Our Summer: Part 1

As I prepare to start school for the fall tomorrow I thought that if I was to tell the Rest of the Story I better do it sooner rather than later. Actually there is so much to tell that I thought that I would break it up in different parts. I felt that I need to start this entire series with a question that I have spent a lot of time thinking about this summer. This post just to warn you will be serious and the funny ones will follow. This summer has been busier than most summer due to many factors. Such things as my brother's death got our summer off to a rocky start, the number of camps and VBS's were more than most years, and the increase in responsibilities of my new job causes a different set of stresses. But the thought here at the end of a very exhausted summer has been "Is it really worth it?" Is doing all these camps and VBS's worth the exhaustion, fatigue, the money, the time..is it really worth it. Please bare with me for just a few moments.

Over the last several months the Davis family has travels thousands of miles in a summer when gas prices were sky rocketing. we have ate at every Mcdonald's, Burger King in North America (this too is not cheap). We have spent countless hours in a confined space called a vehicle with two adults, two children and one useless computer (I will explain my thoughts in a moment). While many of our friends and family spent fun filled vacations in Hawaii, Florida, Tennessee and other exciting places we were in church basements, schools, and camps. There were no four star hotels for this family.......we rushed to get hot showers at camp and was awakened by the melodic sounds of fire alarms. We were not lulled to relaxation by the sounds of waves crashing onto the beach but by the sounds of two certain little boys asking "Are we almost there?" "I have to P*#!!" and from my other passenger who is not a little boy but a big girl " You better stop soon because I have to go to the bathroom." Is it really worth giving up over three weeks of vacation to do what most people run from and call us crazy and tell us we need to get our heads examined? Is it worth sitting night after night in a hot sweaty tabernacle and be flocked by hot, sweaty children covered in dirt and candy day after day and night after night? Is it worth being tired and worn out and getting excited to return to work for some rest (now that is pathetic)? Is it worth living out of a suitcase for days upon end and corralling kids yours and other for hours and hours? Is it worth singing "God's not dead" till you feel like you your self are about to die? Is it really worth it I have asked my self?

The answer comes from a tired and worn out soul. Out of exhaustion my answer is yes. I know that there will be those who go back to the "are you crazy" and "you need to get your head examined."

There is no price to put on a child's smile and a sticky hug from an innocent child you have just ministered too. There are no words in the human language that can describe the love and the joy I receive when I can share with kids that God Loves Them just the way they are and that they are special to God. You can take your fancy vacations to exotic places because my boys are spending time with some of the godliest people in the conservative holiness movement. They are making memories and friendships that money could ever buy. These are things that I never had growing up. I may not have stayed in four star hotels but we have shared our time with family and friends. We have been treated better and feed better than any four star hotel could ever treat the best patron. We have shared meals and lots of laughter and have stayed in the homes of people we love and respect.....again better than any four star hotel. I think of the time (although at times frustrating) that we have spent together as a family...in the car, in McDonald's and yes even in a grave yard at one point (another story to tell)...all of these special because we were together as a family. Laughing together when Kent shouts "we eat at cheeze a wheeze" that is chuckie cheese or at Connor and one of his funny antics. So you ask me is it really worth it? A million times over I'll say YES!!!!!