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Camp 120 has wrapped up. Jono and Marie’s wedding is a done thing. And I’m sitting here feeling strongly like home is a good place.
First, the wedding trip: It was good to see some special people: Nathan and Rachel and girls, Priscilla’s grandmother, and Bill and Sarah, Matty and Anya, as well as Sam and Mel and the four girlies. It was strange being in the U.S. with all the Australian/NZ contingent who came to be at J & M’s wedding. Jesse and I spent some special times with all of these people… and my four girls survived decently well while we were away.
We took a drive with Grandma Oswalt and had a visit to the cemetery where Grandpa is buried. We enjoyed our time with her over the days we got to spend in Ohio.
The computer is a six-headed monster with which only the bravest 80-year-old grandmothers do battle!
We met up with Jono and Josh and Bec at Mount St. Helens and spent 9 hours over about 20 km climbing one of the nearby peaks, Coldwater. 15 minutes into the trek and I found myself wondering if my body would hold up for even half of it! As it was, we all did fine. I did realize though, that I’ve been irresponsible over the last 20 years by not including more of this pastime in our lives! How can a person climb a mountain and NOT think of God??? I don’t get it!
Sam and Mel took us to the Eastern edge of the Pacific. I looked out over the water and remembered times I’d swam at Cronulla Beach and on the Sunshine Coast… it was a long way away! Sam and Mel have been considering entering full-time Christian ministry again… this time in the west. It was encouraging talking with him and feeling again the strong “bond of affection” brothers have.
Camp was 1/3 the size it normally is, but was no less pleasurable. Every year after camp ends, I sincerely thank the Lord that no one drowned! I am also grateful for the opportunity to share the time with Christians whom I love as well as those I care about who are not yet in a relationship with Jesus.
The “kitchen” in the centre of camp wasn’t precisely a clean and hygienic place to prepare food, but no one got sick from food-poisoning. Pris once again did a top job of getting everything ready and organizing “conscripts” to prepare each meal.
The photo of Marie was taken at the end of the “Triathlon” which Shane and Jemi brilliantly organized. It was a timed trial in which even Elle participated… and in which each one of us was utterly exhausted by the end!
We have a great camp to which you are invited next year in the second week of July. If you need an extra incentive, just let me know.
