It's cold, wet and mostly dreary lately. Typical for this time of year in the Pacific Northwest. Despite the fact that I'm originally from Alaska, I'm really not crazy about the cold weather. And I'm especially not crazy about immersing myself in cold water. But I have a teenage son named Lucas who lives with autism, and he can tolerate swimming in very cold water - much, much colder than I can. I'm often amazed at his tolerance for cold. But even he is forced to wait now for spring to come so he can swim outdoors again.
Lucas asks me every day to promise that the sun will return and that he will get to go swimming in the lake again, and I promise him "Yes, Lucas. Yes, the sun will return and I will take you to the lake to go swimming again." And he holds on tight to that reassuring promise of the sun's return so he can bask in its warmth again.
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| Lucas of the Lake |
Yes, winter is the time of year that we must cling to our memories of the warm sunshine and hang on tight to the promise of spring. But, despite the cold, I was recently warmed by an article written by a frequent attendee at our Sunday Evening Celebrations - only from the inside. I'll share it with you today in the hope that this sunshine for the soul will warm you as well.
Got Some Summer Fun? by Alex Motteler
On a sunny day in July, people with wheeled contraptions gathered for a field day at Lake Washington High School. Bikes, wheelchairs, and other devices were the means with which we could get around the track. Unloading into the parking lot, we were directed to a barbecue near the track where the games would be held. After a meal of hamburgers, hot dogs, and chips, it was time to begin the big games. Some of the older people just stood in the sidelines while most of us chose to go onto the track and participate. Split into four teams: red, green, yellow, and blue; we were ready to take part in these crazy activities. While we were doing this, people were putting on sunscreen and preparing for a big day in the sun. Most chose to participate while others chose to sit on the sidelines and watch the craziness. It was a great day!
In a relay race style, the teams made their way to various stations. Playing a silly game at each station, our wheelay team made the rounds. There was a cheese puff toss, where a teammate put shaving cream on, so we could throw cheese puffs at a team member; a hoop hooping game, where we had to dodge people throwing water balloons at us, an obstacle course for our contraption to navigate, and an event to see if we could blow a bubble. Additionally, we finished the day with a victory lap. Running around the track of the high school, we celebrated another successful field day. Medals were handed out since we were all winners. We were all thankful to have sunny weather. Although there wasn’t the Bridge birthday hat, we were all made to be special. It was a blast for all participants!
The barbecue and games made for a wonderful afternoon to catch up on friends, enjoy the outdoors, and be competitive. Well, maybe not the latter part. Where else can you throw cheese puffs, rush through a water fight and navigate obstacle courses? Each summer Bridge does an extended celebration where we play “wacky” games. When summer comes, there are no excuses for not being outside and doing things.
Wacky Wheelays was only the first outdoor event hosted by Bridge Ministries this summer. At Game Farm Park in Auburn, another summer Barbeque with a karaoke machine occurred. Silly songs were sung as we ate hamburgers grilled by Sunshine Ministries. We even had a chance to celebrate anybody who had a summer birthday. Volunteers worked the grill as people got up to the karaoke and sang. Carrying the message that God’s love is for all of us, we enjoyed listening to the songs that people were brave enough to sing into the machine. It was a great way to spend time outside!
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| Alex waiting in line for the relay race & raring to go! |
It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is deprived of its warmth.
Psalm 19:5-6
