My Worship Revolution

On Wednesday we took off for spring break and I posted this picture:

We look so happy.  And all looks so good in life.
So many of you “liked” it.
Now let me tell you how that day actually shaped up.

It was already a crazy morning getting the house ready to go since we were renting out our house while we were gone to pay for our camping trip.  Which requires lots of cleaning.
I got the car packed up, and already leaving late I went to hook up the tent trailer.
After a couple starts and stops of the engine as I got the hitch lined up, I went to start it up again.

Yup.  Dead battery.
I called our neighbors and friends, Kurt & Melinda, looking for jumper cables.
They didn’t have any.
As I was about to head to Target, I found out we had some in the trunk.

So we finally got on the road an hour and a half later than we’d hoped.
We stopped in Fresno to hang out with great friends from the Revolution days and Missio Dei ministry partners, Jared & Kimmie.
Always great seeing them and luckily they were cool with a late lunch.

We finally got back on the road around 4pm thinking we were around 45 minutes away.
Nope.  Try like 2 hours.  #fail.
We were almost there, about 75% of the way up the windy hill to get up to the campsite when apparently Bolt’s dramamine had expired.
Our carsick sensitive dog puked all over the van.
I thought about snapping a picture. I shoulda. But I haven’t blogged in how long? Whooda thunk?

After getting that cleaned up, we went the next 10-15 minutes and finally arrived at the campsite.
The rules said not to transport firewood because of invasive bugs.  So we figured we’d buy some from the camp host at the site.
We were literally the ONLY people at the entire campground.  Not even a host there.

By now it was getting dark, it was cold, and it was wet.
We were missing things right and left it seems like, but eventually found everything we needed.
Plenty of things were challenging, but we took it all in stride and nothing was going to ruin our time away!
Rachel: Since we don’t have anything for a fire and it’s almost bedtime anyway, how about we just have some hot chocolate and cookies and play a game of Uno before bed.
Me: We’re going to give the kids a cup of hot water with chocolate right before bed?
(Yes, that is what we call foreshadowing.)

So we played a game, got the kids in pajamas, teeth brushed, went potty, and off to bed.
Cue Micah, 1am.
Peed through his pajamas, through the sleeping bag, and onto the tent trailer cushion.
After getting him all set, I got in back into the sleeping bag, and couldn’t help but laugh out loud a little.

In his narrative theology book, Death By Living, as he’s talking about the importance of living stories, ND Wilson recounts an experience flying to London only to get off the plane and having his 2 sons throwing up all the way up the jetway, him holding one in his arms, dragging the other, and laughing the whole way.  Couldn’t help but think about that. (Good book, worth the read, by the way.)
He finishes the story with these thoughts:

“Lesson 1: When one begins to make claims about life and its storyness, one should be careful. Stories tend to follow, and stories involve unpleasantness. God calls bluffs, and makes narrative hypocrites of us all.
Lesson 2: When faced with unpleasantness (trouble) there are only two ultimate responses (with many variations). On the one hand, “The Lord gives, the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.” On the other, “Curse God and die.” Variations on the latter can include whining, moping, self-pity, apathy, or rage. Variations of the former can include laughter, song, retellings, and an energetic attack of obstacles.

If God gives you (or makes you) a joke, what are you meant to do in response? (Receive it. Laugh.)
If God gives you an obstacle, what are you meant to do in response? (Receive it. Climb it. Then laugh.)
If God gives you more profound hardship, what are you meant to do in response? (Receive it. Climb it. Then laugh. Exhibit A: His Son.)”

We ended up spending the next day driving into the nearest town to do laundry, grab lunch, and buy firewood.
It was a crazy day, but was a great time away as a family.
And we made some great memories on the trip there.
Well, memories anyway.
But the time there was great.
And the campsite was gorgeous…