Looks like I’m going camping.
When my kids were little, we used to take them camping every summer. As they got older, we went with some other families from church. My sweet hubby loves to camp and he does all of the cooking while we are there. I mean serious cooking. We don’t eat honey buns for breakfast. We have eggs, bacon and pancakes and most importantly, coffee. For dinner, he grills chicken or smokes something and it’s delicious.
At one point, though, my daughter was no longer interested in going and quite frankly, neither was I. Camping takes so much planning. I have to pack everything, but the kitchen sink and then everything comes home wet and has to be washed. It’s exhausting. I was done. Then we got a new youth pastor. She was young and energetic. She loved the idea of taking the middle schoolers camping and including the rising sixth graders as a welcome to the youth group.
Both of my kids were included in this group; so I grudgingly agreed to go. It rained most of the time on Saturday, but the kids had a ball and truthfully, so did I. We had the opportunity to have them outside in God’s Creation, away from electronics and they loved every minute of it. They bonded with each other and created community.
The next year when we went, my daughter had just finished 8th grade. She would not be eligible to go on the trip the following year. I figured my hubby could go with my son. I announced, very publicly, my retirement from camping, once again.
Today, my hubby and I had a meeting with our young, energetic youth pastor right after Sunday School. We had many things to discuss. When we got to the camping trip, I was ready to tell her to count me out. But, she and my hubby got to planning. They decided it would be a fabulous idea to combine the high school and middle school youth and invite all of the families too, for a youth family camping trip. For those who didn’t want to camp, the parents could come and spend the day on Saturday and stay for dinner.
I found myself once again, inexplicably, being drawn into camping plans. I even found myself getting excited about it.
Once I got home I found myself talking to God about it and laughing. His plans quite often, don’t line up with mine. I write about the importance of community all of the time. I also write about the wonder of God’s Creation and how I believe that one of Satan’s big schemes is to keep us indoors and away from God’s wonder. How could I possibly say no to a chance to build community and be out in nature at the same time? I couldn’t.
I have come to understand on my faith walk, that I sometimes get called to go where I wouldn’t have chosen to go on my own. But, I have also learned that when I obey His call I am always blessed and I have the opportunity to bless others. So, I’m going camping and for some reason, I’m looking forward to it. God works in mysterious ways!
Have you ever been called to do something you said you never would do? I’d love to hear from you.
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂