"packing for camp..."

one duffle bag,
footlocker,
suitcase,
steamer trunk...

hmmm...
so what do I fill
it with...

do I spend my days
before
leaving...
shopping and sorting,
mending and
choosing?

what to bring
what to leave behind,
and how much of each...

it says three shirts
and a fleece...

but do I take the green with the
periwinkle trim,
or the more practical black
that never shows
dirt...hmmm...

stop...

all these things will
fall into your duffle
bag in
less time
than it takes to
make the list

but what of your heart...

what are you going to pack
in your heart

will it be stuffed with carefully
folded hours of
regret, interwoven with the
fragile dark threads of
self...

will you slip in a small
portion of the
ego's
favorite perfumes...
sarcasm,
gossip,
a sharp wit,
memories of a better year,
the "right" clothes,
the coolest friends,
places seen,
a hierarchy of
accomplishments to
line up on your
shelf or
parade at mealtimes?

are you going to bring along
your "what ifs" and
"it coulda beens..."

those wandering wonderings about
the
plans that
didn't quite come into focus

don't just leave them behind...
burn them....

yup,
burn them...

don't reduce them to a more manageable,
handle-able,
hideable size,
don't reuse them,
don't recycle them for another summer
when you might just need
something to put in your duffle
something to keep you looking
backwards in
regret...
so that you miss
out on the
beauty
before your eyes
His gift
of
Now...

burn them in the
holy fire of
your desire to live
this moment
with
Him...

okay,
now that you've emptied your
luggage,
let's start fresh...

humility...
lay a foundation of
humble,
grace-filled knowing
that God
has sent you to camp for
a holy purpose...

you have not
earned it,
you are not
lucky or more experienced,
you are not the coolest,
or the best...

you are
just the one that God has
chosen for this post...today...
you have much to learn
and this is your
classroom
use it well....

Love,
bring it,
fill it up...if you have nothing
left for shoes or
gear...you will still be the most
well-supplied you've
ever been...

Love will bring an axehead from
the bottom of a lake,
it will cover you in It's feathers during a
storm,
Love will
wrap you in warmth,
feed you on the bread of heaven...
inspire you with
an air so rarefied and clear that you
will breathe without
effort...

Love will take your hand and
lead you along the paths
of righteousness
and safely guide you home,
it will wake you every
morning with a desire to serve,
to bless,

It will
keep you in the company of angels,
burst you forth as a shower of
joy, and
comfort you in the tabernacle of
its peace...

yes,
pack love...lots and lots of
love...

Every corner,
every nook and cranny,
every side pocket
and crease
fill it with
Love's provision of
love...

and you will
have,
indeed,
packed
well...

very, very
well...