Summertime Recollections

Ah summertime! It is one of my favorite times of the year. I have been blessed to be a stay-at-home mom, and when our children were young, I looked forward to summertime.

Summertime evokes many memories. Especially memorable are family vacations and road trips. Days of telling the children to keep their hands to themselves as they rode in the car, and allowing them to jump on the hotel beds are fond memories. (Of course they were not allowed to jump on the beds at home, but they were so little and loved jumping from one bed to the other and knocking each other over.) These are memories I cherish.

When we moved to Austin to start a home missions church, we were fortunate to find an older home that had a swimming pool in the backyard and a hot tub even though it was not in working order.  Our family had many wonderful times swimming in that pool. I had the hot tub fixed as a birthday present to the pastor, my hubby! We used our pool in the summertime and the hot tub in the wintertime to baptize our new converts. Our boys were both baptized in the hot tub. Real Home Missions!

All of our children learned to swim in that swimming pool and we had many birthday swim parties. It's amazing what you can do with a swimming pool and an  adjoining shed. I will never forget coming home one afternoon to find dad and the boys outside in the pool. Not only were they swimming, but the boys would climb the tree next to the shed, get on the roof of the shed, and then jump into the pool! It was right at the edge of the pool so they just dropped right into the deep end. They had so much fun finding ways to spend time together.

Although our children are now adults these memories are as fresh in my mind as though they happened yesterday. I want to continue to make summertime memories. There is nothing like spending time with your family. It does not have to be a long-planned, detailed event. Something simple like sandwiches out by the pool, or a picnic lunch in the backyard will create fond memories for years to come.

This last Memorial Day weekend we spent together with our four children, two grandchildren, my parents and our niece. It was a wonderful day, eating together, relaxing, sharing good conversation, laughter, and swimming. We were making memories together. Never take those times for granted. God gives us a family to love, to strengthen, to share good times and bad times. Let's make our summertime a time to spend with our family; whether it be a 30 minute coffee break, a picnic lunch, or dinner outside. You will never regret good times spent with your family. Enjoy summertime!

Connie Bernard is the wife of David Bernard, General Superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church International. They have 3 children, Jonathan and his wife Sara, Daniel and Lindsey, one grandson Elijah and one granddaughter Adelle. Sis. Bernard has traveled extensively with Bro. Bernard and has spoken throughout the US and in several countries. She received her BA in music from Jackson College of Ministries and also served as secretary to the Vice President of the college. Her main role at this time is keeping up with Bro. Bernard! She maintains the home and family in Austin and St. Louis and tries to travel with Bro. Bernard as much as possible.