Trick or Treat Camping Style

Last weekend my family took a family camping trip. We went about a month ago and enjoyed it so much, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to go again while autumn is in the air. The campground we were going to had several things for the kids to participate in such as a pumpkin painting contest, costume contest, and trick or treating through the park! I am not very big on Halloween because I have always wondered if it was something I should participate in. Something about this opportunity seemed right. We had a few setbacks on the way there such as a tire that doesn't want to stay aired.

We made it safely and set up camp. The air was crisp, the sounds were quiet, and the trees were full of golden colors. I couldn't stop staring! I have also been noticing the clouds lately and I look in amazement as they seem to tell the story of God's majesty. I have always felt as though I am a nothing on this earth. God sees me, but chooses to look other ways. Well, I believe on the last trip he did something special for me that I didn't even tell my husband about b/c I wanted to keep it to myself and enjoy it without anyone else knowing. The night before we left I watched a video called "Indescribable" by Louie Giglio. It was about how the outer space and its magnificent creation. I was amazed but still trying to get passed the blue part that I could see with my eye. So, the next day while I was trying to "make" myself believe that the God of this huge universe, did see me trucking down the road to a place in the middle of backwoods country. As we traveled, there was not a cloud in the sky...pure blue. The next time I looked again, there had been a thin line of clouds crossing each other into the shape of THE CROSS! I squealed with excitement, told the kids to look out the window, and there were more and more and more! The whole way there, the sky would have a cross in it. How amazing is this God that we can call our Father!I have always envied the Israelites b/c they had a cloud to follow during day as when to move...well, sometimes I want to know when to move and when to stay; so I definitely knew that he saw me loaded down in the truck heading somewhere I had no clue as to what would transpire.

Do I digress back to the trip. We did a lot of family fun things this time such as going to a civil war fort, a place called the Homeplace which is a live working farm set back in the 1850's which was really interesting. But I think we had the most fun being at the campground and painting pumpkins, carving pumpkins, and dressing up the kids for trick or treating. Like I said before, I wasn't so sure about this T/T thing. My mother wouldn't let us do it, then we started to go to church to do it, then she let me do it one year...so I have had a bit of confusion. I am at the point now where going to trunk or treat (although is a more fun alternative) is the same thing to me as going door to door. As the kids and I went through the park receiving very good candy ( no pitiful candy in that park), I couldn't help but to be overcome with peace and contentment about where we were and what was going on. I didn't have a sense of condemnation for collecting candy while my kids were in a costume. I felt joy. I felt a love for the people that we walked by. Many it was easy to see that they didn't know the same God that wrote in the sky for me. They didn't get a sick feeling in their stomachs at the sight of something evil. They didn't stand in awe of knowing that my God, the God who created all things hidden and all things seen; knew just how many leaves had fallen and how many acorns were on the ground. I could see the emptiness or joylessness on their face, but my God could see in their heart! I question my Father way more than I should. I doubt Him immensely. I shy away from Him often when I feel rejected when I should be running to His comforting arms.

I pondered on Romans 11:33-35 the best I could and try to wrap my arms around those wonderful lines...

"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and His ways past finding out! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor? Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to Him? For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things to whom be glory forever."

Whoa. That is all I can say. I walked through with my little Queen Esther and little mummy( well he had on a shirt that said "I Love my Mummy) and realized, "I have so missed the point so many times. How I have laid in waste and listened to lie after lie instead of my sweet creator wanting to whisper life into my ears. It was so refreshing to be able to get away from everything that pulls me away from looking to Him. It was real out there and it was simple. Once again I come back to simplicity. My heart no longer ached for politics, the computer, TV, telephone, Wal-Mart. It ached for the souls of my neighbors and family. It made me look long and hard into the blazing campfire and realize that there will be many who will be lost to that....forever. My heart weeped. It stirred fear and dread within me. It stirred a determination to go tell it to every one.

So to sum it all up, we did have setbacks that could have swung our attitudes very easily into a fight, but yet we chose to rejoice. It was a time that the Father showered us with His love a creation. My very conservative family took a vote and agreed that this was the best Halloween that we have ever had.