Summer is rapidly approaching and you are making your family plans.  Here is a list of ten things you can do as a family this summer.

1. Travel together.  You do not have to go far. You can travel a couple of hours and take in new sights. Within that distance form us there is American Village that recreates colonial America, or a couple of lakes for boating or swimming, some historic towns, historic iron works, waterfalls, and national forests.
2. Eat together.  Take a picnic to a park. Go to different restaurant. Gather around the family table and tell stories about when you were growing up.
3. Visit a Summer Carnival or Amusement Park together.  Ride roller-coasters, swings, haunted houses, take in a show, laugh and enjoy these things together.
4. Laugh together.  Find an old slapstick comedy or clean parody to watch together. See ho many knock-knock jokes ou can remember or make up.  JUST LAUGH!
5. Go to community events together.  Summertime brings art festivals, music festivals, pet days, town days (Around here there is Kansas Day, Berry Heritage Day, Mule Day, etc. When I lived in Florida there was the Mullet Festival the fish not the hair style.) Take in the family events of these special days and weekends.
6. Walk together.  Walk in the early morning before it gets to hot. Or walk in the late evening while the sun is just setting. Walk the neighborhood, walk in the community park. Not only are you getting some exercise, you are in each other’s company.
7. Have devotionals together.  Take time to sing, pray, and study together in the family room.  If you are on vacation have devotionals in your hotel, condo, resort room, camper or tent. There will be some great discussions about Christian living that will take place in those rooms.
8. Worship together.  Spend Sunday and Wednesdays gathering with Christians as you worship. When you are on vacation, make time to worship with Christians in the area you are visiting. You will encourage them and they will encourage you.
9. Talk together.  Those walks, meals, and hours of standing in line at amusement parks gives ample opportunity to talk. So do the car rides as you travel.  Talk together.
10. Spend TIME TOGETHER.  Really that is what the whole idea of this post is – time together.  Make the most of the time.  Build relationships and create memories by simply being together.

Have a great FAMILY SUMMER!

– Scott