Camping trips are one of the good things in life

Sarah and Kevin are getting ready for their first family camping trip at Wappapello, with several others from Kevin’s family. They plan to leave the little one (Samantha, 16 months) with her Grandma Starkey and will take Mae Lou (age 7) with them.

I must admit to being just a little envious, for I do love camping. I’ve never been much of a fisherman, but I like sitting around the fire at night and I like cooking out under the sky. On my first camping trip (when I was married to Fritz), we slept under the stars on a gravel bar, close to the river and a popping fire. I felt very intimidated by the animal sounds throughout the night and I wondered why I left my comfortable bed at home for this. However, we made it through the night and as soon as the dew hit my face and dampened my cover, I was up and ready to see what else might be in store for me.

Much later in the after-Fritz era of my life, I met Junior and found out camping was a lot more fun (and no doubt, safer) when you have a camper with a door that locks. We camped every summer and lots of times on our trips out west. We were happy campers for 16 years.

I like to cook on a river bank or in a campground, either one. That is where everything you cook is just so good. That could be because nobody thinks about calories and cholesterol when they are camping and the bacon grease flows freely; fried fish, hush puppies, fried potatoes, pork & beans with bacon, onions and brown sugar, and that’s not to leave out fried biscuits and gravy for breakfast. Makes me hungry right now.

Well, time never stops (at least yet) and things never stop changing. More the reason to appreciate the good things in your life now. I think we would certainly be more appreciative if we knew just exactly how many more camping trips we had left, but that would kind of take the bloom off the rose, would it not?

God knew what He was doing, giving us what we needed to have good times and satisfaction throughout our lives. But He tells us there will be good times and bad, and that this part of our life is meant to be temporary; that the best is yet to come, which will be the time of our life that is going to last forever. Knowing this helps us get through the tough times.

We don’t ever want to part with our loved ones because it is so painful we can hardly stand it, but it is our comfort and joy to know we will meet again in Heaven. I’m not sure what all else we’ll be doing, but I know it will be good, the same as God said about everything He created on Earth: He said it was “good” and that is good enough for me.

Always remember that those who love the Lord never see each other for the last time.

Jennie is a long-time resident of Fredericktown, an eclectic gatherer of stories, information, and experiences to share with whoever would like to read them. She can be reached at 573-783-6721 or by mail at 2040 Hwy 00; Fredericktown, MO 63645