The Good Ole' Days
The dog park in my apartment complex used to be a tennis and basketball court. They turned it into this huge dog play area with a nice walking path. It is situated right next to the pool so in these hot summer evenings I hear the kids playing in the cool water. Today I saw a little boy wrapped in a towel following his dad home. I had to laugh as it reminded me of those times when we were small and went to the community pool in town. When we were done swimming, and even if we weren't done, we were wrapped in towels eyes red and swollen exhausted from the fun. We loved going to the pool.
When I was a teenager we moved to California to a house with a pool. Ours was the "go to" house, and not only because of the pool. My mom was an entertainer. She loved to host parties. She was always planning something. I think she just loved the bustle of people. Everyone loved coming over because of Mom. She made every party fun. She invented this game for the pool. It was a relay race. She took two of her old dresses and we were supposed to put on the dress and swim the length of the pool and take it off and the next person was to put it on and swim back. Her games were the best!
My older siblings had begun having children by this time. My nieces and nephews learned to swim in our pool. So did my little brother and all of his friends. My older brother was amazing at doing flips off the diving board. We soaked in the jacuzzi, floated on floaties and played Marco Polo, of course, but the funniest thing we ever did was hunt for dad's teeth when they fell out! My dad had a bridge that would occasionally fall out of his mouth and sink to the bottom of the pool. I know, very strange, but it was quite the job to find them! Sometimes I think he did it on purpose just to change the mood in the pool.
I miss those days. They were some of the best of my life. There was so much happiness when we were all together in the pool or eating outside at this huge picnic table my brother had built for our crew. Funny, but that table wouldn't be big enough now. It is still amazing to see everyone grown with kids of their own. 7 siblings makes quite the extended family!
Imagine Jesus enjoying the pool and the fellowship around the table. I think of him and how much he loves to be around people. I think he would laugh and be just as happy as we all were. Being created in His image means that we are created to be in fellowship with Him and with others. We need each other. Family is very important to God. Jesus called God our father and spoke of us as his children. We are adopted into the family of the Creator of the Universe because Jesus died on the cross. That means he WANTED us to be part of his family. You don't die for people that you hate. You die for those you love. You adopt those that you love.
I Imagine Jesus holding the biggest pool party someday with the most amazing food and the freshest spring water that we could imagine. No chlorine, no chemicals at all, just pure heavenly living water and lots of laughter and family fun. Maybe mom will bring out a couple of heavenly robes and we will have a relay race!
Enjoy your summer, whatever you do! If you get a chance to enjoy it with family, take lots of pictures!
Take a minute to listen to the song. I had to do another Keith Green song. This one is too funny. It is a throwback from my youth.
Ephesians 1:5 "he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will"
John 7:38 " Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
Luke 11:13 "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
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