Things I miss in the summer

I truly am a midwest guy and one of the things that marks a midwesterner is that we are truly accustomed to four distinct seasons. Of course, summer is the season we are in right now and there are many things I love about summer - long days, ice cream as a social event, shorts and sandals, baseball games (Cincinnati Reds, Indianapolis Indians, Normal Cornbelters) and vacations - just to mention a few. But there are some definitely drawbacks to summer. Here are three things I miss most in the summer: 1. The people I love being together. This happens on two fronts. Our staff is so busy doing ministry during the summer, that our schedules are difficult to coordinate. There are some staff members, even those I work with the closest who I will not see for three weeks at a time. The other miss are the people in my congregation who have a variety of kids activities and vacations as well. I just miss the congregation and staff I love during the summer. 2. Sitting outside. There are too midwest nemeses to enjoying an evening on your back porch this time of year. One is the skin-melting humidity that absolutely makes outside unbearable and the other are these pesky little things called mesquitoes. "Why don't you put repellent on?" you say. So I can make my skin a greasy mess of sweat and oil? No thanks. Longing for those days in fall when the cool weather has run off the mesquitoes and a sweatshirt can keep me plenty warm. 3. Soup. Yes, I said it and I'm the guy who thinks that a meal doesn't count unless there is meat. But I also love a variety of hot soups, stews and chilis and you just can't eat them in the summer time. It makes my head sweat. Well, that's it. If you were reading this post hoping for something insightful...well sorry...maybe I'll think something brilliant when things cool off a bit.