Growing up my family was not what you'd call 'outdoorsy'. We didn't hunt. We didn't fish. And we most certainly didn't 'camp.' We would vacation to a state park in Indiana, but it was never in a tent or even in a cabin or camper. It was in a very nice hotel complete with tv, a/c, showers, and a nice restaurant. It also had those cool sucker sticks (that's what I called them, at least) with the stripes that rung across like candy canes. We stopped going there when I was 12 and I think I have 'camped out' maybe 2 times since then in some shape or form.
But I decided that it has been too nice lately (70's most of the week) to spend too much time indoors. So I decided to pitch a tent on the back deck. I am proud to say that it didn't take me an exuberant amount of time - but possibly longer than would allow me to keep my 'man card.' But it got done! We didn't end up sleeping in it, but the kids were ecstatic! We put blankets down. We told stories. We even had a roaring fire courtesy of my iPad app. Today we even had a Tent Pizza Party for lunch. It just seemed like one of those moments that even though I snapped a photo on my phone - I stored so much more in my memory bank.
Anytime God gives us another day - it's a chance to increase our memories. Our experiences. To soak in the joy that is life! And not in small doses, either. Jesus said in John 10:10, "I have come that they may have life, that they would have it more abundantly." Being a parent and a husband I have the opportunity to appreciate those moments every day. I know some days I get frustrated and tend to let minute things frustrate me in big ways. But I would much rather let those times roll down my back and keep my eyes focused on the gifts that God has given me.
So maybe we'll try our hand at actually 'roughing it' sometime soon. But for tonight - my soft, bug-free bed is where I'll be.
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