Summer brings with it a different rhythm for academics and students. For some summer brings the extra work related to field season; for others it brings a transition from one stage of academia to another. For many of us, it brings an opportunity for a change of pace. My prayer is that this change of pace brings with it rejuvenation so that we might approach the upcoming academic year rested and with restored enthusiasm.

Recognizing the different rhythm of summer, the blog from the Emerging Scholars network has posted a series of prayers for the summer. I, too, pray the following the words from one of the most recent prayers:

Thank You for the chance to rest, if only a little, during these months. Thank You the Summer months are calmer and less hectic on our campuses. Thank You for the chance to stand in shorter lines at the cafeteria or food court, for the chance to hear the wind blow and birds sing because there is less activity, for the chance to play volleyball games on the lawns or take walks through the gardens or arboretums or go out into the mountains on a field project. Thank You for the sounds of renewal and repair, whether those are made by nature or are made by our colleagues in facilities working on maintenance projects. Thank You for the chance to recover.