the camping trip. it was good.

This camping trip, in this spot, has been happening for about 16 years now. And every year, God makes it happen, and He shows up, and it is good.

This year may have been our best trip, in terms of harmony, relatively few 'incidents', and just the feel of it.

All I can figure is that God loves adorable ghetto children, and camping.

Some highlights:

--watching the kids make and play their glockenspiels (thanks to Brad for that one)

--having Dee (you might know her as Mia) as my helper

--Emily arriving.. spending her scant time off from Calvin Crest with us...seeing her lead chants and share just a bit of her Sherwood Style

--witnessing Darian figure out Jesus Loves Me on his glockenspiel. Amazing.

--watching George do card tricks with the kids

--seeing Nate do such a great job leading the hike

--realizing how much Jason Wilkinson has grown (current youth pastor at Menlo Park Pres--former Sunday School student of mine and the first DH intern)

--enjoying kids, who are rarely free to be kids, slide down rocks into a creek

--boys eating record amounts of roasted marshmallows

--and this: watching Nate be amazed by Emily, who has changed and grown into herself at Calvin Crest. The best was when she ripped the head off of a Giant Ant and then ate it. I wish I had it on video. He bellowed out: "Nooooooo!!!" He was overcome. Wanting to know where his sister has gone.

But I did get this on video. Catch the expression on Emily's face at the end. Sweet. (you can also see Jason in the background, spending hour 5 trying to master Jesus Loves Me on the glockenspiel...)