To infinity...and beyond!

Our "camping" trip was wonderful. It was so nice to be out in our coach again, and everything aboard worked perfectly. The weather even cooperated. Well, perhaps, I should clarify that last statement. On Tuesday we left the house with a few drops of rain coming down. The nearer we got to the park, the harder the rain fell. The harder the rain fell, the harder the wind blew and the darker the sky became. When we arrived at the campground, however, the rain stopped.

We set up the coach and settled in to just relax. In the evening, one of our counselees called and was in a good deal of distress. That set the tone for the evening. We prayed, we studied scripture in search of answers to share, and Jill and I discussed this fellow's situation. We are amazingly well suited for team counseling. Jill is very intuitive and has a good deal of experience with 12 step programs. As a result, she is able to connect with almost anybody almost immediately. She has taught me so much...about connecting, about myself, about God's love. I, on the other hand, am more analytical and more of a student of the Bible. God provides me, thereby, with some spiritual insights that allow me to offer God's healing word when appropriate.

The last couple of days, since we returned home, have been filled with ministering to this dear man. The result has been that I have not accomplished much of the other work that is piling up on my desk.

Anyway, when we last left our heroes, they were parked at Champoeg (pronounced 'Shampoo-ee') State Park enjoying the first camping trip of the year. Wednesday morning dawned with broken clouds and temps in the lower fifties. As the morning wore on, the sky cleared and the temperature rose to about 60 degrees! We went for about a two hour walk, enjoying God's creation and getting some much needed exercise for ourselves and for Pogo. We arrived back at the coach in time to enjoy lunch with Perry (Mason). Pogo fell fast asleep, which was pretty much her status for the remainder of the trip.

On Thursday, we bid a fond, if sad, farewell to Champoeg and headed home in anticipation of our Bible study group's arrival in the evening for another installment of Focus on the Family's "The Truth Project." This is a wonderful study designed to help Christians get a better grip on their biblical worldview. Bottom line? Coming home from camping is not hard when it means we get to study God's word and share fellowship with dear friends.