Last week and what a...

weekend we've had. Last week we were at Camp Manatawny. Chuck was the athletic director and I was in the kitchen. We each always go with the idea in mind that we are giving back to the Lord by volunteering. It's amazing how much more we end up getting out of giving.

Clay and Luke were hard workers in the dining hall, and athletics. We are so proud of them.

Zachary had a great week as a camper. He participated in everything with a good positive spirit. He won several daily awards for Bible, and athletics and a tie 3rd place for best camper. We are proud of him too! One staff member gave him the title "HUNK OF THE WEEK." She said all the girls were in quite a buzz to find out his name and home church. Once they found out I was in the kitchen they became friendly in the meal lines. I think he sort of (in a humble manner) enjoys his unofficial title, although he is a genuinely unassuming person. It was a nice shot for his ego. "Hunk of the week" on the left running a timed obstacle course.

He took a friend from home to camp who also had a great week and can't wait for next year. He too won daily awards and made a slew of new friends.

We were, as usual exhausted from camp. It's the good kind of exhaustion. The kind where you know you accomplished something worthy.

From the moment we left camp it seems we haven't been still. We stopped on our way out of camp and had lunch (to avoid the traffic heading our way to the shore), we arrived home around 4pm, unloaded the car, showered, dressed, p-up a sitter and pizza and head into Atlantic City to board a boat for a surprise 40th birthday party. It was a great night with great company, and yet another late night like the last two camp nights. We got up for church on Sunday with the following itinerary: church, lunch, Zack to a teen function @ 2pm,a much needed nap on the pews @ the church building (not a habit of ours but the airport is in the direction of church- we were trying to save gas) before heading to the airport to pick up Wesley at 5:15, then pick up our animals (dog and Guinea pig) from two different locations, home to drop off Chuck so he can rest and pack before going to work at midnight, then go back as far as Hammonton at 9:45 to retrieve Zack.

From the words of Robert Burns "The best-laid schemes o' mice an 'men Gang aft agley." Yes our plans went quite awry. The short of it is Wesley didn't land until 10:10pm and the teens missed their trip, all due to weather and traffic. The teens went bowling and had pizza instead. We arrived home at 11:15pm just in time for Chuck to pack and be at the boat by midnight. He hopped in his truck drove around the corner and a break line broke! We couldn't do anything about it at that time of night so he called for a ride to the boat. I sent the boys to bed and I fell into bed. In the morning, I planned to drop Luke off someplace at 9am but my car wouldn't start. I shed a few tears, well a lot of tears, and stood in silence not believing what was happening. I felt a great deal of pressure because the kind people watching our animals were ready for us to pick them up, but we hadn't had one moment and now I didn't have a way to get them. I finally got my car started about an hour later. Honestly, I know what I need to do in order to get through this, but I feel guilty going to God. My prayer life hasn't been it's best lately. I've allowed satan to discourage me over several other issues and I've not turned it over to God. How could I now? How selfish to ask for something when I haven't had the relationship with Him that I should've been having all along? I'm sure God can make something good of the discouragement satan has caused. I know God has a plan and a lesson too. I've just been so impatient and selfish and whine about it too. I don't think God is going to help until he knows I'm completely broken. I'm not angry with him. But, I am stubborn.

It's late in the day and I'm still not where I should be with God. Before the day ends I know in my heart I'll end up on my knees. I can't do it alone and shame on me for trying!