The Overduin's

Last week we were privileged with a week long camping vacation. Now, be aware I use the word vacation loosely because while it was a LOT of fun and I would do it again next week if I was able, the word vacation itself implies rest and relaxation and for the most part, camping with 5 littles doesn't fit that definition quite yet.

Monday morning started out promising despite the weather man's predictions. There were the sunny breaks and warm temperatures that enticed me to believe the weather report was probably wrong - again. Too bad for us, he and it were not wrong and before long the wind drove in grey clouds that covered up the sun and delivered cold driving rain.

I have to tell you I was ridiculously excited to be packing up the tent trailer my parents had bought used when I was a young girl. And even though there were a few things one might wish to change (like the old lino and not so thick mattresses :) ) the memories I was having of watching my mom make our meals, watching my dad pack it up just so, sitting at the table in the cherry orchard somewhere far away in the states while a fierce thunder storm rolled over, and countless other precious memories of our 5 or 6 week holidays (mom and dad were teachers) exploring all over Canada and the States fueled excitement to pack, even in the pouring rain. Now this old tent trailer had a few issues and one of them was a flat tire I had brought in to be repaired the week before.

Later Steve admitted he feared the whole repair business was a bit sketchy and so instead of taking the big highway to the secondary highway he took the back roads. Once on the secondary highway he thought about the rest of the trip and figured if he could only get the trailer over the big bridge he would be home free. So, while approaching the bridge he prayed and while going over the bridge he prayed and he prayed that God would just get him safely to the other side of the river. And that is what he was given. God graciously answered his prayers. But little did Steve know that was all he was going to get.

He was barely off the bridge when he felt the trailer starting to wobble and as he slowed down it quickly become obvious that something was wrong. Nope, he hadn't blown the repaired tire. It had come completely off!

This is Steve heading toward the van for a consultation in the pouring rain.

This is the sight that had met the kids and I as we came over the bridge a few minutes later than Steve.



Understandably the kids were incredibly disappointed and were immediately doing their best to paint a very black picture of going home, no camping trip and probably a stolen tent trailer while we weren't looking.




I couldn't let them go there though. There were too many blessings involved. To allow them a complaining attitude would have been to throw the grace God had shown us back in His face.

1. He had answered Steve's prayer. An accident on the bridge that is notorious for it's deadly crashes could have ended up exactly that. A deadly crash. For Steve or for some other unexpecting driver coming along at the wrong time.




2. I wish I would have thought to take a picture of the other direction to show you the distance from the trailer to the bridge. It wasn't very much. It only underlined that God had carried that trailer over the bridge as Steve had prayed.




3. Almost immediately after Steve pulled over a kind gentleman had already pulled over behind him to help him get the trailer jacked up.




4. We were a few minutes behind Steve. The kids and I didn't have to see it happen and wonder in those few scary seconds if there was going to be an accident.




5. The tire, while coming right off, did not go bouncing across the road but jammed up in the wheel well which saved the axle from dropping on and dragging across the road.




6. The tire shop we stopped next to which didn't have what we needed, was right next to a thrift store where we were able to play with toys and read books for the next 45 minutes in a dry spot.


7. My Dad was able to help out in getting a tire, bringing it out to Steve, putting it on, following it up to the campsite to make sure it stayed on, and in setting up a beautiful camp ie. dry, level etc. with a pretty slick tarp system!




8. My friend Laura was home and allowed us to come hang out at her place while we waited. Not only was it dry but we were all able to enjoy some CLEAN :) fresh smelling, flushable toilets for a while longer.




9. It was still pouring when we got to the campsite nearly 4 hours later than first planned, so much so that while we set up the trailer and tarps the kids stood underneath the rain pouring off exclaiming over their showers. If we had gotten there any earlier we would have had to go through a few more pairs of warm dry clothes....that we didn't really have.

And I know there is still more. It's not too hard to understand what I'm saying. There was so much good, so much undeserved blessing that to have complained would have been wrong.

I leave you with this.

Psalm 121
A Song of Ascents.
1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
8 The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.

For something from the second day...

The sun was shining and though while still abit cool Cody was not about to be deterred from swimming in the lake. We went to the campsite to get the "life jacket" he has claimed as his own, orange ruffle, saggy bum, shorts, gum boots and all. And immediately walked into the lake to splash before I could remove his only remaining sweater.
Good thing Steve, who couldn't stay up at the camp site with us Monday night, brought home a whole load of wet muddy laundry to do for us so he could bring it back to us clean on Tuesday!