Dad, Lad, and some Storms

Billy and Blake took off for the annual Dad & Lad cub scout camp the Saturday right after the week long day camp.  Blake was exhausted, but was no less excited! It was the perfect thing to do on Father's Day weekend. I helped them pack up and off they went.  They just pulled into Beaumont, when I discovered the most important backpack in the bedroom...it was the one with all their clothes and essentials...needless to say, I picked up Aunt Susie to go for a ride and delivered it to them.  There were storms in the forecast, but that wouldn't stop them, storms seem to follow us when we camp...we should be used to it. 

They set up their own tent and did some of the camp activities like archery and swimming.  We stayed in touch the best we could...it seemed like they were having fun, but the thunderstorm warnings that were being broadcasted kept making me nervous.  Right about dark, I started texting the weather warnings to Billy...what did he do...decide to stay and make it through their camping trip.  They had a great time together and both, Billy and Blake learned alot. I was going to put the happenings of the night in my own words, but decided to steal them straight from Billy's blog...

"The two other dads decided to leave before the storm hit, and that left Blake and I as the lone campers in our camp. We decided to get our stuff picked up and get in our tent and wait for the storm to hit, the latest update from our weather center, Mom, still had us in the sight of the storm with 2 inches of rain and 50 mile per hour winds. We got in our tent, checked all the windows, and situated our tent. The winds hit about ten minutes after we got settled in to bed. Blake said his night time prayers which are the traditional " Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the lord my soul to keep, while angels watch me through the night, and keep me in their blessed sight". He usually lets me add things that we are thankful for and any additional prayers, but tonight he added "God I know it is going to storm please don't let it be too bad." As a father that was a very proud moment for me, my son was displaying something that many of us still don't understand, that our Heavenly Father is real and we can speak to him and know that he will protect us.

What happened next has changed my life forever. It was what some call, one of those "aha moments when the Word comes to life." I decided to read some scripture as we were waiting for the storm, I read from Psalms 91, the protection Psalms. When I got to verse 10 "no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.", we both looked at each other with a look of amazement and peace as I read the word tent, then I read over it several more times. Believe it or not he went immediately to sleep without another concern of care. We slept through the night and even though it rained and stormed, our tent was calm and dry.

When we woke up the next morning we both had been changed, and I came away with the best father's day gift imaginable, God confirming to my son how he is there for us, and will never leave us."

Buds with matching mugs!!!