Camping Out

My son-in-law, Derek, recently went on a bicycle camping trip. That's right, he packed everything he needed for a weekend camping trip and piled it on his bike. (His photo at right.)Talk about a challenge...he rode that loaded-down bike 30 miles to the campground. It's a good thing to be young, fit and a little bit wacky!

Seeing that bike fully loaded with all that stuff reminded me of camping trips The Hubster and I used to make to the Cowley County State Lake when we were first married. We were young and broke and enjoyed getting away for a night from our tiny apartment. We would pack a cooler with food, take a skillet and the pup tent and head down to the lake. Most of the time no one was there, which was nice. We hiked, fished and cooked hamburger patties and eggs.

Once our first daughter, Sarah, was born, we packed up her baby equipment and went camping. That was a bit more of an undertaking. Babies require lots of stuff, to put it mildly. It made the campsite look like the showroom at Babies R Us, but she looked so darn cute in those tiny hiking boots!

All those memories of camping got me to thinking about Moses and the children of Israel packing up their households in Egypt and heading out into the wilderness for 40 years of serious tent time. I'm good for a couple of days of roughing it, but I cannot imagine going without a hot shower or hair dryer for that long. And the food! I'm sure one of those Jewish momalas came up with "101 Ways to Cook Manna."

The point is, though, that they were learning obedience to God in that desert. The Lord led them with a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night. I'd be pretty happy for the pillar, I'm a lousy map reader. The Jews had no cause for fear, God was faithful during those long 40 years of wandering. Not that they didn't murmur, of course. Don't we all, when our Heavenly Father is trying to teach us something special?

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Momala's Book Club Pick: I am re-reading "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen on my Kindle. My dear friend, Danice Sweet, and I were talking about this book (and film) the other night at dinner. We both talked about the various positive attributes of the dashing Mr. Darcy. The husbands just rolled their eyes. I think I know why women love Mr. Darcy so much. He actually admitted that he was wrong. What woman wouldn't love to hear those words? The book is available on Amazon.com for $10.58 in paperback. Four out of five stars for Old English language.

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Female in Motion Exercise Update: I did two 30-minute aerobic workouts and ran one mile each on Monday, Wednesday and Friday last week. I really like the way jogging makes me feel. I never thought those words would come out of my mouth!

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Notable Quote:

Exodus 13:20-22 (KJV)
20 And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.
21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.