More Than a Vacation
There is just something special about getting outdoors. It is even more special when that outdoors is away from the hectic sights and sounds of “the city.” The stars and moon seem to shine brighter, and there are new sounds to be heard and new things to be explored. From an early age, I was enamored by the thought of going to camp. More than a vacation, a week at camp was an opportunity to learn something new, experience things I had never done before and to make new friends. I think my parents enjoyed the break as well.
It was at camp that I learned that Jesus loved me. It was at camp that I learned that I was able to conquer my fears (well some of them). It was at camp that I learned to love music. It was at camp that I first had the opportunity for leadership. It was at camp that I met the love of my life. And it is at camp that she and I have had the opportunity to witness countless lives changed for the good over many years. God speaks in very clear tones, at camp.
Scripture often refers to the healing powers of spending time in nature, as nature causes us to reflect on the creator of it all. The Psalmist sums it up quite clearly:
The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.
Psalm 19:1-4 (NLT2)