It is hard for me to believe that summer arrived on Monday. I always think of summer as being bright and sunny and warm. Wrong! This year, Monday morning was foggy and it rained in several places with the temperatures dipping down into the 40’s and 50’s. So, I turned up the furnace instead of the air conditioner. Summer is supposed to be bright and sunny with picnics in the park, swimming at the swimming pool and getting your sun tan, going fishing, playing ball, and I could go on and on about all the many activities we all love to do in the summer. I don’t know who ever came up with the phrase of "The lazy, hazy days of summer," but I have very few lazy days or crazy days either, for that matter. However, I do look forward to summer and enjoy "the Good Old Summer Time." Summer is a beautiful time of the year. The flowers and landscapes are all beautiful. It is a beautiful time of the year to take a ride through the countryside, discovering new things, watching the crops grow and sharing it all with our families. Just remember to keep a few days for the lazy, crazy days of summer!Verla Baker and her daughter, Dee Petersen, Wilmont, Lillian Ausen, Ruthton, and Bernard Aukes, Steen, attended the Aukes family reunion at Clear Lake State Park in Iowa on Saturday. The Aukes family reunion was begun by Verla Baker’s father. This year was their 65th reunion. Congratulations to them!Terry Van Wyhe, son of Stan and Deb Van Wyhe, will leave Thursday for the U.S. Army. He was presented with a New Testament Bible from his church to take with him. Next Sunday evening, June 27, the Steen Reformed Church will hold their annual Outdoor Concert in the park. It will begin at 6:15 p.m. with the Praise Team. There are several groups coming from a distance for the program. Everyone is welcome. Dries and Laura May Bosch were Father’s Day guests in the home of their son Paul and Diane Bosch, at Brandon, S.D. Other guests were Tom and Amy Bosch and daughters, Emma and Isabel, and Nathan and Erin Bosch, all from Sioux Falls. Those going on the youth mission trip to the Cities from Steen Reformed Church to attend the Urban Volunteers program left last Sunday and will return this Saturday. Those going are: Ashley Bosch, Drew Spykerboer, Tom Scholten, Brittney Rozeboom, Lance Van Der Weerd, Amanda Tilstra, Sonya Elbers, Kilee Baker, John Sandbulte, Cassi Tilstra, Derek Spykerboer, Jessie Leenderts, Kari Roozenboom, Dana Beyenhof, Kristin Harsma, Dustin Bonnema, David Rozeboom, Betty Saarloos and Brian Dengler. Mildred Paulsen accompanied the Luverne United Methodist Women to Ellsworth Parkview Manor Nursing Home Monday afternoon where they presented a program and served lunch. While there I discovered that one of our Steen residents is the activities director there. Of course I had to talk to him about our big city. He informed me he had purchased Elizabeth Elbers’ house some time ago. His name is Scott Kessler. He is busy redoing the house and plans to paint it this summer. Just think, I had to go to Ellsworth to get to know one of my neighbors!Sunday evening, July 4th, Steen Reformed Church will have a special patriotic service. A fellowship time will follow. There will be fireworks for all to enjoy. If you have any fireworks you want to share they would be welcome. The fireworks will begin at approximately 9 p.m. It seems everyone is in such a hurry in our world today. No one has any free time it seems. Perhaps we have to make time for some of the things that would be most meaningful in our lives. I ran across his article written by Patience Strong and it is titled, "Take time." Prior to the article she states: "Know the value of time, snatch, seize and enjoy every minute of it. No idleness, no laziness, no prepreparation, Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today."Then she goes on, "Take time my friend, take time for reading nature’s books — the stories that are written in the rocks, hills and brooks. The secret wisdom of their life is there before your eyes.It’s graven on the ancient earth and in the starry skies. Take time to hear, my friend, the little gentle tones of curling waves and plunging streams that ripple over stones. Of birdsong and windsong, and raindrops in the leaves, rustling reed and swaying corn and wings above the eaves.Take time for dreams, take time for God, take time for quiet thought. Take time to gaze in wonder at the marvels He has wrought. Take time for turning, page by page, the book that has no end. For thus in nature you’ll discover, lover, mother, friend."Hopefully we can use some of our lazy, crazy days of summer by taking the time to appreciate and enjoy the beauties of our world that so often we take for granted and ignore. Take time to enjoy!
