It’s sunscreen season. I know it’s good to wear sunscreen all of the time, but summer is when sunscreen gets to shine, so to speak.

I’m probably one of the last generation to make it through childhood without the use of sunscreen. Did we burn? Well, yes we did. Then peeled or wore a shirt outside for a while. Along with drinking from the water hose, riding in the back of a truck and staying outside until dark (with no phone), kids of my generation were allowed to swim and play in the sun with no sunscreen. However, we have evolved as a society and now know the dangers of all of the above. We’re more conscious of protecting ourselves and, for the most part, that is good. 

So, what do you do to protect your heart? Not your “exercise and eat right heart” but your heart that speaks to your brain about your actions, attitudes, and beliefs. The heart that makes choices about behavior. The heart that determines the words you say to others and the ones that whirl around in your head? 

Psalm 119:11 makes is very clear, as the Psalmist said, “I have written your word on my heart so I might not sin against you.”

Writing on our heart is similar to putting sunscreen on our arms. Words of God are needed to cover our heart so our attitudes and actions reflect Him, not the world. 

The busy summer months seem to challenge even our best efforts to keep God’s word written on our hearts for ourselves, our children and grandchildren. My mother-in-law was simply the best at keeping God’s word in front of her children. She kept it simple, writing scripture on pieces of paper and posting them everywhere. 

A good project for you to do with your children or grandchildren would be to have a scripture writing day. Small unlined notecards are perfect for writing a scripture on, then you could decorate as much as each child wanted to. Those cards could be put out all at one time or used a verse a week for memorization. 

I hope this helps you have a fun summer project and to teach your children then importance of protecting their heats.