Surely many of my memories of camp, a walk to Emmaus weekend where I was blessed to serve on team, will fade for now, resurface later – thanks for letting me share…
I know life goes fast, is OK to reflect in part – life doesn’t give us time to fully unpack everything on this side of heaven anyway, and life on the other side, in Heaven, will have us forever praising. The praise song in my head is “the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His Glory and Grace”. If we process only in part now, we still know and proclaim His Glory. All the time… God IS good…
I like my little (and big) memories from camp. I’m liking to call them my “Camp Crumbles”, little memory pieces that remind me of the love and joy. Sustenance and over the top sprinkles of love.
The food was rich and nourishing, tasty and plentiful (always is at camp). I took home one ziploc bag of physical “camp crumbles“- I unpacked that right away for sure – a mixture of one big piece camp coffee cake slice, one biscuit top that I really couldn’t finish then, and added one big brownie. And blessedly now I have been sprinkling them as Crumbles, from harsh transport, each morning on my oatmeal. Tidbits for taste. Sweetness for savor. Crumbles not intact but still tasty. Today is the last of it, but I ALSO received the leftover pretzels, the crumbled broken ones that I mentioned as my favorite ice cream topping and then I got to take home. Ah, the salt and the sweet. (The pretzels have helped me with my allergies, something different than cough drops to clear my throat).
Spiritual fulfillment is tasty, clears the way, walking by faith too… Perhaps we can continue to taste these snack-size crumbles of experiences all throughout our lives to sustain us until we sit in Heaven to feast forever. Salty and sweet. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8
I ALSO remember tiny bits of camp songs, the light of the morning sun, and those birds chipping too. Oh, the sound of the creek waterfall resonating God’s power, and I remember tidbits of time for the quieting of my thoughts, I will try to remember the peace, even as it slips away from me time to time. I will try to sprinkle that peace back into my life, like these Camp Crumbles onto my oatmeal.
In remembering a tidbit of the fun -but nervousness – of finding one’s nametag at the camp farmhouse dinner table, I have been thinking – perhaps this is reflective of having our place at the Lord’s table: IT IS RESERVED and PERSONALIZED and ALREADY THERE. He will find a place, yes, calling us. Yes, camp gives much to contemplate about us and God forever.
And now, with my last day today to eat the camp crumbles back at home, with morning oatmeal nourishment, today will be the TWIX mini chocolate which is smooshed. In this, I am to remember, Lord, that as squished and smooshed our lives seem to be, YOU DO NOT CHANGE and that You are just as much here at home just as You were at camp. We may be clouded and falling asleep sometimes from knowing You better, but here You are in the finishing crumbs of life. And of those crumbs, of eating some of those pretzels just now, I looked up and saw the best sight. On top of my kitchen cabinets are three Lenox statues with the most prominent one in the front: You and me – You Jesus and me Jarius’s daughter – being awakened from sleepy death into forever faith. Ah… He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”).
I’m now up and awake Lord, thanks, and am forever praising Your WHOLE and getting to share my part.. crumbs from You are part of Your WHOLE!
Amen
Salt and Light
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:13-16 NIV
Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, you his servants; praise the name of the Lord. Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised. The Lord is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? Psalm 113:1-6
The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” – “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment. Matthew 15:25-28
Debbie Upper 