Tag: 2024–The

Warm-up Question What are your favorite summer traditions?  Summer is a time of changing rituals. What kinds of emotions does this change bring to you? A New Season People think of the start of summer in different ways. Some look to the Summer Solstice–June 20th in the Northern Hemisphere this year–as the official launch of summer. Others consider the last day of school as the first day of summer. For some of us, it’s the start of summer camp. All across the country, many camp counselors are learning skills, designing curricula, and preparing spaces for youth and families alike to…

Dave Delaney, Roanoke, VA Warm-up Question What are the most important qualities you look for in your friends? Sharing common interests or values? Sticking by you no matter what? Agreeing with almost everything you say? Keeping you honest by telling you when you’re being annoying or about to do something dumb?  A simple choice question with no right or wrong answer: Would you rather have just a few very close friends or a lot of casual friends? 3. Since the pandemic lockdown, some young people report that it has been more difficult to build good and reliable relationships that it…

Rita Argus (Denver, CO) Warm-up Question What signs of spring have you noticed this week? The Good Shepherd I love going for hikes, especially in the springtime. Even before I moved to Denver, I would go for long walks in nature and soak in God’s creation. There was just something about the budding of trees, the smell of the soil, the rustling of birds or squirrels, and the warmth of the sunshine that would calm my brain and ground me in the moment. On one particular hiking adventure, the trail led us through a valley dotted with yellows, oranges, pinks,…