Are We Snowmen In Summer?

By Caitlin Bootsma
Consultant to the VIRTUS_^® Programs

If the kids in your life are anything like the ones in mine, you have probably at least heard of the movie Frozen, if not heard the ubiquitous song "Let it Go" a dozen times. In what is probably the most comical scene of the movie, the loveable but simple-minded snowman Olaf indulges in a musical daydream about summertime. He imagines lying on the beach, running through a field of dandelions and having a picnic. It all sounds wonderful, except for one thing that is obvious to everyone but him: a snowman cannot survive in the summer. He would melt before enjoying any of his summery plans; he needs something to help him stay frozen.

By now, many of us are also engaging in summer activities that we have been daydreaming about for months. Perhaps we have some time off from our work and even the ministries with which we volunteer throughout the academic year. It is time to relax, cook outdoor barbeques, and take vacations. The summer season is certainly a gift from God. Remember even Jesus told His apostles to "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while" (Mark 6:31).

Yet, while all of this time for rest and relaxation is good, it is important that we do not act like Olaf the Snowman. Olaf did not realize that in order to live a good long life as a snowman, he needed something to help him remain frozen. What is it that we need, regardless of the season or our schedules? The answer is simple, and one that we often share with the children in our care. We need the Lord in our lives on a daily, consistent basis.

Keeping our faith alive during the summer months may seem like a no-brainer, but how often do we forget about our spiritual lives while on vacation? As schedules change due to new summer routines, it is important to continue to keep up our daily prayer lives.

There are many ways we can continue to grow spiritually during the summer. These include setting a calendar reminder on our phone each day to pray, finding some spiritual reading to take with us on vacation, and making sure to look up Sunday Mass times ahead of time if we are going out of town. 

After all, our relationship with the Lord does not stop when we go on vacation. We may talk about "leaving it all behind" or how much we want to "let it go" (pun intended), but this break from the stresses of regular life should never include a break from God. It can be tempting to forget about striving for virtue, but would we really want to take a step backward on our path to Heaven?

The wonderful truth about summer is that it is a time when we can actually spiritually recharge. Just like a retreat, taking some time off from daily routines allows us to listen more closely to what the Lord is saying to us. Consider finding short amounts of time for silence during the summer months. Perhaps you will decide to take a walk down the beach, thanking God for the astounding ocean. Or, maybe gardening is a time for you to reflect on your faith journey. The Lord is present in the simplest of moments and He is asking you to share your summer with Him.

As you may well know from past experience, what we offer to the Lord, He will return one-hundred fold. If you intentionally offer each summer day to the Lord, you will find that you will return to your regular routine and ministries refreshed and renewed in the fall. 

At the end of Frozen, Olaf the Snowman finds himself in a summer climate (do not worry, no major plot spoilers here). Is this the end for poor melting Olaf? Much to the audience's delight, Olaf is provided with a small snow cloud that follows him around so that he can enjoy all of the delights of summertime. And while the comparison of a snow cloud to the Holy Spirit is a bit silly, it is true that the Lord will accompany us throughout these summer months if we ask Him to. As a result, we will not only keep our faith, but will be able to more fully partake in the joys of summer life—which, after all, were given to us by the Lord in the first place. 

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