RevGalBlogPals Friday Five: Hot Town, Summer In The City...

...or town, or suburb, or hamlet, or burg, or unincorporated zone, or rural area of your choice---pretty much anywhere but the southern hemisphere, it's summer. (Australians and others, consider this an invitation to take a break from winter for a while.)

1. Favorite summer food(s) and beverage(s)
Wow - how to choose? Can I sum up with "Just about anything cooked over fire or charcoal?" After spending two summers at Tipi Village at NLOM, every June 1st I start to experience a little "tipi seasoning" jones - meat and Lawry's and I'm good to go!

2. Song that "says" summer to you. (Need not be about summer explicitly.)
I'd have to say "Centerfield" by John Fogerty. I grew up in the baseball capital of Nebraska (no kidding!) and every night we were playing they'd open the pre-game music with "Centerfield." There are other great summertime songs that I'm sure many will mention, but that one does it for me. Along with that, you should add a hot dog with kraut and mustard and a cold beer at a ballgame to #1 above - even in the Metrodome, the worst place to watch baseball now that the Kingdome has been destroyed, a dog and a beer and baseball make for a fine, fine evening.

3. A childhood summer memory
Being dropped off for VBS at our church, followed by a sack lunch and a bike ride down to the park for baseball practice. After practice, an afternoon playing at the swimming pool until Dad picked us up at 5:00 or so, when the pool closed for the afternoon. Supper at home, followed by another trip into town to watch the Legion teams play ball. Chasing foul balls, which our mayor would redeem for a dime in the press box. Could life be any better?

4. An adult summer memory
Church camp - gotta be camp! Getting up at 6:00 for a cup of coffee, a cigarette and some reading in a good book before anyone else was awake (I know, I know, the smoking was bad, but it was peaceful and quiet and cool and it's my memory - deal). Cooking eggs & bacon on a griddle over a firepit. Playing guitar & singing at the top of my lungs to get the kids up for worship. Watching 25 4th-6th graders sing "This is the Day" at 7:30 a.m. and enjoy it. (This is the day - that the Lord has made - I will rejoice - and be glad in it!) Bible Study - Crafts - Hiking - Site Meeting - Council Fire - Games - Giggling kids. Like LutheranHusker said, wouldn't life be better if we all stopped every day at 3:00 p.m. for a sno-cone? Finally, evening worship. Gathered around a campfire, playing my guitar and leading worship is where I discovered a sense that God was pulling me toward ministry.

5. Describe a wonderful summer day you'd like to have in the near future. (weather, location, activities)
Cool morning breeze. A four-mile run that lasts 35 minutes and feels like two miles. Breakfast with Beloved and Ainsley: pancakes & eggs. A good book to enjoy for an hour or two. A hike in the afternoon, maybe a dip in the lake. Supper cooked over fire or charcoal (sensing a theme?), and I read my good book while listening to the Twins game on the radio (they beat the White Sox, of course).

Optional: Does your place of worship do anything differently in the summer? (Fewer services, casual dress, etc.)
We're worshiping at 9:00 a.m. instead of 10:30 these days, but otherwise most everything stays the same.