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This holiday weekend, I went to Family Camp at Forest Home with Christy & Daniel (and their 2 kids) and Leanne. How many of those people are my family? Zero. And yet I still went.

I've actually never been up to Forest Home. It's not far away at all from where I live, and yet it seems like a completely different world. It reminded me a bit of home - winding roads, trees, thousands of stars at night - love it. I really and truly love being in nature (as long as there aren't bugs crawling on me), and there is something so refreshing about mountain air and the sound of a stream and being surrounded by mountains.

The funny thing was, I had a bad attitude soon after we got there. Even though I promised myself that I wouldn't, I felt very out of place. I mean, I knew all along that it was family camp, but I didn't think that I would feel out of place because I was there with close friends. But it seemed like everyone there had not only been going there for years, but was there with their entire family. Like, grandparents on down to grandkids. And nevermind that the two sessions that were being offered today after the sermon were "Building Family Traditions" and "Teaching Your Kids to Think Missionally". Um... yeah... I think I'll go take a nap. (Actually, I ended up having a very good conversation with Leanne in our cabin during those sessions. What is it about camp that makes you feel the need to spill your guts to your friends?) Anyway, the whole camp was very family orienented, and rightly so. Which is why I felt out of place, and therefore, became the bearer of a bad attitude.

On the first night, during the evening service, I sat in my seat next to my 3 dear friends and felt a wall going up around me. I was not going to have a good weekend; I was not going to let God teach me anything because I was annoyed with him for putting me in this situation in the first place. Then the worship leader set aside a few minutes for people to call out things that they were thankful for, and I relunctantly started praying. I told God that I want a place to belong. I want people in my life who know me and love me. And God said to me "my child, they're right there."

Let me tell you - it is not often that I hear directly from God. I mean, he teaches me things and reveals things to me, but I very rarely hear from him. But he spoke those words into my soul as clear as day. I looked to my left and saw Christy, Daniel, and Leanne. I thought about the fact that these people, whom I am not related to, invited me to come to family camp with them. Then I thought about the many other friends that I could have spent Thanksgiving with and felt completely welcome. And I thought about the fact that I have a mom and stepdad at home who love me and would have loved it if I came home to be with them for Thanksgiving. And all of a sudden I felt as if I belonged. Not just in one place, but it many places.

How blessed am I? I mean really. I spent at least 3/4 of the service with tears in my eyes, overwhelmed by all of the goodness that surrounds me on a daily basis. In an instant, that wall was broken down and love filled my heart.

So thank you, all of my dear friends out there. Thank you for making this time on earth a little less lonely, a heck of a lot more fun, and a blessing instead of a burden.

Here are a few pics from the weekend - and please, no comments about my hair. It's camp. I wasn't trying to impress anyone. I showered, and that's really all that mattered. So shut it.


This is a picture I took from a really fun suspension bridge. Leanne and I went on a walk and I loved looking at all the amazing views!


Leanne and I on a walk... it was FREEZING. I loved it.


Me with one of the best kids in the world, Nathaniel, in our matching APU sweatshirts. Represent!