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Camping Trip
Grab
Campsite reservations
Tent or camper
Sleeping bags
Firewood
Flashlight, matches
Sunscreen, bug spray
First-aid kit
Food (LOTS of food!)
Car keys
Go
Do a thorough job of packing your food, bedding, extra clothing, towels, and first-aid kit. Nothing will ruin a camping trip faster than being hungry, cold, wet, or sore! Involve your daughter in creating a packing list, and have her check the items off as they’re packed into the car. Let her be your navigator with the map as you travel to your campsite.
Have a great time together once you arrive. Set up your tent, spread out your sleeping bags, make a simple lunch, and figure out where the hiking trails and swimming areas are located.
In the evening your daughter can help you lay the firewood for a crackling campfire. Make s’mores, read stories, tell jokes, and rest up after a day in the great outdoors!
Grow
Camping is one of the best ways to get away from the demands of the everyday. You can take off your watch, turn off your phone and computer, and just enjoy the peace and beauty of the outdoors with your daughter.
Jesus set the perfect example of this by breaking away from the crowds following him to go to the countryside or a mountain to be with his Father. Luke 6:12 describes how “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.” Mark 1:35 tells how “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”
Jesus was continually busy ministering to the people following him.
Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. (Luke 5:15–16)
He knew that in our ordinary environment, where everyone “wants a piece of you,” it takes effort to have meaningful time with a loved one.
Let’s follow Jesus’s example and break away to be with our Father just like he did. Brainstorm together to think of a quiet spot you can go to on a regular basis to read the Word, pray, and listen to God.
Dear Lord,
Thank you for teaching us how important it is to spend quiet time with each other and with you. We’re so glad you want to be close to us. Help us to remember to take time away from our busy schedules to talk to you and read the Bible. We want to follow your example of making time for the best thing of all—time with our Father. We love you! Amen.