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Dear God,
It was fantastic meeting you at this year's youth camp. Once again, you've touched my life and given me the honour of having such a personal encounter with you. Being so close to you, but yet never quite close enough dear..
The kids were wonderful, of course. Never expected it only took 10mins or so to rah-rah them up so nicely before the race to campsite! It could only be your doing.
:}
God, I remember the Saturday when I woke up and just laying there in bed listening to the girls toss and turn; I thought of how you were truly pouring your assurance, your love, your joy and your patience into me for the past days. It was exhilarating having you just telling me where to place my next step. It would be a cold day in hell if everything were to happen the way they happened without you with us. I guess you could say you WERE the camp.
I was just so awestruck that night when you saved that boy's life. I almost killed him, God.. I almost told him not to take his inhaler when he asked if he should bring it down to the beach. But you intervened. A whisper through my mind, a sudden flicker before I told him that since he had a pocket in his berms, wouldnt hurt to just stuff that thing in there. You intervened. He had an attack on the way up that stupid steep hill.. I was so close to panicking, God. Still have no idea where all that calmness suddenly came from. Rhetorical question. It had to be you. Who else?
He took more than 8 shots off his inhaler... still shudder to think if he hadnt had it with him, what would happen? I would have ran back to take it, but that 5mins while running would have conjured up pictures of him suffering and struggling to pull in even a wisp of oxygen. And then failing. It's just so mortifying, I thank you we didnt have to go through that.
The speaker reminded me of lessons, but you taught me many more. Only you could have taught me that stubborn perserverance is pressing Eliora on up that stupid steep hill once again, laughing and cheering, when all I feel like doing is collapse exhausted facefirst flat on the ground. Only you could have taught me that the simplest of love is when you offer him a canned drink and he just shrugs at you before walking away, and it hurts but you know you could still love him anyway. Only you could have taught me that responsibilty is encouraging a self-conscious sister when my own heart's seized with emotional tiredness. Only you could have taught me joy bordering on maternal pride to see someone's chubby cheeks flush when he won best camper. And through it all, it was you who was giving me every ability to do all those things.
Oh, To be able to replay the memories over and over, and each time I'd see your hand moving through every scene and aspect of the past 3 days. You're beautiful.
"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household" (Ephesians 2:19)
With love, hugs & kisses
Inez.
