Well, we had our third annual youth group, boys only, camp-out. This year it rained most of the day on Saturday and all night into Sunday morning. Sleeping on the ground makes me appreciate my bed.
This year I was able to bring my two oldest boys. This is a benefit for them of me being the youth pastor. They had a great time, but this picture just about sums it all up. This can get filed among the “drop where you stop” collection.
We had a powerful metaphor of a tree that was wrapped in bittersweet. This gave us a nice visual of sin and how it starts small, but grows in its hindrance of the life of the tree. On Saturday night we burned it in the fire. It took an hour for the bittersweet to burn off enough that we could peel it back. Sin has that effect on a life, doesn’t it? The more attached it is, the harder it comes off. (and the larger mark it leaves)
At the end of it all, I am once again glad we did this. I do wonder about the appeal of camping, since it really isn’t my thing. But, getting a group of boys in the woods to talk about God is worth the inconvenience.
No Throw Aways 
Really sounds like a lot of fun.. I enjoy’d the thought.. Blessings my friend.. 🙂
Thanks. It was fun despite the rain.
Great analogy! Better you than me lol. Boys need that though, so I’m glad you’re willing.
Oh, they need a lot more than that, but it is a good start. 🙂