Camping

Have you ever been camping? Ever since I was a kid, I have loved to sleep in tents. Yes, my version of camping is not sleeping at a Holiday Inn or even in a camper. A good ol' tent and sleeping bag. Now that's camping. The first tent I ever bought was called a "Pup Tent" and was barely big enough for two kids. In the summer, I would pitch this little tent in the yard and sleep out night after night. As I got older, I found the family tent in our shed. it was a big, heavy-duty, canvas, cabin tent that had two rooms. It was tall enough for us to set up bunk bed cots. I would set up our family tent and we would spend weeks at a time out there. One room we used for a card table so we could do puzzles and games, the other room was for sleeping. One of my favorite things to do to this day in the summer is go up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I have had a tradition of taking turns going to St. Ignace with one of my three kids each summer. This year I get to go up with Nycki and her husband Jordan. We pitch a tent, have campfires, and one of the best things, we cook breakfast and dinner outdoors. When I think about camping, it kind of reminds me about what God says about us being sojourners, travelers here on this earth. It is temporary, like living in a tent instead of a house, and one day we will be home, our forever house, with Him in heaven. I wouldn't want to live in a tent every day of my life, though I do enjoy going camping. I think God wants us to enjoy our time here on earth, but He is looking forward to us one day, being with Him forever in heaven. Another thing I thought about was in the end of the book of John. Jesus cooking breakfast outdoors. After He had been crucified, buried, and risen from the dead, He was on the beach cooking some fresh fish for His disciples. Nothing tastes as good as food cooked outdoors. Remember to enjoy God's blessings and the special things you get to do here on earth, but don't settle just for that. Keep your eyes focused on Jesus and the home you will one day have with Him in heaven forever. That's better than any tent or camping trip could ever be.