“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” Exodus 20
My Sabbath – my day of rest – is not Sunday. Sunday is filled with worship, an opportunity to meet and greet most of my congregation in one place and one time. Sunday is just about my busiest day of the week. And I love it.
But for Sabbath rest, nothing beats camping. We have gone camping at national parks from New England to the Grand Canyon and to the West Coast. We have also gone camping about 6 miles from our home. While it might be fun to have dramatic landscapes and breath-taking vistas, the real joys of camping are the quiet moments. It’s sitting by the campfire, talking and singing. It’s time to play cards and board games. It’s an opportunity to go swimming, kayaking, and hiking. For me, camping means disconnecting from the computer and the phone and re-connecting with family and nature.
I give thanks for camping, time away, and the experience of Sabbath.
What are you thankful for today?
fosteringyourfaith 
Today, as the thermometer reads -2 degrees I am so thankful that our furnace is working. But I’m also troubled by the thoughts of those who can’t “come in from the cold.” I can’t imagine having to sleep outside on a night like last night, but here in Anchorage there are people doing just that. And they aren’t camping. Some days it’s hard to reconcile my gratitude for my own comfort with the guilt that others are miserable.
That said, I think camping is a perfect “day of rest.” I’m never a happy camper, (I am too fond of my own bed) but can totally understand your love of getting away. I’m also thankful for being able to read your daily posts, which make me stop and reflect – my own moments of “camping.”
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Carol, I’ve been enjoying your comments so much – thank you. Already so cold where you are! And you are so right – being warm in the winter is near the top of my “thankfulness” list. Having this discipline of recording my blessings has been an exercise in humility – I realize (again) just how richly blessed I am and how much I have to be thankful for. All the more reason for me to try to reach out to those in need.
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