Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Honk if you Love Jesus!

Well, it's happened again. All last week I was dreading the weekend. I just didn't feel up to taking a bunch of Boy Scouts camping. Don't get me wrong. I love camping. I'm never happier than when I'm camping. But I had all sorts of reasons for not wanting to go. I needed to study for the course I'm taking for my Master's Degree. I needed to paint part of my house. I needed to start getting ready for our annual Halloween party. I needed to rest. I needed to blah, blah blah.

I just didn't want to go and I was hoping God would give me a graceful way out.

He didn't.

So I went.

But I didn't just go. Despite my reluctance, I really put myself into it with feigned cheerfulness. And pretty soon my cheerfulness wasn't feigned. It was real. I really was enjoying myself. I was enjoying myself because I was doing what God wanted me to do at that moment. He wanted to give me a gift that I didn't want to accept, but I accepted it anyway and like a child who discovers he really does like spinach, I'm glad I "gave in."

I should have known. This is the way I always feel before going camping with the scouts. I felt that way last summer when I was looking at a whole week of camping with them. And I always come away glad I went. Really, really glad.

And this is why - because I know that I'm helping these guys grow into real men. I'm helping them grow in confidence and competence. I'm helping them grow into men who know how to take care of themselves and how to work as a team. I'm helping them grow in virtue. I'm helping them have fun. I'm helping them make friends. I'm helping them see that real men are trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

Besides, I got to wake up to the sound of Canada geese migrating overhead and honking their praises to the Lord! And that's a good thing.

Posted by Matt   9:43 AM   

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