Summerizing..................

This started happening the other day and I almost laughed myself in the floor thinking about sharing it with you guys in blog form. If you are a guy reader, Lord bless you, but this may be one you should skip! It is as girly as they come. For all of us in the south we have just experienced one of my most favorite blessings (my mother-in-law who is a snow lovin school teacher doesn’t at all agree) summer in winter! We have had up to 70 degree weather and I couldn’t be more thrilled, UNTIL the reality hit, I need to do some summerizing. I wish I didn’t have to admit this but authentic is always my goal so here goes. I also wish I could pretend that my body, under layers of sweat pants and shirts, is just glowing, waiting to be unleashed into full view, but let me assure you it is NOT!

To explain: on Sunday I asked Jeremy what the weather was like and he said WARM. So I said what any girl would say, warm as in short sleeve or long sleeve kind of warm. He said short sleeve and I immediately thought, oh crap, pull out the sunless tanner! Now I am sure there are many less vain readers out there, but for all of the normal people, go on and admit it, you thought the same thing. I personally need a tan, to loose 10 pounds and to gain a LOT of muscle before shorts and short sleeves (not counting the OHHHHHHHHH so fabulous flip flops) come into play. Jeremy tried to reassure me as we drove to church (as I powdered my neck in an attempt to mask the shine) that girls who look super tan in February don’t look natural or good. I honestly looked over at him and told him I thought they looked pretty and skinny! We had actually just seen one the night before. Sure she was 18 and sure her momma probably paid for her adorably cute outfit, make up, and tanning bed visits, but I was still not buying into his comfort.

So for this gal, in an attempt to keep my body as a temple, yet not one I personally am worshipping, I am trying to do my best to summerize. No, not summarize as my spell check keeps insisting, summerize. Similar to winterizing a car or a boat, I am trying to summerize the body that has been very thankful for the big, bulky sweaters. I have been trying to get back into a workout routine after months of not being able to make that happen. It has taken a lot of work, but I am determined I can do 3 days a week, especially since we are having summer weather. Secondly, instead of the dangerous tanning bed, I am lathering on the sunless tanner so the next time I have to do short sleeves in public no one will die from the glare. Our family full of redheads just can’t understand my obsession, but this former tanning bed queen still needs to at least knock off the shine to feel confident in her shoes. Finally, the much needed pedicure! For years I have been doing them on my own, but this year (praise the Lord) I have a gift certificate thanks to a dear friend to a spa and I fully intend for them to help with my summerization!

I love the warm breeze of summer. I love how the sun just makes you feel alive regardless of your circumstances. Everyone just seems to be in a good mood with the windows down on those first sunny days. I love how God can change our entire mood as He changes the season. So do you need to do a little summerization, inside and out? Do you need to pamper yourself (again the key is certainly not to worship yourself) and soak those toes in the tub in order to get them up to par. How about your heart, do you need to swing open the windows and do some much needed airing out? Sometimes the chill of winter causes us to loose hope, but I am praying that the person of Jesus causes you to be excited to live again! Go ahead and shed those pounds, get ready for sun dresses and flip flops only please! It has been a hard, cold winter and this soul is ready for a change!

K