On the last night of Girls Camp I laid all snug in my sleeping bag. I was so glad to be asleep -- the girls in the camp next to us had finally settled down after partying well until midnight. Thankfully, the deer which had kept me up the previous night decided to take the night off from wandering in our camp. But at 1:30am I suddenly awoke. And had to go to the bathroom. Shoot! I tried to will myself to go back to sleep but I just could not shake the urge and so I carefully unzipped my sleeping bag & the door of the tent so as not to awake the other leader in my tent. I stumbled outside to the carpet mat in front of our tent and attempted to put my shoes on in the dark. Everything was so dark and foggy to my sleepy mind. As I took a few steps toward the bathroom I looked up. Was this for real?
With pine tree silhouettes framing the sky, the stars glimmered & sparkled. Thousands, millions, dotted the black sky in an amazing array. Hazy clouds of white - far off universes - were reminders of the immense magnitude & scope of the skies. That light continues on forever. And my brain hurts even trying to think about it.
We sang a song at Girls Camp each morning and evening and these two lines always stuck out to me:
Our mighty God has given us so much good -
There's just no room for darkness in our lives
Yes! I love this thought so much.
Sometimes - especially this past month - I feel weighed down by it all. My mom's cancer. Family trials that bring a lot of stress & worry & unknown. Things that are hurtful (and I rarely get my feelings hurt). Frustrations. And feeling dumped on. Oh, and don't forget the intense summer heat. Thanks, Vegas!
A friend told me -- after I listed all the stuff going on -- that must mean something really great is on the horizon for you. I sure hope so!
This weekend I am visiting my parents. I joke that I ran away to the hills! Ha! My parents and I were discussing mom's trial and all the hard, gut-wrenching, and downright crappy things she has had to go through . . . . but . . . We agreed that good has come out of it too. We each admitted that we have learned SO much. It has changed us.
Yes, there is darkness. But there is always light. And there is good. So much good from our Heavenly Father. I know this with all my heart to be true. And sometimes it is the darkness, our trials, that allow us to see the good in brilliant ways. I want to be someone who always looks for the good. I know it is a choice. Because I know that when I'm having a pity party I am also making that choice!
Here's to goodness and stars, security, happiness and healing, and an AC that can keep up all summer long!
art print: White Brick Lane
