Beat the Heat with Spiritual Refreshment

Looking for a cure for the summertime blues? Sometimes we need to look within ourselves to find happiness. If you haven’t already pursued a closer relationship with your belief in a higher being, the summertime is a great time to get in touch with nature and explore the wonders and beauty of this season. We are so fortunate to have a gem right in our own back yard---Lake Erie. I have spent many hours since my childhood in Euclid on its banks staring out into the vastness of its waters; feeling the sand and waves between my toes and listening to the water mixing with the sand and the seagulls that frolic along the shore. These are healing sounds that can soften depression and stimulate our life forces.

Water is well-known for its healing properties. I find water meditation extremely soothing and the symbolism that facilitates “washing away” of our troubles by handing them over to God. We can send away the negative feelings and absorb the cool and soothing refreshment that enables us to think clearer and make better choices. One of my favorite things to do is to sit outside and study the nature that surrounds me. The plants that are in bloom, with beautiful colors and scents that let us know we are in a seasonal paradise linger for a while and then fade to another cycle of their existence. It reminds us that nothing is permanent and we all change as we embark on our short yet sweet lives.

It’s never too late to take advantage of the beautiful shows of nature that are right outside our front door or a short distance to our wonderful Lake. Pack a cooler, grab the hand of someone you love, and whisk them away to a paradise that we possess right here, right now. Sit beside one another and just listen to what nature has to offer. Try to identify the songs of the various birds that chatter all day long in our wooded havens. Realize that the stresses of the work week can literally drift away with the shoreline breeze, the lightning bugs, and the chirping of the hidden crickets. The beautiful sunsets over the lake are always one-of-a-kind with colors which I believe could only exist with divine intervention.

Do a short meditation in your mind as you sit. Take deep cleaning breaths and then clear your mind of all the day’s worries. This can help you to put life into perspective and appreciate the serenity of just existing without controversy. This is a personal yet important exercise to get back to basics. Remember the old saying, “The best things in life are free?” Just take a look at Mother Nature and you will see that she is right. And we need her in our lives. Take an evening and pursue the wonders I have described. It won’t cost you a cent…and it will yield great rewards for your spirit and mind.

Feel free to join us at Memorial Spiritual Christian Church 19204 Pawnee Avenue. Our Sunday service starts at 5 pm. All are welcome! Bring a friend or come to make a new one! We have been in the neighborhood for over 85 years serving God since 1927. Our web site is MemorialSpiritualChristianChurch.weebly.com

Reverend Tammy Hill is the daughter of the late-great Jerry Corbran who was very active in Euclid activities since the 1950's and authored many articles over the years. My husband John and I are the pastors of Memorial Spiritual Christian Church which is on the border of Euclid/Cleveland.

Tammy Hill

Hello---I am Reverend Tammy Hill, daughter of the late-great Jerry Corbran who was very active in Euclid activities Since the 1950's and authored many articles for the observer over the years. My husband John and I are the pastors of Memorial Spiritual Christian Church which is on the border of Euclid/Cleveland.

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Volume 4, Issue 7, Posted 3:06 PM, 08.09.2013