We really love to camp. It is a cheap way for our family of 8 to "get away", slow down, relax, and just have some fun together. So we were really excited about camping this year, even though our trip would be short and I would be "on call".
We arrived at the campground, got the pop-up camper set and leveled (yes, 8 of us really do sleep in a pop-up. It is more comfortable than a tent!), and the kids were taking turns cranking it up. Then *CRASH*!! One of the corners slammed down (thankfully no one was hurt). We knew immediately what was going on, because it happened once before (although the time before it was in our driveway).
The first part of my Ebeneezer is in Chuck's response. He made a conscious choice to not get upset. And the Holy Spirit met him right there. He didn't get angry or "bent out of shape". We took a calm walk around the campground loop, and discussed the options.
We thought we would get a hotel, and drove to the closest town with such an amenity, about 30 minutes away. By that time, we were only an hour from home, so decided it would be more cost effective just to drive home for the night. Strangely, although we don't mind sleeping 8 in our pop-up, we need 2 hotel rooms.
I praise God for the peace that He gave through this whole ordeal. A situation that would ordinarily cause magnificent stress became truly divine. I can even say that this is one of those occasions where Chuck and I together fully experienced the "peace that passes all understanding". Truly, only the Lord can offer this kind of peace in any circumstance.
