Camping Out

My brother, sister-in-law, and their family recently went on a camping vacation and invited us up to visit one evening. After cleaning up the dinner mess, I thought to myself, “This would stress me out!” I know – many of you camp and enjoy it tremendously, and there is nothing wrong with that! However, there is something about cooking a meal and cleaning up in such tight quarters; being careful of your noise level, as to not disturb the other campers near by; constantly being on guard so that the children don’t fall into the campfire or burn someone else with their hot, roasted marshmallow; and the looming thought of loading up all of the lawn chairs, coolers, bicycles, string lights, rugs, tables, radios, etc, etc, etc, just to come home that doesn’t appeal to me.

But hey – by ALL MEANS, if its your thing, I’m glad you love it!

I remember sitting down by the fire after dinner was done and telling my husband, brother, and sister-in-law that I had always wondered if I would like camping, and that now I knew the answer. I guess I’m too soft, but sand, ocean, and a full size shower with hot water-a-plenty is my idea of a dream vacation. My brother, well, he’s an outdoorsy kinda guy, and his wife doesn’t mind to join him, so camping is right up their alley.

Speaking of camping though, there is a certain type of camping that I love to do, and I want to invite you along on a camping trip with me.

Sometimes God grabs my attention, or shall I say, puzzles me with something in His Word and I just have to “camp out” there for a while. Anybody know what I’m talking about? Sure you do. Sometimes He stops me dead in my tracks and I have to pitch a tent and stay for a bit while He teaches me something new about Himself or about me. Sometimes it is something new in a very familiar scripture, and other times it is a truth that I just have never noticed before.

I love to camp out with Him. I love to feel the warmth of the fire of His presence. I love to taste His sweetness in my soul, swetter than a hot marshmallow smothering some chocolate squished between two graham crackers! He’s cozy, yet unfamiliar all at the same time. What’s funny about it is, although at times He is teaching me things that aren’t comfortable, I still enjoy the time with Him. Kinda like camping, you don’t have all of the comforts of home, but the time away is still enjoyed.

Here’s an example of a camping trip I took with Him several weeks ago: We went to Psalms 103:1-5. As we sat around the fire of His Word, He taught me something to do when my soul is downcast or when I’m discouraged – may be it will help you too.

Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The view from this campsite was splendid to me. He taught me that my youth could be renewed, if, when I am down, I tell my soul, if I tell all my inmost being, to praise Him, no matter what I “feel”. I will be renewed if I remember ALL HIS BENEFITS, which he so graciously lists right there in the verse for me. I tell ya, I remember that camping trip often, usually on Mondays around 8AM!

What kind of camping trips have you taken with Him? It can be something recent, or a memorable trip, forever etched upon your heart. Share with us the thoughts or verses that have caused you to “pitch a tent”, build a fire, and roast some marshmallows with Him, while you learned what He had to say.

If you have never commented – this is your chance! Just click on the comments button, if you don’t have one of the accounts listed, just pick the anonymous option and you can always type your name at the end of your comment.

You never know ------ (Hint-Hint!) there just might be a prize in store for someone who comments! Besides – where ever you’ve been camping with Him, once I hear about where you went, I might want to go there too!   


Royal Princess Daughter Of The King

P.S. I'll announce the winning campsite on Monday!