Grown-up Summer Camp, Part One

In our everyday lives, we tend to put our heads down and work, brows furrowing deeper, and shoulders rising higher each day until they are almost attached to our ears!  We are conditioned to work hard, be organized, get more done, multi-task, have it all!

But my God calls me to rest, to healing, to quiet... and to Him.

So we did it.  After an amazing, Trust-God week working with the best volunteer staff EVER at Vacation Bible School, the hubs and I took a vacation.  A real one.  Not an overnight to check off something from our list, but an actual 5 day trip to the woods.  A summer camp for grown-ups.  A retreat.  A coming away and a drawing close.  Over the next few posts, I'll share our adventure.

PART ONE:  REST

Just rest.  No schedule.  No deadlines.  Just doing whatever we felt like doing.  Being creative.  Wearing whatever felt worn and soft.  Why not have a nap?  (You can learn alot from watching a dog.)

How does one find comfy rest in the woods?  We reserved one of our favorite sites at our favorite place to camp:  Sherando Lake.  It's so clean and rich green and this site has lots of dappled shade. Perfect!

Now, set up the tent.  Yes, a tent.  And yes, it's comfy.  It's a big tent.  Two room with a detachable room divider.  And full stand up height.  And the entire front zips open into a sort of screened-in sleeping porch.  Aaahhhhhh.

We could just throw a sleeping bag on the floor and be done with it... not very comfy, though.  Instead, we like to bring along a couple of cots, set them up side by side, and top them with a queen-sized Aerobed.  Smooth some organic cotton sheets over the mattress, add a light blanket or quilt and a couple of plump pillows.  Set up a nice reading chair and a plush rug, hang a couple of lanterns and an apron for campfire cooking.  Double aaahhhhhhhhhh.

The remainder of our time away stood before us... we flung open our arms and embraced what the Lord would bring to us...