Camp Lupine

The night closes, with all my sweethearts laying in bed, deeply asleep. I just put my girl to bed not long ago, thankful for the chance to pray with her. Usually we all pray together but sometimes when I'm with the boy trying to get him to sleep, her daddy prays with her and puts her in bed. Since he has been working long hours, almost everyday, it was a nice change to tell him to go to bed while I took her to her room. 

As I began to pray, I started thanking God for allowing me to be home with my children, especially in the summer. It's not without certain sacrifices. We may not have all the things others have, or all the resources readily available but it has been a blessing. Making the most of what we have and learning to be thankful for it. 

I thanked Him for things like our backyard 'Camp Lupine'. On concrete ground beneath the bright California sun we have made a place for us to have fun as a family. A soda bottle becomes a sprinkler, sidewalk chalk draws a target on the brick wall to practice with a plastic slingshot and draws other things like hopscotch, buckets and pails hold water for toys to be dunked in or poured on. We've set up our teepee with sheets and blankets underneath and used our play pots and pans for 'cooking our foraged food'. We're even thinking of making a map of our camp within the concrete wilds and creating our own secret code with symbols.

I'm thankful for these things. It's not without its challenging moments, fits of frustration or displeasure. There's a nine year old, a one year old and a momma, it's bound to happen. Things get tough sometimes but it's life. Beautiful wonderful life and we are learning to live it. As a family, and each of us in our own walk. 

I'm thankful for Camp Lupine, what it's teaching us and how it's blessing us at the same time. I continued to pray with her, thanking Him for revealing things to me that I need to work on. Asking for grace for me to handle things better. To help me show my kids how to love more, have joy more, serve more. Thanking Him mostly for the life He has given me to do all these things.

Andrea