I’m blessed to have a wonderful job. I love working with students and I never forget that so many people do for free what I get paid to do. That being said, it has been a long summer and I’m happy that it’s finally winding down. And to celebrate that winding down Alycia and I are spending a few days camping.
Alycia grew up camping so it’s second nature for her to set up a tent, cook on a propane stove and sit around a campfire.
I grew up going to Las Vegas and staying in hotels. I don’t know as much about camping as my wife but she’s very gracious and patient.
While I haven’t done that much camping I really enjoy the campfire. There’s something peaceful about sitting in front of a fire and letting all the stress of a busy season melt away in its heat.
However we like to get away and unplug, it’s important to make that time. I’ve written it before, but the fourth commandment is one of the easiest to ignore. We wouldn’t think about committing murder or stealing a car, but we have no problems denying ourselves Sabbath and all the blessings that come with it. God gave us the 10 commandments because he knew they framed the best way to live. Part of that best life involves regularly resting and unplugging.
So even though I’m not the best camper in the world I’m trying to get better. And even though I’m only a rookie, even I know it’s a blessing to sit with loved ones around a fire, look up at the stars and be still before God.
But I wouldn’t mind my own personal toilet.
Where do you go to get away and unplug?
I can usually find a monastery nearby to where ever I’m living. They’re great for a few days of simple living, prayer and no Internet access! 🙂
Better get an RV like Grandma and I did. Get a toilet and shower also.
As a fellow nerd and (oddly enough) a backpack-wilderness camper since my 20’s, one of the biggest things I enjoy about a long wilderness trip is the silence you get deep into the wilderness. Not just from physical noise, but I find my head sort of calms down. The hard part is that it usually takes me a trip of 4 days to a week to get to that state….and I like to think that’s where I can start to hear the whisper of God’s voice.
An additional thought after thinking a bit about my first post: I typically like to keep on walking or hiking every day on a trip, and this brought to mind a quote from climber Reinhold Messner: “Walking is an active meditation”. I think there’s a lot of truth to that.
That opportunity to get away is one of the best parts about camping. I still had access to my phone but I shut off my email and was just able to relax. I’m not as good with enjoying a hike. I’m really trapped in a mindset that hiking is just for exercise so I’m all about getting it done. I need to learn how to better appreciate just hiking and walking.