Summer Camps, Bible Camps, Camp Meetings, Day Camps, Sports Camps ... CAMP?
I was blessed to grow up with so many great camping experiences. I have had the opportunity to sleep in Tee Pee's, Tents, Cabins, Campers, Beach front Condos, and even just out under the stars in my own back yard as a kid.
Unique camping experiences are great, but spending time in solace and in close company in those out of the way places make our camping adventures moments we will never forget.
My husband and I took our girls to a lake campground really close to home here on the Kenai Peninsula a few years ago. We held monopoly tournaments, enjoyed marshmallow roasting contests and just really had a special little vacation. We have photos of the girls in their pajamas and coats as we all sat around a campfire drinking hot cocoa, telling stories and watching the squirrels. We squeezed around a tiny table in our shiny silver camp trailer and enjoyed breakfast together. The girls and their dad fished a little and we all laughed alot during this long weekend.
In our culture we as parents encourage our children however we can. It's our job to help build their character and confidence as individuals. We want to see them succeed and develop fully so they can learn to work with others and also be successful as they grow into adulthood . We want the best for them so we invest in sports camps, sports equipment, musical instruments, music lessons, ice skating lessons, swimming lessons, dance lessons, cheerleading camps and lessons, computer programs and so many great things that bring out their individual strengths. We try to afford our children every opporunity to develop physically and mentally. Are we remembering to give them the opportunity to grow spiritually in that same peer group environment?
If we want our children to develop spiritually, we all know it starts in our own hearts as parents and in our homes. By practicing what the Bible teaches us in Deuteronomy 6, by instilling the importance of God's word by assembling in church and by being involved in Sunday School our children learn that God has great things planned for them, but what about a Christian Kids Camp? Where else can our kids and teens can be around their peers and realize that there are alot of Christians their own age that love God and want to please Him. Jeremiah 29:11 Says..."I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, Plans to give you a hope and a future, plans to prosper you and not harm you." Encouraging our children go to camp in elementary school will help them develop strong positve relationships at early ages. Through these experiences year after year our growing children look forward to connecting with these same friends each summer. If they have not had the opportunity to attend camp sometimes they miss out on the opportunity all together because there are so many other interests as they get into their teen years. We should take the opportuntiy to enjoy the local daycamps and VBS programs to start with and as they get older let them go further...even nation wide camps.
Camping can give us an opportunity to disconnect from the busyiness of day to day life and truly connect with not only one another, but also our own thoughts and with God and that is fun.
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