Camping out!

This past Friday some of my girlfriends and I drove up to the St. Croix River to camp out for a night. We had been anticipating it all week long and the hours spent in class seemed to drag on forever. We were all packed up and ready to go. Windows down and arms out, surfing the wind, on this sunny, April afternoon. We stopped several times before we were sure we had purchased all things necessary for our one night excursion. As we arrived and saw our camp site we were bursting with energy, it sat right beside the river surrounded by trees overlooking the cliffs of Wisconsin. We were doing it! Four college girls out on our own camping trip, determined to independently have a great time.

We hiked to the cliffs of Taylor's Falls and picked weed flowers along the way.

My favorite part was building a fire, after all the hiking we did, our appetites were eager! We were starving. Building a fire sounds as easy as flipping a switch, but soon we'd find out... it isn't.

After 30 or 40 minutes of coaching the flames and experimenting different angles with our wood, we were out of ideas and dumbfounded at how hard this was. Eventually we were able to cook our delicious brats over a flaming fire with the help of a fellow camper who saw our difficulty and came to our rescue. Never again will we go camping without a fire starter brick. Anyway, we ate our fill and were delighted to be eating dinner over an open fire.

The evening consisted of tea, banana boats over the fire, card games and late night thoughts in the tent. We snuggled in close together to stay warm, but also because our tent was meant for 2 people. Having the 4 of us in there was a bonus when the temperature dropped.

I'm so grateful for my friends and this fun time we could share together. Drinking morning coffee in my hammock with my friends overlooking the river: perfect. I love taking time to enjoy this beautiful world God has given us. If we never enjoy what God has put right before us, will we ever be happy in anything?

Think about what God has placed before you today. How have you been looking at it? Do you take joy in the blessings at hand, or are you wishing there was more? When we wish for things we are wishing away what we already have.

God richly gives gift to His children. We must simply take delight in Him and in His blessings.