A NIGHT AT CAMP
Today's reading:  Psalm 72-74

I hadn't really wanted to go.  I had plenty at home to keep me busy.  A list of things to-do that was a mile long.  I'd worked all day.  Supper dishes weren't done.  There was, and always is, laundry to be taken care of.  Weeds that needed attacked in the garden.

But I went.

To a Junior-High church camp for the evening.

And I watched from the sidelines.

I was supposed to be a chauffeur for the evening--there was really not supposed to be anything in it for me.

But there it was splashed upon the wall by the projector.  The verse I needed.  The verse that is still with me this morning.  The verse, I believe, God had the camp pastor speak on because I was going to be there.  The verse that caused me to think about the wall of cool-whip containers, cleaned-out mayonnaise jars and odds and ends bowls my grandmother kept along the wall of the stairs going down into her basement.

Huh?

She had a silly collection of hodge-podge dishes with lids.  Saved for just the right time and just the right need.  Expectant bowls for a smattering of leftovers.  Mis-matched.  Recycled.  Re-purposed.  Saved.  Jars with lids that were perfect for grand kids to collect fireflies in.  Containers that would hold just about anything needing to be held.

I used to laugh about her collection.  Now I wish I had it--because I need it.  

"...We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next.  In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged.  Quite the contrary--we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!"  Romans 5:3-5 MSG

I don't have enough 'containers' to hold everything God has poured into my life.

And it took a night at Junior-High church camp to realize it.