Camping 101 8/8/2020

Good Morning,

It's a good time for me to begin writing today. The dogs are fed and happy and my cup of Door County Creme Coffee is hot and is right next to me.

Nahum 1:7 The lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble. he knows those who take refuge in Him.

Our church is holding a "Family Camping Night" on the church grounds tonight and there are a lot of people coming to the event. Someone asked my wife Rene and I if we were going to camp out with the group. We both looked at each other and in unison politely replied "No".

We have never been too enthused to camp out, even in our younger days. It holds no great thrill for us. But I am all for those who want to camp out under the stars and wake up with dew on their noses. I love a bonfire and marshmallows as much as the next person. But there is just something about a hot shower and a nice bed that attracts my body much more. I have been on several short term mission trips where a mattress on a floor was a luxury. One time our tents were pitched on top of the roofs just to be safer.

So camping for me is not having hot water at home for some reason or another?

But when we did try camping the one thing we did was when we purchased equipment, we purchased good stuff. I learned a long time ago, "you get what you pay for".  Our tent purchase was researched very well and we found one that was easy to assemble, large enough to stand up in, had two shields for rain protection and a secure way to stake the tent that would enable it to withstand some wind. Now mind you that a tent isn't meant to withstand hurricane force winds.

Our first use of the tent proved that it was a worthy purchase. I took a bunch of teens on a youth group camping and horseback riding weekend. This was long before cell phones and instant weather reports were even thought of.  The first day led into the first night and you could just feel the upcoming weather activity in the air. Soon after dinner the clouds appeared and you just knew that a storm was going to arrive. I took a kid count and then instructed all of them to retire into their respective tents and stay there. They actually listened and obeyed. 

Then the high winds and hail came with some minor mud slides, which started wiping out the tents one by one. I had all the kids and leaders retreat to the camp restrooms which were constructed out of concrete.  They were large enough to hold a lot of campers.  I had them all grab some dry clothes and towels for later and we ended up sleeping on the hard floor all night.

Once daylight came about and the sun was shining I ventured out to see what we could still rustle up for grub and then devise a plan to get these kids home a day early. I observed the storm damage and could see tents strewn about on the camping area as well as equipment. What was amazing was that my tent was still standing, and in good shape, dry inside as well as all of my gear. It had withstood the storm!

Friends, life is filled with a lot of "personal storms" and some of them are fierce. But with a firm foundation of faith in God, we are well anchored and can withstand the storms. When other lives without that foundation are crumbling against the raging winds of life, we can stand tall and come through them at times bruised and battered, yet able to survive the storm.

You see, the answer to this long story is to trust in God and not ourselves. He will carry us through. All other attempts are just cheap tents in the wind.  Are you battling a storm today? Are you relying on faith and God or trying to stand up alone?

Turn to God instead.

Marty