Lessons from the Campground

Happy Friday!

I am away this weekend, traveling with my daughter and her Middle School Band. We are competing in San Francisco. I am one of about 10 chaperones who will be on a buss for a total of 16 hours with about 60 middle school boys and girls. I am scared!!! Can any one say a prayer??? *grin*

I want to share a post with you today that I originally shared at Christian Women Online about a year ago. Our family goes camping a few times a year. Each time I am delighted that God travels with us and never fails to provide me with a life message. To follow is one experience I will never forget. I hope you enjoy,

Better Than Reality TV

Friday afternoon we arrived at the campground. We bailed out of the car and began to unload the gear; sleeping bags, cook stove, food bins, and the most dreaded piece of camping equipment known to marriage, the tent.

This year we brought with us a brand new tent, still in the box. I spied the beast lying on the ground, knowing what must ensue. Looking around I was relived to see the campground was empty with the exception of a retired couple sitting quietly in their lawn chairs in front of their trailer about 100 feet away.

I approached the box, cut the tape and out slid the biggest pile of nylon and connect-the-sticks I have ever seen. The contraption sleeps ten. Why a family of three needs a tent this size, I still cannot explain.

Dragging the tent around on the site, I called to my husband for help. Thus the event commenced; the raising of the tent. This is a hotly contested battle of wit and patience between a husband and a wife. If television wanted a truly unrefined reality show, Raise the Tent, would win hands down. Two minutes into the set up, orders were shouted, my husband was obviously blind to the logic of my instructions. This became readily apparent from the look on his face.

A retort from my frustrated spouse was foreseeable. The sound level increased. I glanced over at older couple who sat smiling at their reading materials, afraid to look up for fear they would break into hysterics.

Precisely at this moment in all tent-raising events, children mysteriously disappear. My daughter retreated to the creek, suddenly captivated with the rocks at the bottom.

I lowered my voice but the yelling continued in what I call, snake whisper. It is still yelling just at a hissing level. I am sure some of you can relate. The older couple is no longer watching covertly, they sit mesmerized by our show activity.

Finally the Holy Spirit became fed up and tapped upon my heart. He reminded me I no longer needed to be in control. In the midst of our squabbling I saw my husband, a gift from God. I saw a man who has made me a better woman. The bickering diminished and the tent went up quickly.

My husband and I are spiritually mismatched in our marriage and although my husband has yet to discover the truth of Christ for himself, Christ is alive and active in our marriage. Christ’s supernatural power brings us through the arguing, disagreements, and tent construction. I look back upon my marriage journey and see Christ standing with us. He has been working through my nonbelieving husband to smooth my rough edges of selfishness and desire to control.

My spouse and I are the ultimate odd couple. Our back grounds and beliefs are vastly different, which makes our marriage, our happy and fulfilling marriage, a miracle.

An hour later, I sat at the picnic table waiting for our friends who were joining us to settle into their campsite. Their daughter wandered over for a chat. I asked her, “Did your mom and dad getting everything set up?”

She replied, “Yes, but yelling was involved.”

I laughed out loud knowing God was alive and well in the next campsite!

1 Peter 3:1-4 (The Message) The same goes for you wives: Be good wives to your husbands, responsive to their needs. There are husbands who, indifferent as they are to any words about God, will be captivated by your life of holy beauty. What matters is not your outer appearance—the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes—but your inner disposition.

May the God of the Universe be with you this weekend and at every campsight you visit this summer. Be blessed, Lynn

Comments

[Millie]

May God bless you during the time with your daughter and those boys and girls.
God is on our side every second!

[Patricia]

As an inner city middle school teacher (& loving it!) I will DEFINITELY say a prayer for you...(big grin!!)...I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time! Kids that age are just FULL of life! And He will be with ALL of you the entire time! Enjoy!

[Kathleen]

What a great story! Isn't it amazing how and when the Lord grabs our attention. God is so good and how blessed you are. I recall years ago my husband and I going on a camping trip. Our first, alone, no kids along. We were going to go canoeing.

I assumed hubby made plans for a camp ground,... But no, he pitched the tent in weeds, taller than me, flooded with mosquitoes and not outhouse nearby. I was devastated. How unromantic is this?! I was being eaten alive by bugs, it was hot, I was miserable and sprayed so much bugspray on my the nerves in my neck began to stiffen. It was so horrible and I just sat and cried.
Pathetic I know.

Then it began to rain and hubby suggested a motel... Opposite so attract and I was blessed hubby gave up his little piece of heaven to make me happy.

Today I would do things differently I am sure. God teaches us and we grow up.

Hugs to you for a wonderful post! How did your daughter do in the contest?

Hugs!

[Angela]

My family only went on two camping trips before I was determined to learn how to set up everything myself. My husband and I were at each other like a snake and a mongoose. There was nothing spiritual there. I only wished I had this site and the support you all give in my more trying years. How I would have welcomed the advice. Now I take things a little slower to make sure I don't miss a God moment in all that I do.
As for the bus load of kids...Well I drive every day with 81 of the darlings setting behind me and my advice...PRAY and PRAY some more. The Lord knows I have prayed my way through a run and never remember letting a child off. But I remember the prayers. Have fun.
Love and Prayers, Angela

[Amy]

I love camping but tents? uh-uh that's why we have a caravan now :-)
Praying here for your adventure too.

[e-Mom]

I'm smiling SO broadly! Praise God for tents and husbands. I chuckle, because I could relate a similar story or two. (We've camped A LOT in our 30-year marriage.) We have two of those dome tents you can lift over your head. :~D

I trust you're having/have had a barrel of fun at your daughter's band competition. May the best team win! Hang in there Mom. You're doing a very good thing by going. Big hugs!