My fondest memories of play time in July are the days I shared with my dear aunt, who was most definitely young at heart.  Together we’d dress up in old clothes, usually well-worn shabby work shirts worn backwards and topped with scruffy straw hats.  We were the happiest of hoboes grinning from ear to ear for the camera.  I was blessed with a family of loving folks, but no one was quite as fun-loving as Emily.  A fine Christian woman in every respect, she had a joyful heart.  She was forty-three years older than me, but she was my best summer playmate.

Fun is a gift from God, and she embraced that idea fully.  The Bible tells us, “A happy heart makes the face cheerful.”  Proverbs 15:13.   “A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance.”  Ecclesiastes 3:4.   Having fun and maintaining a cheerful heart not only brighten our days but those around us. 

Summer seems like a great time to embrace God’s gift of fun with a smile on our faces.  I’ve outgrown my days of “dressing up”, but I hope to keep a smile on my face and remember that having fun is a gift from God.  God never intended that we be serious and somber all of the time.

Here’s a song to lift your spirits today.

Judy