Down from the Mountain

What an amazing weekend we had!  Let me tell you, spending 3 days in the mountains with 8 families will keep you on your toes!  Campfires, fishing trips, singing songs, and playing outside with friends really helps you put things into perspective.  There we were, in fellowship with other believers, enjoying the beauty of God's creation all around us.  The birds singing, the rain, the beauty of the mountains, trees, lakes - all of it there for us to enjoy, placed there specifically for us by a Creator who loves us, and wants us to see the beauty of His world.  Not once did we hear complaining because there was no TV, we didn't get any requests for iPods, nightlights, music, or video games.  The kids amused themselves for hours playing on the swings, riding in the tractor, and just being outside.  Every night they tumbled into their sleeping bags, dirty and exhausted; every morning they woke up looking forward to what that day would hold.  What an amazing way for God to bring my family together.  To  make us stop, take a deep breath, look around, and get back to basics.  The memories that we started this weekend will be the foundation for memories that my sons build with their children.  It is through weekends like this that we impact a future we will never see.  Take your kids outside.  Turn off the TV and engage with them - play some board games, go for a walk, read some books.  Most of all: enjoy your family!