Sunday morning with 11 people in a house with one shower went surprisingly smooth. We managed to get everyone ready and to church a whole 15 minutes early. Most of the kids had showered the night before which was a big help. Church was good and confirmed what had been on my heart lately…we love praise and want to be acknowledged for a job well done and I think that often we forget that God has called us to be a servant, and that we should be satisfied with performing the function he has called us to do with out seeking praise, recognition, or status. Some times I have those feelings that no one recognizes the hard work that I do, I am working to remind myself that when I am seeking praise I am not having a servants heart. I am doing the good thing for what it will get me not because I love and want to serve God and others. I do not have this down it is definitely a work in progress which leads me to the next thing that the mark of a true believer is a changed life, we have all seen and witnessed this in people we know. What does our lives say about our relationship with God, is he alive in us. Do we reflect that or our own selfish desires. I know the answers to these questions and it is a reminder that I often rob God of having all of me as I continually take back control and keep him from seeing and working in different parts of my life. Man these reminders that I am so far from a finished product are humbling.
After church we had lunch and packed the car. The kids almost finished a Narnia movie that they had started before church. They play so well together and seem to have similar interests.
We got out of the house and headed south to Clifty Falls State Park the scenery was awesome (I love corn fields and old farm houses). But soon fell asleep so didn’t see as much as I wanted.
We stopped at the hotel to check in then headed out to the park to enjoy the outdoors and make hobo stew for dinner.
There was a persimmon tree next to the dining shelter that was loaded with delicious ripe fruit.
They were small but yummy, Eve kept bringing them to me to peel off the skin for her. They tasted like candy, very unlike the ones I have previously eaten from Walmart.
We cooked our dinner and ate it. The Hobo stew made by Kristen was a big hit and everyone polished theirs off with the only evidence being the charred tin foil and plastic forks. The kids played some more and hunted around for good roasting sticks for Chad to sharpen to a point for marshmallow and doughboy roasting. We took a little but gorgeous hike to work up an appetite for dessert.
The weather was perfect for a hike and the kids were in a jolly mood playing a game as they hiked…Eve was pokey but that is not new. After the hike we roasted our marshmallows and wrapped the marshmallows in the Pillsbury croissant dough and roasted them in the fire.
It was dark when we got back to the hotel, they had no more rooms with two beds so they gave us the suite with a hot tub instead. So we had a little mini hot tub party with all the kids enjoying a swim of sorts and lots of laughter before crashing for the night. I better crash too because the morning will come early and going to be filled with energetic kids and a lot more fun memories made.
Owens Endeavors 