To make a long story short let me list off all of the mishaps. 1. A screaming child for hours before this fun outing causing me to forget to finish dressing. As I arrived at church I realized I was still in my pajama top. 2. Having planned for last minute teens we had six extra seats for the trip only to have eight last minute kids show up. 3. A teen who left her inhaler in the van while on a short but difficult hike. 4. The church van loosing just about all of the breaks at the bottom (Praise the Lord, the bottom) of the mountain.
My Strong man, thankfully, is the youth director at church and has the key to the AWANA closet so while a bright yellow polo shirt isn't at the top of my fashion list I was able to have something comfortable to wear to the ocean. Actually I quite liked the shirt by the end of trip and was slightly sad to give it back.
Thankfully a mother of two of our teens was able to come along at the last minute so that we didn't have to turn teens away. This was HUGE! Almost half of our group had NEVER been to anything church related before. They know nothing about God and His Son.
Looking back I should have remembered to remind this teen to bring her inhaler it's not out of the ordinary for her to forget. I'm thankful in some ways that she left it behind. She is one of the teens that has been adopted as my daughter. Her and I, with my Son of laughter on my back, hung back and took the hike very slow. Good times it was. We talked of nothing, but it was everything. Relationship building at it's best.
Lastly at the very bottom of the Mountain we lost the breaks in our church van. God was involved in the whole thing! In the moment all we could see was the stopped car just in front of us getting closer and realizing we'd have to go over the curb to avoid it. Instead we stopped just in front of the curb no damage done to anything. Then we inched our way into to Bar Harbor to find a place to park and leave the van for the towing service. God not only had an open parking space for us, but it was also very convenient for the tow truck to get her out of. Our friends on the hill drove down to meet us with there 15 passenger van so that we could still be home at a reasonable time. The church leaders made all the phone calls so we could love on those teens and keep the trip running smoothly. God was good to us!
When I look back on a day like that all I can see is God's control and love in the events of the day. It reminds me of Isaiah 30:21.
Your ears will hear a word behind you; "This is the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right or the left.
865. Boulder hopping hikes with my Son of Laughter on my back.
866. Wild blueberries.
867. Sounds of enjoyment coming from my pack as I pass the berries back.
868. My boys excitement over the view, the rocks, and fungus.
869. The joy "green" rocks brings to my Man of the woods.
870. My boys beginning to see the small things with wonder.
871. Being with my "daughters".
872. Van brakes working until the bottom of the mountain.
873. God quickly saying yes to our prayer for an easy parking space.
874. My strong man thinking me helpful even though I don't get it.
875. Friend on the hill giving us a her time and van to help brings us home.
876. Holding hands with my Son of Laughter.
877. Son of Laughter loved window shopping with the girls.
878. Holding my Son of Laughter's hand just as i did when he learned to walk only now as he learned to walk on boulders.
879. Oceans
880. God's vastness.
881. Son of Laughter's giggle of achievement.
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