses or ours.  Hope Chest reader Sunny Lerch and her family (who are from Texas) even stopped by on their vacation to Orlando, and joined us for church that morning, too.  What a treat!   You see, Sunny and Steve and their four kids are not our blood family, and we had never met them before in person, but they ARE family -- our brothers and sisters in the Lord!  So every opportunity of fellowship is a family reunion! 

Is there someone in your church or in your neighborhood whom you would love to know better?  Invite them over for a meal!  Summertime hospitality can be so simple, especially if you have a comfortable place to eat outdoors.  The Rejonis family had us over after church yesterday, and we all spread out indoors and outdoors so we'd have enough place to sit. It takes guts to invite a huge family like ours over, but it sure worked well!  It blessed me to see the older kids sweetly serve the younger ones so the parents could have plenty of time to chat.  They have also been really good about helping with meal preparation, whether we're at our house or someone else's.  If fixing a feast seems too challenging for you, try a potluck!

Of course, outdoor eating is fun everyday, even if you don't have guests. Several of my kids just enjoyed lunch on our back porch at our two Little Tykes picnic tables, in between dips in our above ground pool.  I told them to just jump in with their clothes on since they were all hot and sweaty from spending the morning on a summertime field trip with me.   We went to Leu Gardens, a local botanical garden which has free admission on Mondays if you get there before noon.  We sketched by the lake where we had fed bread to the fish and turtles, snacked on pretzels in the rose garden gazebo, and strolled around enjoying the gorgeous flowers and trees. I'm planning weekly field trips this summer to get us off the couch and out of the house.  I think the Orlando Museum of Art is still free to local residents on Thursday afternoons, and they have an exhibit of works by Eric Carle, the illustrator of such classic children's books as The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  We also have a family membership to the Central Florida Zoo in Sanford.  Then there is the Audubon Birds of Prey rehabilitation center in Maitland.  There are also many local parks and playgrounds to enjoy.  Orlando recreation is not just about Disney World!

Maybe we'll splurge and get a BBQ grill this year for Father's Day, especially since Thad and the kids have worked so hard getting our yard in shape.  Last week, he and I took a "date" to two local plant nurseries and picked out Japanese boxwood, star jasmine, Mexican heather, and African irises to plant in the area where he terraced and mulched the front yard.  What a guy!

Summertime is also the time to think about hot weather safety.  Here are a few things I try to remember: 

•  Drink a lot of water to stay well hydrated!   Is it eight cups a day that we normally need?  Drink MORE if you're out, even if you're driving in the car.  We like to keep bottled water handy in our storage room so we can grab it on the way out the door.
• Put on your sunscreen or cover up with a T-shirt when you're swimming!   (You certainly don't want skin cancer years down the road, not to mention the sunburn now!  Ouch!  Babies are extra sensitive!) 
• Watch little ones closely around pools and at the beach!   Our younger children have swimsuits with foam floats sewed into them for a little extra protection.  I bought these at Wal-Mart last year. Of course, floats are no substitute for adult supervision.
• Don't ever leave kids or pets in the car!  I know we'll all see news stories about kids who've suffocated in the heat or about parents who have been arrested for negligence.  Don't let it happen to you. 
• Be careful around those BBQ grills, campfires, matches, and lighters!
• Remember food safety at picnics!  Don't leave out anything with mayonnaise or eggs.  Watch out for raw meat juices around other foods.  Wash your hands, too!
• Keep a little first aid packet in your car for when you're out.  Stock it with bandages, sterile wipes, itch cream, antibiotic lotion, and whatever else you think you'll need on the go.

For more summer safety tips, visit these sites:

http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/summertips.htm

http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/welcome/summer.html