Churchwide Camping Trip. What's in Your Suitcase?

Tomorrow we're leaving for Santa Barbara to spend a week beach camping with our church at Refugio State Beach. The past few days have been filled with the usual preparations to get a family of 6 ready to camp for 8 days: shopping, planning, list making, gathering supplies, packing, menu planning, grocery buying, cooking meals ahead and freezing, more packing... all the planning ahead of time makes the actual camping so much easier and less work.

Tonight we are in the last stages of getting everything ready and we'll pack the camper and the car top carrier tomorrow morning before we leave.

Last month, we went alone - just as a family to get some rest and relaxation - this time we are camping with 178 other people! (That's divided into three groups and two campgrounds - so we won't be "with" all 178 at the same time!)

Ron gave an excellent sermon this morning to help prepare the people for this adventure - reminding them not to forget to "pack" four very important things that will help make this trip successful:

1. a trust in God's sovereignty - so that when things don't go the way we plan, we can rest assured that God is good and loving and is working things out for our good and His glory.

2. humililty - a reminder that thankfulness is the soil in which humility is grown.

3. a servant's attitude - we are called to be servants - in real life and on vacation. We don't get to "opt" out of our Christian calling just because we are on a holiday.

4. an overarching view of our mission as Christians - to reach out and be a witness to others. It was a great reminder to not be self-focused and forget that we are in a campground with people that we can be reaching out to and loving.

This week as I was packing I kept thinking about this verse:

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

So tonight, as we are finalizing all our packing and deciding what to wear this week for our trip - I'm reminded that the shirts and shorts we choose aren't nearly as important as being "clothed with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Hmmm...camping with 178 other people... I'm going to need a bigger suitcase!