by Rev. Crystal Muldrow

“What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, and with… no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade.”
– Gertrude Jekyll

I’m probably dating myself. Now that spring has settled in and summer is rounding the corner, I keep hearing Seals and Croft’s tune “Summer Breeze,” replaying in my head. I imagine my cute Mazda 3 with the sunroof open has been transformed into a speedy convertible with the top down. I’m driving a stretch of I-87 up the Adirondacks listening to:

“See the curtains hangin’ in the window, in the evenin’ on a Friday night.
A little light a-shinin’ through the window, lets me know everything is alright.
Summer breeze, makes me feel fine, blowing through the jasmine in my mind.
Summer breeze, makes me feel fine, blowing through the jasmine in my mind.”

You are welcome… I know that you now have this tune playing in your mind.

Summer conjures images of bright sunshine, wonderful afternoons with ice cold lemonade and juicy watermelon slices, bar BQ’s and swinging on a hammock in your back yard and time spent on a warm beach. During summer, everything seems more vibrant, hopeful, and liberating. Many chose this time to liberate themselves from the daily grind and monotony by slowing the pace. Like the sweet aroma of jasmine floating in the breeze, allow your thoughts to be filled with an abundance of beauty that summer brings.

“Jasmine in my mind,” brings forth wonderful imagery. The name jasmine derives from the Persian (Fārsi) “yâsamin” meaning “Gift from God, God’s Gift”. Yasmin is the name in Persian for a flowering plant, and from which the name Jasmine derives. Charles Fillmore writes metaphysically, planting seeds within your consciousness through thoughts and words begets the flower or fruit in due season. Seasons, days and years represent different stages of growth. How you keep your garden will determine what blooms.

“Thoughts are seeds that, when dropped or planted in the subconscious mind, germinate, grow, and bring forth their fruit in due season. The more clearly we understand this truth the greater will be our ability to plant the seeds that bring forth desirable fruits.

 “…every word brings forth after its kind. The ‘seed’ is the creative idea inherent in the word, the nature that it inherits from its parent source–God. The enthusiast in floral culture, who hovers over and talks in loving tones to his flowers, always has success with them, while his neighbor, who is cold and indifferent, fails.”

—Charles Fillmore, Mysteries of Genesis

Make sure the thoughts breezing through your mind are ones that make you feel fine. That they will bear the fruits of a life you love living. Every time you see and smell jasmine, remind yourself of all of God’s gifts. Allow this summer season to be God’s gift to you.

“Sweet days of summer, the jasmine’s in bloom.
July is dressed up and playing her tune…
Summer breeze, makes me feel fine, blowing through the jasmine in my mind.
Summer breeze, makes me feel fine, blowing through the jasmine in my mind.”

Enjoy your summer. Don’t forget, there is only one Sunday morning service during summer, at 10 am. The OneSong Service stays in it’s time slot of 6 pm.

“Then followed that beautiful season…Summer….
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape
Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.”
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow