Summers mean a change of pace around the Barnes home. We do things slower. I came home from work yesterday and Karen, Emily, and Seth Jr. had an intense game of Dominion going on.

Although our five kids are in their 20's now, we love to get together and hang out. Wednesday's are family dinner day. Vegetables from our garden are usually a feature. Last night Karen tried out a new recipe - barbacoa (a Mexican meat dish). It was a hit. We focus on a different kid each week. This week we talked about our memories of Seth Jr. as a kid growing up.

We like the slower pace. Many evenings we have friends over and we sit out on the porch talking while the frogs and crickets fill the forest with noise.

These days we go to bed later - about 1:30. Karen has a bunch of sewing projects and I work on my book. The dogs lay around munching on their bones.

It wasn't always this way. When the kids were younger and I was more hands-on at AIM, the schedule seemed to own us. We seemed to be exhausted and pouring out all the time. Some years we could have used a turnstile for all the guests staying with us.

Ecclesiastes talks about seasons in life. They're essential for balance. Run your engines too hard and you can feel used up - a chronic fatigue victim who wonders, "Will it always be this way?"

What season are you in? How are you managing it? What advice do you have for people who are struggling to find the right pace?