Summer is finally upon us, at least according to the calendar if not always the weather outside.  And with that, I find myself having more and more conversations with other parents about their summer plans. 

They always seem to fall into two camps if you will.  There are those families that have more plans for their summer than Lady Gaga has twitter followers.  It’s a true master class in excess, with nary a week or weekend free.  There are camps for the kids, vacations far and wide, sports tournaments, and more.

Contrast that with those who look to summer as an opportunity to just breathe.  Where most people brag about how terribly busy they are, these folks are bragging about how busy they aren’t. 
For them, summer is synonymous with relaxation, and think the last thing we need to do is fill it up to the edge of the margins.  They can become almost monkish in their desire to de-clutter their calendar and take a break from the normal pace of the rest of the year.

I’m certainly not advocating that one style is better than the other, and to be honest, I’m not sure which camp I’ll be finding myself in this particular summer.  But one thing I do know is, Jesus will find me and you and all of us this summer regardless of our schedule, and regardless of our pace.

Pace of life is a funny thing.  It can get in the way of so many things.  Our relationships, our dreams, our plans.  But it can’t get in the way of Jesus.  Sure, we can all do our best to drown Him out with noise, or activities, even with quiet. 

If we don’t want to hear from Him, we can always try to make that happen.  But, the funny thing is, when He really wants to get our attention He still does.  Jesus has this funny way of breaking into our plans and our pace whether we’re ready for Him or not.  And I expect this summer to be no different.

So, regardless of what you have planned for summer, I hope you’re also ready for one thing that’s coming, planned or not.  A great encounter with Jesus.  Who knows what venue or inspiration He’ll use for you.  But when He shows up, my hope is that we’ll all be ready to listen.  And if you are, you might find that His plans for your summer are the best plans of all.