My Summer MVP List
What makes summer summer
Welcome to Walk & Talk, my monthly offering to share stories, inspiration, and hope. I’m Kim Knowle-Zeller, mama, pastor, and writer. I’ve lived in West Africa and one summer hiked 500 miles across Spain, and now I call Cole Camp, MO home with my husband, two children, dog, and cat. I love to walk, talk, and share stories. Thanks for being here!
Outside the June sun blazes, but inside the house the kids and I clang dishes and glasses making juice and lemonade. It’s not summer until we set up the quintessential Lemonade Stand.
The kids’ eyes light up while we peel the lemon skins and wait for them to boil. “Are they ready yet?” Charlotte asks. The sweetness fills the kitchen. I take turns reading the directions with her. Meanwhile Isaac puts the juicer on the counter and lays the fruit he wants to include in his special juice. He shows me where to put the fruit and I can’t remember whether we peel the oranges or not? One by one we run blueberries, apples, and oranges (skins and all) in the juicer. The kids make a sign and set up the table and chairs. I send off a few texts to friends. We sample the lemonade and juice (a bit bitter, as I realize, yes, we should have peeled the oranges before placing them in the juicer!)
It’s the sun and warmth, the first sip of fresh-squeezed lemonade and the whir of the juicer. It’s the handmade sign with the backward 1 and the anticipation of neighbors driving by and stopping for a drink. It’s big smiles and pride in setting up their own stand. It’s summer days together.
But I think the real MVPs are the friends and family who come over, dropping quarters and dollars in the jar, drinking with a smile, too bitter juice, and ultimately believing in your kids.
In this spirit of summer MVPs, I share a few more things that are bringing us joy this summer.
Pool
Most afternoons the kids ask, “Can we go to the pool today?” And my answer is always, “Yes!” I’ve seen their confidence grow as they swim on their own, practice their underwater flips, and swim across the deep end. On our first day, while chatting with a friend, I look up and see Isaac running off the diving board. All last year he refused to go near the diving board, and then, this year I didn’t even get a warning. He jumped and swam on his own to the side. The pool feels like a great equalizer among the kids as they play Marco Polo and dive for underwater rings. We’re all friends here.
Library
Every summer we anticipate signing up for our town library’s Summer Reading Program. There’s something about filling out the little slips, piling books into a bag, and getting a small prize for reading. There’s also the teachers and friends we see at the library and the joy of sharing our favorite reads so far. We find new authors and stories to love. There’s also the computers whose screen time I don’t begrudge thanks to their learning games. We have weekly story time at the park, events at the library, and an ongoing bear hunt where we search for wooden bears hiding in our community. So far this summer the kids have thrown axes, visited an art gallery, and made lasagna for neighbors in need. In a sense - the library has brought us into community not only through books and stories but by serving and caring for others. And it’s all free, waiting for the next kid to find the story that will transport them to a world of unlimited possibilities.
Front porch
Starting my day on the front porch in the company of hummingbirds and flowers, I take deep breaths and sip hot coffee. Our dog keeps watch from the lawn. I see the same neighbors pass and wave every morning. My soul settles and I can listen for that still small voice inside me. I can breathe deeper.
Read-alouds
I had hopes of engaging the kids in more learning and workbooks over the summer to avoid the summer slide in their schooling. Yet, here we are in July and I can count the number of pages they’ve worked on with one hand. But, we have been reading a lot. After I have my own quiet time on the porch, the kids join me and we sit together with an I Survived book. With the soundtrack of bird song and windchimes, we read of the true events from such places as Pompeii, the Revolutionary War, and Glacier National Park. We’re transported to different places and time. We are learning and reading and we’re together. I have a feeling that come September, these porch morning read-alouds will be my favorite memories.
Impromptu get-togethers
There is a time for planning over the summer, but mostly with longer daylight hours, summer lends itself to the last-minute texts: Up for an impromptu get together tonight? Want to walk around the neighborhood? Meet me at the park in an hour. Here’s to the friends who are willing to join for honest conversation on the porch with a glass of sparkling water and the friends who don’t mind walks while the kids ride their bikes ahead. Here’s to pockets of time investing in community.
How about you? What are your summer MVPs? I’d love to hear!
Something else to share
I’m honored to have an essay featured on Fathom that shares about mental health, friendship and asking hard questions. If you read anything of mine, this may be the most important.
“But that day, amidst the blazing sun, one question burned inside me. I wanted to ask. I needed to ask. But the words sat lodged in the back of my throat. The question we asked each other months ago under the security of the church building, the question we asked with a smile on our faces trying to ease the awkwardness we felt. That question that needed to be asked under the safety of the pool canopy confessional, but I couldn’t get it out. It raced in my mind but never out of my mouth: Are you thinking of hurting yourself?”
Read the rest here: I wanted to ask, I needed to ask.
A number of years ago I wrote a Summer not-to-do list that still feels true today. “This summer I will not compare myself to others. Rather, I’ll look at my life and know that I am enough. I will remember that I am a beloved child of God.”
Read the rest here: Summer not-to-do list.
What I’m Reading:
The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl. This is a gem of a book set in Paris that hits all the right notes of art and food and friendship. I’ve loved Ruth’s memoirs of her work as Gourmet Magazine’s Editor, and this novel of hers did not disappoint.
- . I have been reading this book since the fall when it first came out. Kayla is my go-to person for prayers, liturgies and remembering the holy work of parenting. I will continue to keep this book beside me for reflections and prayers throughout the seasons.
What I’m Reading with the Kids:
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown. A book about a robot, nature, and the families we create. It’s a delight.
I Survived Series (these have been great audio books for long trips as well as for our morning reading time!)
What I’m Cooking:
This blueberry crisp after every trip to the blueberry field!
A Prayer for Summer
God of the hummingbirds and butterflies,
garden veggies and shade trees,
be with me this summer.
Open my eyes to the beauty in my front yard -
a bird bathing
the shades of green leaves
the vibrant flowers.
Open my eyes to my neighbors -
the cadence of friends talking
children chasing one another through the grass
hands waving hello.
Keep my feet firmly planted -
reveling in the earth supporting me
reverent of my place in the vast universe
cautious of my footprint on creation.
Open my hands -
to strawberry filled fingers reaching for a hug
one more push on the swing
another walk around the park.
Open my ears -
to the cries of injustice
the invitation to serve
the voice of God nudging me to serve my neighbors.
Keep my spirit set on seeking you -
choosing joy over sadness
intent on singing a song of peace.
God of the gentle wind and rushing storms,
trickling creeks and towering mountains,
quiet my soul.
Help me to dig deeper
into your Word
your grace
your love.
With every sunrise and sunset
may my body be a prayer
my life given in love
for the sake of my neighbor
for the sake of the world
in Jesus’ name
Amen.
So grateful for you, friend! It’s an honor to know you’re reading my words. It’s a joy to be connected and hear your stories. I hope we can continue to walk and talk for years to come.
P.S. I have a favor for those of you who have read The Beauty of Motherhood. Would you be willing to write an Amazon review? They are so helpful for getting others to know about our book! Anyone can review on Amazon whether you’ve bought the book from them or not. Thank you!
Dear Kim, Every time I read Walk and Talk, I feel uplifted and finish with an open heart, and most often a smile as well. This is ever more true as our country makes its way through the conflicts that have taken hold of our public life. Thank you!!
I adore your summer prayer and MVPs list, Kim! This is our first summer with a pool membership and it has been a worthy investment. And baseball with my oldest's classmates also makes our family's summer MVP list 😎☀️